Entry Level Social Science Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following:

Basic Requirements:
A. Degree: that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience - that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences, and that provided applicants with knowledge of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a 4-year degree as shown in A above.
Evaluation of Education - Courses, such as sociology, correctional administration, criminal justice, government/political science, psychology, social work, counseling, and other related social or behavioral science courses may be used to satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement.
Evaluation of Experience - Experience must have been gained in (1)casework in a correctional institution or in another criminal justice setting; (2) counseling in any setting, provided it required diagnostic or treatment planning skills to achieve specific social or occupational goals; or (3) work treating persons in need of social rehabilitation.
AND
In addition to the basic requirements, you must have:
Education:
GS-11: Master's or equivalent graduate degree.
GS-12: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
NOTE: Graduate Education: Completion of graduate level education in addition to meeting the basic requirements is qualifying for positions at grades GS-11 and GS-12 research positions if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
OR
Experience:
GS-11 and GS-12: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled.
GS-11 and GS-12 only: Applicants who furnish positive evidence that they have performed highly creative or outstanding research that has led or can lead to major advances in a specific area of research, to a major advance in the discipline or field of science involved, or to major advances in science in general, can be rated under this provision for highly demanding research positions requiring similar abilities. Under these circumstances, applicants can be rated eligible for the next higher grade level above that for which they would normally be rated, provided they have not been rated eligible at this higher grade on the basis of meeting the graduate study requirements described above. To receive this rating, the work must have been creative in the sense that it developed a basic principle, product, concept, method, approach, or technique, or provided a body of basic information that opened the way for a major advance in the discipline or field of science involved, or to advances in science in general, by providing a method of solving other problems, opening areas of research, or providing the means of exploiting the application of science in a major area. Some examples of this qualifying experience are:
GS-11:

• Experience organizing and assessing pertinent research literature, developing a research design and methodology, and coordinating data collection.
• Experience interpreting research related policies in order to develop appropriate research audit guidelines.
• Experience using various types of research methodologies for the observation and measurement of behavior and attitudes, including interview techniques, unobtrusive measurement and survey methods.
• Experience providing technical support for a research study.
• Experience preparing technical reports, memoranda and other correspondence.

GS-12:

• Experience in theories and data in sociology, corrections, criminal justice and criminology.
• Experience in various types of research methodologies for the observation and measurement of behavior and attitudes, including interview techniques, unobtrusive measurement, and survey methods.
• Experience working with statistical computer programs and programming skills available for data analysis, including SAS, SPSS, STATA, R and others.

AND
Quality Ranking Factor:

• Applicant who possesses a Master’s or PhD degree in a Social or Behavioral Science from a college/university accredited by United States Department of Education is preferred. Applicants must upload a copy of their transcript(s) at the time they apply to the vacancy announcement to verify education.

NOTE: The above quality ranking factor is preferred. Therefore, applicants who possess the quality ranking factor can be ranked above those who do not, but no candidates can be rated ineligible solely for failure to possess a quality ranking factor.
If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as number of hours worked per week) spent in the activities.
**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.