The Statistician Experience
Being a Statistician within BE presents an opportunity to work on an array of projects that deal closely with issues and industries at the forefront of the nation’s attention. These include FTC investigations with a specific law enforcement purpose (e.g., the investigation of a proposed merger or a business practice with the potential to harm consumers), as well as more wide-ranging investigations and research projects that serve the mission of the FTC. Investigations with a specific law enforcement purpose are conducted by teams comprised of economists, Statisticians, and other staff from the Bureau of Economics and attorneys in the Bureaus of Competition and Consumer Protection. Other investigations or research projects may be conducted independently or in collaboration with attorneys in the Office of Policy Planning or another FTC office. Statisticians interact with both economists and legal staff, thereby gaining an understanding of both economic and legal aspects of FTC investigations.
- BE’s Antitrust divisions investigate the competitive effects of proposed mergers and other potentially anticompetitive business practices. Recent cases Statisticians have worked on included mergers involving supermarkets, luxury handbags, and large tech companies, as well as conduct investigations into the alcohol distribution and social media industries.
- BE’s Consumer Protection division investigates unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices. Recent cases have included investigating the subscription practices of large technology companies, refunding gamers for unwanted in-game purchases, and estimating harm from the suppression of negative product reviews.
- BE’s Office of Applied Research and Outreach focuses on research performed within BE and also in collaboration with other FTC offices. Recent and ongoing projects have included empirical research into the competitive effects of divestitures in horizontal mergers, the effects of Certificates of Public Advantage issued by state governments to replace competition between healthcare providers, and the role of pharmacy benefit managers in the supply chain for prescription drugs and drug benefits.
During these projects, Statisticians often:
- Write computer programs to compute market shares and market concentrations, calculate consumer harm from fraudulent or deceptive business practices, estimate diversions between products in a market, calculate consumer harm from a merger, or perform other econometric analyses.
- Find, identify, and import data from public sources, and process and organize data submissions from parties to an investigation.
- Create graphs, figures, and tables that summarize the results of statistical analyses for Commission memos and reports.
- Support economists and investigation case teams during interviews, investigational hearings, and depositions.
- Assist in the preparation of expert testimony in litigations through the creation of demonstratives, calculation of relevant statistics, and drafting questions for expert examinations.
- Conduct research with economists in support of congressionally mandated studies, or to answer questions that arise during antitrust and consumer protection investigations. Statisticians also conduct research into broader economics questions related to industrial organization, consumer protection, econometric methods, and applied microeconomics.
- Write reports memorializing analysis findings to help inform FTC decision-making. Statisticians also present the results of their analyses to economists, attorneys, senior agency leaders, and to the FTC Commissioners.
Training and Development
Through on-the-job training and experience, Statisticians in the Bureau of Economics develop expertise in software packages such as Stata, R, Python, Microsoft Excel, and other programs. Statisticians also have the opportunity to attend and participate in economic research seminars hosted by the Bureau of Economics.
Recent Statisticians have continued their education at top Universities, such as Harvard, and have gone on to illustrious careers in the private sector, including at Econic Partners and Microsoft, as well as at other government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
Salary and Benefits
Initial appointments are made at the GS-7 or GS-9 grade level, depending on qualifications. Salary is determined by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
In addition to the base salary, other benefits of FTC employment include:
- Paid vacation and sick leave
- Wide selection of health insurance plans
- Flexible health spending account
- Life insurance options
- Thrift Savings Plan (401k equivalent)
- Alternate Work Schedule availability
- Generous public transportation subsidy
- Possible tuition subsidy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this an entry level position?
- Yes! The Statistician Program at the FTC’s Bureau of Economics is designed for recent graduates to gain experience in microeconomics, econometrics, and economic research.
What degree or major do I need to apply?
- Candidates do not need any particular major to be eligible for the Statistician position. The job posting on USA jobs will note a requirement of 15 semester hours in statistics or statistically related work, such as econometrics or research methods, and 9 semester hours in the physical sciences, social sciences, or engineering. Candidates of all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
What if I’m still completing my degree?
- While we recruit in the Fall, you are eligible to apply as long as you will have graduated by the time you will be starting in the Bureau, typically during the upcoming Summer. Many of our applicants will be completing their degrees during the application cycle, while many others will have recently graduated. Everyone is encouraged to apply.
What makes a competitive application?
- Competitive applicants will note the following in their resumes:
- A list of the most applicable coursework in Economics, Econometrics, Statistics, Methods, Public Policy, Data Science, Programming, etc.
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of economics, econometrics, and/or statistical analysis.
- Experience with R, Stata, Python, or another statistical programming language.
- Experience in data cleaning, such as finding, organizing, documenting, or preparing data for analysis.
- Experience conducting econometric or statistical analyses.
- Experience presenting economic or statistical work in graphics, tables, written papers, or presentations.
The strongest applicants will have a demonstrated interest and aptitude in economics, in fields such as Industrial Organization, Behavioral Economics, or other microeconomic fields. Strong applicants will also have a clear interest in the missions of the FTC and working in the public sector.
Do I need a cover letter?
- A cover letter is a strong way to help your application stand out. Compelling cover letters will emphasize a candidate’s experience in economics, econometrics, or statistical analysis and will highlight their interest or experience in research, public policy, including any topics related to antitrust or consumer protection, and the FTC. While highly recommended, cover letters are not required by USA Jobs.
Will I be assigned to a specific division?
- Yes! Statisticians at the FTC will be assigned to one of the Bureau of Economics’ Antitrust or Consumer Protection divisions. If you have a preference for one of our divisions, please let us know during the application process!
How much interaction will I have with attorneys and economists?
- Statisticians work closely with both economists and attorneys at the FTC. They work directly with Economists on cases and research to perform the economic analyses that underpin the work of the Commission. Statisticians will also collaborate with the attorneys on their investigations.
Do Statisticians attend external conferences or workshops?
- Yes! The Bureau of Economics hosts the FTC’s Microeconomics Conference and the FTC’s Conference on Marketing and Public Policy, which statisticians are encouraged to attend and participate in. Statisticians have also attended and presented at external conferences, including DC IO Day and the AEA Annual Meeting.
Will Statisticians get to do research?
- Research is a central component of the Bureau of Economics’ mission, and Statisticians are encouraged to engage with ongoing research at the Commission. Recently, Statisticians have had their coauthored work published in the Journal of Law and Competition Economics and the AEA Papers and Proceedings.
Current job openings at the FTC
View all open positions within the Bureau of Economics on the FTC's Careers Page.
Not graduating soon? We encourage you to check out our Internship page! The Bureau of Economics recruits current undergraduate students as interns during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
Application Information
The Statistician position is for an initial term of one year, renewable up to four years. It is an ideal position for technically inclined recent graduates who would like to gain real-world research and analysis experience before pursuing a Ph.D. or other graduate degree. It also provides highly relevant work experience for those who move on to careers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
This position is open to any U.S. citizen or national. Most Statisticians enter at the GS-7 level. In order to qualify at the GS-7 level, a candidate must have superior academic achievement as a college graduate (Bachelor’s degree with a GPA 3.0 or higher) or 1 full year of graduate level education (or equivalent work experience) at the time they start employment. (Anticipation of the academic qualification or experience before entering on duty is required for application). On occasion, the FTC hires Statisticians at a GS-9 level. In order to qualify at the GS-9 level an applicant must have a Master’s degree (or 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 level). The FTC will determine whether an applicant is qualified at the GS-7 or GS-9 level based on OPM’s requirements.
In addition to significant academic coursework in statistics, the ideal candidate will indicate prior coursework in economics and mathematics; interest and proficiency in programming languages for statistics or data science such as Stata, R, or Python; as well as a genuine interest in the economics of competition and consumer protection.
While the FTC generally hires Statisticians during our regular recruiting period in the fall, candidates may apply for a Statistician position at any time there is an opening on USAJobs.gov.