Professional Career Opportunities

Occupation Group

Economics, Research and Statistics

Salary Information

Starting Salary

$46,529

Career Ladder Information

Salary Information for Program Research Specialist Trainee 1 Econom Fin
Title	Grade	Hiring Rate/yr	Job Rate/yr
Program Research Specialist Trainee 1 Econom Fin	13	$49,363	$63,169
Program Research Specialist Trainee 2 Econom Fin	14	$52,198	$66,634
Program Research Specialist 1 Economics Finance	18	$65,001	$82,656
Program Research Specialist 2 Economics Finance	23	$84,156	$106,454
Program Research Specialist 4 Economics Finance	27	$103,784	$127,830
Program Research Specialist 5 Economics Finance	31	$127,433	$155,130

All salary grades for trainees titles are non-statutory (NS) equated to the salary grade identified. These grade equations apply to the starting salaries in their respective salary schedule for the traineeship levels.

Job Description

Program Research Specialists (Economic Finance) participate in research studies and assist in developing studies relating to various economic and financial factors such as rate setting methodology, aid formulas, grants distribution, aid payment schedules to educational institutions, taxation, real property tax levy, and Medicaid reimbursement. Use knowledge of current research methodology to evaluate and analyze agency programs and present your findings to operations and management officials.

Trainees will receive a combination of structured training, on-the-job training, and/or practical job performance to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to function at the full performance level.

Agencies with this Title

Minimum Qualifications

You must meet the requirements below to qualify for this title.

A bachelor's degree or higher including or supplemented by nine semester credit hours in biostatistics, data analysis, data modeling, economics, econometrics, mathematics*, research methods, or statistics.

*For the purposes of this examination qualifying mathematics courses will include actuarial science, finance, and mathematics.

Advanced Placement

If chosen, you may, at the agency's discretion, be appointed to a higher level. You must inform the agency of any additional qualifications at your interview.

View Additional Qualifications

For Trainee 2 you must also have:

Either 1. 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 OR

2. A master's degree including or supplemented by nine semester credit hours in biostatistics, data analysis, data modeling, economics, econometrics, mathematics*, research methods, or statistics.

For the Full Performance Level you must also have:

Either 1. 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 OR

2. A master's degree including or supplemented by nine semester credit hours in biostatistics, data analysis, data modeling, economics, econometrics, mathematics*, research methods, or statistics 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.

*For the purposes of this examination qualifying mathematics courses will include actuarial science, finance, and mathematics.

How to Apply

The November 2022 PCO Examination is closed, applications are no longer being accepted

Department of Civil Service