Financial Economist Fellows

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC is seeking multiple financial economist fellows and multiple visiting scholars for the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA). Candidates should have expertise in DERA-relevant areas such as the following: financial markets and transactions (operational risk, market microstructure, fixed income, derivatives, and clearance and settlement); financial intermediation and asset management (credit ratings, registered investment companies, private funds, behavioral finance, structured finance, and investment advice); corporate finance and accounting (valuation, financial accounting, and disclosure), or prior experience in the field of litigation economics. Financial economist fellows and visiting scholars provide economic guidance and research expertise to a broad range of activities, including rulemakings, enforcement actions, market risk assessments, and other regulatory initiatives. In all roles, candidates must demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge of economics and econometrics in support of the SEC's mission to protect investors, facilitate capital formation, and ensure fair and orderly markets. We seek applicants for financial economist fellow and visiting scholar positions, in the following

DERA offices:

1. OFFICE OF ASSET MANAGEMENT: Provides economic analysis related to the regulation of investment advisers, investment companies, hedge funds, and other institutional investors.

2. OFFICE OF CORPORATE FINANCE: Provides economic analysis related to the regulation of issuers of securities.

3. OFFICE OF FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES: Provides economic analysis related to the regulation of broker-dealers, clearing agencies, and NRSROs.

4. OFFICE OF LITIGATION ECONOMICS: Provides economic analysis in the context of SEC enforcement actions.

5. OFFICE OF MARKETS: Provides economic analysis, including market microstructure, related to the regulation of trading in financial markets. Please visit DERA's website for more information on each of these offices: https://www.sec.gov/dera/about

MISSION STATEMENT

DERA advances the Commission's mission to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation through sound economic analysis and rigorous data analytics. DERA engages across the entire range of the agency's functions, including rulemaking, examination, and enforcement. Its multi-disciplinary analyses are informed by research insights, and they rely on the knowledge of institutions and practices when examining regulatory and risk-related matters. DERA assists the Commission in its efforts to identify, analyze, and respond to economic and market issues, including those related to new financial products, investment and trading strategies, systemic risk, and fraud. DERA's data analytics work develops a variety of financial and market data analysis tools, gathers economic statistics, and promotes data standards.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

1. Financial economist fellows are hired on temporary appointments that are usually two years in length. The initial appointment may be extended at the agency's discretion, but the total appointment length cannot exceed four years. Please follow the application instructions for financial economist fellows.

2. Visiting scholars are hired on contracts that are usually one year in length. The positions are open to current faculty members of U.S. universities or colleges who have been employed by their university or college for more than 90 days. Please follow the application instructions for visiting scholars.

3. DERA will participate in both the FMA and AFA markets and will screen complete applications on a rolling basis, beginning on September 14, 2020.

4. Candidates who want to be considered for both the financial economist fellow position and the visiting scholar position must submit separate and independent applications for each position.

5. Multiple selections may be made from this announcement for various DERA offices for positions with the same title, series, levels, promotion potential, qualifications, and specialized experience.

6. For additional information about DERA, please visit: http://www.sec.gov/dera

APPLICATION INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES FOR FINANCIAL ECONOMIST

FELLOWS

1. To apply for the financial economist fellow position, you must submit a complete application package through USAJobs: DERA Fellow: go.usa.gov/xGZek

Please visit the USAJobs help center for assistance with the federal application process: https://www.usajobs.gov/help

2. You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for consideration:

a. CITIZENSHIP: U.S. citizenship

b. EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree or higher (Ph.D. preferred) from an accredited university or college with a major in economics that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, calculus, or a combination of education and experience including courses equivalent to a major in economics plus appropriate experience and additional education.

c. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: The candidate's resume must reflect demonstrated experience in the application of economics. This experience must be demonstrated in at least one of the following five ways: (a) success in conducting research that is of comparable quality to peer-reviewed finance and economics journals; (b) experience analyzing the economics of securities litigation that have been submitted in federal courts or in the context of an SEC action, including the quantification of either harm to investors or ill-gotten gains; (c) experience writing reports that evaluate the effect of policy and rule changes on market performance and function; (d) experience writing reports in market microstructure or similar applied microeconomic fields such as industrial organizations and auction theory; (e) experience in analyzing the costs and benefits of regulations in financial markets, including effects on market efficiency, competition, and capital formation.

3. To receive consideration for this position, you must submit or complete the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement: curriculum vitae or resume; complete undergraduate and graduate school transcripts; responses to the online applicant questionnaire; list of four references; and an original job market paper or sample of written economic analysis that demonstrates your experience as related to the expertise DERA is seeking. Your application will not be considered until it is complete.

a. Please refer to the following website for tips on completing a successful application: https://www.sec.gov/page/application_guide#fellow

b. Multiple offices within DERA have vacancies. The candidate is asked to select the office or offices to which he or she wants to apply during the online questionnaire at USAJobs. The offices are described on the following website: https://www.sec.gov/dera/about

c. Please specify the full date (year, month, and day) for your reported employment history. Partial dates may result in lower salary offers.

d. If you are claiming veterans preference, you must submit your Certificate of Release of Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214, or other official documentation from a branch of the armed forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge.

4. Three letters of recommendation are strongly encouraged, but they are not required. They may be sent to DERARecLetters@sec.gov

5. All qualification requirements and supporting documentation must be received by the closing date of this announcement.

6. For information about SEC benefits, please visit https://www.sec.gov/careers

7. The closing date for this position is January 21, 2021.

APPLICATION INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES FOR VISITING SCHOLARS

1. To apply for the visiting scholar position, you must submit a complete application package to DERAVisitingScholars@SEC.GOV Please include your name in the subject line of all emails. A complete application package includes the following documents:

a. An indication of the DERA office or offices to which he or she wants to apply. The offices are described on the following website: https://www.sec.gov/dera/about

b. A curriculum vitae or resume (LastNameFirstInitial_CV.pdf, e.g. KennedyJ_CV.pdf)

c. Sample working papers or research (LastNameFirstInitial_PaperTitle.pdf, e.g. KennedyJ_Study_of_Stock_Prices.pdf)

d. Optional letters of recommendation may be sent to DERARecLetters@sec.gov

2. You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for consideration:

a. CITIZENSHIP: U.S. citizenship

b. EDUCATION: A Ph.D. in economics, finance, accounting, mathematics, statistics, or similarly quantitative field.

c. EXPERIENCE: Evidence of a strong research background in the evaluation and interpretation of economic information.

d. EMPLOYMENT: Currently employed as a faculty members of a U.S. university or college.

3. Visiting scholars are compensated pursuant to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act contract, whereby faculty are detailed to the federal government but remain employed by their universities or colleges. DERA reimburses the university or college for the cost of the salary and benefits, and DERA reimburses visiting scholars for moving expenses.

4. The closing date for this position is January 21, 2021 or whenever the positions are filled.