Overview
From $52,198 to $82,656 Annually
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12236
Minimum Qualifications
Do you want a career with a purpose that provides work/life balance? Apply today to join the Office of the New York State Comptroller.
No exam required under the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (NY HELPS) Program: Non-Competitive Qualifications for appointment under the NYHELPS Program:
- Program Research Specialist TRAINEE 1 (Economics Finance)
For appointment to the Program Research Specialist TRAINEE 1 Economics Finance you must have: A bachelor's degree including or supplemented by nine semester credit hours in biostatistics, data analysis, data modeling, economics, econometrics, mathematics, research methods, or statistics.
- Program Research Specialist TRAINEE 2 (Economics Finance)
For appointment to the Program Research Specialist TRAINEE 2 Economics Finance you must have: A bachelor’s degree including or supplemented by nine semester credit hours in statistics, biostatistics, economics, econometrics, mathematics, research methods, data analysis, data science, or data modeling and one year of professional research experience performing the collection, manipulation (e.g., data construction, merging data files, data cleaning, working with data files containing different levels of data) and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review, analysis, and presentation related to program operations.
- Program Research Specialist 1 (Economics Finance)
For appointment to the Program Research Specialist 1 Economics Finance you must have: A bachelor’s degree including or supplemented by nine semester credit hours in statistics, biostatistics, economics, econometrics, mathematics, research methods, data analysis, data science, or data modeling and two years of professional research experience performing the collection, manipulation (e.g., data construction, merging data files, data cleaning, working with data files containing different levels of data) and evaluation of quantitative data directed toward review, analysis, and presentation related to program operations.
Competitive Minimum Qualifications:
You must be currently reachable on the appropriate eligible list for this title, eligible under the 55 b/c program, or eligible to transfer to this title under Section 70.1, 52.6, or 70.4 of the Civil Service Law.
Depending on qualifications, you may be required to serve a 1 or 2-year traineeship that leads to the full level SG-18 position.
Transfer Options:
For 70.1, 52.6, or 70.4 transfer to a Program Research Specialist 1 Economics Finance, salary grade (SG)-18, you must have two years of permanent competitive, or 55-b/55-c service in an approved title for transfer allocated to a SG-16 or above. SG-14 or above for a Trainee 2, SG-12 or above for a Trainee 1, depending on qualifications.
Traineeship Salary Information:
The position may be filled at the Program Research Specialist Economics Finance Trainee 1 SG-14 ($$52,198), Program Research Specialist Economics Finance Trainee 2 SG- 16 ($$58,247), or full performance Program Research Specialist Economics Finance SG-18 ($65,001) based on the candidate’s education, experience, and previous state service. Salary is nonnegotiable.
Candidates hired at the trainee level will be advanced to the full performance Program Research Specialist 1 (Economics Finance) SG-18 following successful completion of the traineeship.
Duties
The LGSA Research Unit is a tight-knit group of about 5-6 staff that works both independently and collaboratively to produce high-quality research products to help local officials and interested citizens understand fiscal issues that affect local governments. We also help keep the Comptroller and OSC executive staff up to date on these and other issues on a regular basis. The work is generally a good mix of fast-paced, short assignments and longer research projects that allow unit members to develop expertise in a variety of topics affecting the state’s local governments.
Conduct Research and Data Analysis
- Under the supervision of a Program Research Specialist (PRS) 2 or an Auditor 3, the PRS1 will be responsible for conducting and assisting with various research and analysis tasks, including:
- Collecting, downloading, compiling and checking data sets for research projects.
- Conducting background research on topics of interest to assess viability for further research.
- Analyzing data and creating relevant charts and tables to share the findings in research products.
- Drafting sections of reports, background briefs and other documents as needed. Depending on the ability of candidate and needs of unit, candidate could be writing full drafts of reports immediately, or after some training period.
- Performing quality assurance tasks to ensure that the information and data analyses in Research Unit reports and other deliverables are complete and accurate.
Provide Training to Local Officials and Participate in Professional Development for OSC Colleagues
Working with PRS 2 supervisor and staff from Local Official Training or Staff Training units, the PRS 1 will participate in:
- Developing training material on topics of expertise, generally gained from research and analysis activities described above.
- Giving presentations and otherwise providing technical assistance to local officials on topics of expertise.
- Developing and delivering formal or informal training to share knowledge with colleagues through presentations in staff meetings or communities of practice.
Planning Future Research Topics
As a member of the Unit, the PRS 1 will be expected to assist with planning and developing research topics. This may include identifying potential data sources, reviewing policy reports and other existing research on the topic to assess the potential scope and feasibility of planned deliverables
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Ability to think and work independently
- Strong analytical skills--including critical reasoning, empirical analysis, quantitative reasoning, and statistical inference
- Strong data skills--including data preparation, data analysis, and data visualization
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. This includes the ability to synthesize and organize information as well as to present it clearly and concisely in a way that is grammatically correct and appropriate for the intended audience.
- Familiarity with local government operations
Additional Comments
Telecommuting
The Office of the New York State Comptroller (OSC) supports telecommuting where it is reasonable to do so based upon the agency’s mission and operational needs. Generally, employees new to OSC will be restricted from telecommuting for at least 8 calendar weeks. After the initial 8 calendar week restriction, if an employee’s primary residence location, duties, and work performance are aligned with telecommuting and operational needs they may be allowed to do so. Generally, OSC employees may telecommute up to 5 days per pay period but may be approved to telecommute less.
Reasonable Accommodation
The NYS Office of the State Comptroller provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Division of Human Resources at (518) 474-1924.
Equal Opportunity Employment
The Office of the NYS Comptroller values a workforce with a broad, diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives. All employees are expected to contribute to a professional environment focused on self-evaluation and improvement, as well as acceptance and support of coworkers.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Brittany Pebler
P: (518) 474-1924
F: (518) 486-6723
[email protected]
Division Contact
Vicki Kirchner
[email protected]
To Apply
Submit a clear, concise cover letter and resume stating how you meet the above minimum qualifications. Reference Item #04154-BEP on your cover letter for proper routing.
Be sure to include a copy of any unofficial transcripts if there are educational requirements / minimum qualification substitutions for this position. Documents must be sent as unlocked and accessible attachments.