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Health Communication Specialist (Direct Hire)

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This Direct Hire recruitment is to fill positions based on a critical hiring need resulting from the outbreak and spread of the "Coronavirus Disease 2019" (COVID-19), which has caused a public health emergency. As such, all applicants who meet the OPM Health Communication Specialist Series requirements and the minimum specialized experience qualifications stated in this announcement will be referred to hiring managers for further consideration.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/01/2020 to 05/15/2020
Salary
$64,009 to - $170,800 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 14
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Anchorage, AK
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None - Please be advised there is no promotion potential for these positions, any position filled with this announcement will be filled at the single grade level requested.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
HHS-CDC-DH-COVID19-10781555
Control number
564095600

Duties

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As a Health Communication Specialist (Direct Hire), you will:

  • This position will support the Federal Government's response efforts to COVID-19.
  • Provide consultation and technical expertise to development and implementation of priorities, strategies, and practices for communicating with various audiences.
  • Assist in health problem analysis, apply communication theories and models to communication campaign development; uses audience segmentation analysis and formative research to select appropriate communication channels and messages.
  • Assist in providing consultation, technical assistance, and training on program and project implementation to internal and external groups and development of training curricula.
  • Develop and manage communication projects funded extramurally.
  • Develop, test, and disseminate science-and audience-based products, tools, and messages to different audiences in a variety of formats.
  • Collect data from programs for the development of health communication strategies and products.
  • Develop and manage contracts and task orders and required documentation that supports the health communication program and projects.
  • Ensure that all health communication activities are based on theory and use accepted principles, methods, and practices

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Background Investigation is required.
  • E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires, and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.
  • Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • One-year probationary period may be required.
  • Re-employed Annuitants may be considered to fill vacancies. If you have retired from federal service and are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet via http://intranet.cdc.gov/hro/docs/jobs/NDAA-Reemployed-Annuitants.pdf
  • This position can be filled at any grade level.
  • This position may be subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement
  • This position may require a Drug Test and subject to Random Drug Testing
  • This position may be subject to a Background/Security Investigation
  • Duty Locations: CDC Wide (This position can be filled via multiple CDC Centers/Locations)
  • This position may be subject to Telework
  • Recruitment, Relocation or Retention Incentive may be authorized.
  • *Travel, transportation, and moving expenses may be authorized
  • Annual Leave for non-federal service may be authorized
  • Promotion Potential: Please be advised there is no promotion potential for these positions, any position filled with this announcement will be filled at the single grade level requested.
  • Research position: No
  • Supervisory position: No

Qualifications

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-11:

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service as defined in the next paragraph.

Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience in providing assistance with planning, implementing and evaluating health communication plans and marketing activities designed to impact public health outcomes.
OR
Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or completed 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related to the position.
OR
Have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education that together meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-12:

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service as defined in the next paragraph. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience in developing and implementing health communication and marketing programs, projects, and strategies for a variety of audiences.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-13:

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service as defined in the next paragraph. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience in planning, evaluating or implementing public health communication and marketing programs and campaigns.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-14

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service as defined in the next paragraph. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience in providing leadership in the planning, implementation, managing, and evaluation of public health communication and marketing programs and campaigns.

Education

Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the education requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/jobs/future-applicant-information.html.

Additional information

This position is being filled through Direct Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all US Citizens.

Vacancies will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority. Veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the direct-hire authority.

For more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire Authority, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/


Additional selections may be made within the same geographical location CDC-wide.

This position may be subject to a OGE Financial Disclosure Statement. CDC Financial Disclosure - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspires public confidence in its trust responsibilities and mission by maintaining high ethical principles. This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This Information will be required annually.


Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov).

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

Former and Present Peace Corps personnel may be considered to fill vacancies. If you have completed no less than 36 months of continuous service without a break in service of 3 days or more under section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2506) which pertains to the appointment of Peace Corps staff (not volunteers); or within 3 years after separation from qualifying service with the Peace Corps. A copy of your SF-50 is required to support your request.

Peace Corps Volunteers may be considered to fill vacancies. Executive Order 11103-Provides eligibility for appointment in the competitive service any person who is certified by the Director of the Peace Corps as having served satisfactorily as a Volunteer or Volunteer Leader under the Peace Corps Act and who passes such examination as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe.

To view the questionnaire, click on the following link:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10781555

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document(s), view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

"Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS."

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics).

  • Advising and Consulting (2)
  • Audience Analysis and Segmentation
  • Channel Identification and Selection
  • Foundations in Health Communication and Marketing
  • Message Development and Testing
  • Partner Engagement
  • Program Management (2)
  • Research (3)

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