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Government Information Specialist

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) manages the exploration and development of the nation's offshore resources. It seeks to appropriately balance economic development, energy independence, and environmental protection through oil and gas leases, renewable energy development and environmental reviews and studies.  For information about our bureau go to: http://www.boem.gov/ 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
12/12/2018 to 12/26/2018
Salary
$56,233 to - $73,105 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
District of Columbia, DC
Sterling, VA
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - may be required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Drug test
No
Announcement number
BOEM-MMAA-19-KD-030(MP)
Control number
518971900

Duties

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Office of the Director, BOEM Chief of Staff, Washington, DC.  Position may be filled in Washington, DC or Sterling, VA.

The incumbent works as a Government Information Specialist and a member of the Headquarters FOIA team.  The incumbent assists the director of the BOEM Headquarters (HQ) FOIA Office in administering this program.  This responsibility includes ensuring the proper maintenance and safeguarding with applicable laws and established policies and procedures; following Bureau guidelines, procedures, and standards for these programs; and maintaining and providing data for Bureau reports to the Department FOIA Officer and the Department FOIA/PA Appeals Officer, as required.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

  1. Ensures compliance with applicable laws and the Department’s policies and procedures implementing the FOIA
  2. Analyzes complex FOIA requests to determine if they are in compliance with Department regulations
  3. Reviews responsive records to determine whether any of the FOIA exemptions apply
  4. Prepares comprehensive responses to FOIA requests including response letters and related correspondence
  5. Communicates, coordinates and collaborates with the FOIA requester community regarding the status/processing of their requests
  6. Maintain the administrative case file established for each FOIA request
  7. Identifies and protects sensitive information, including privacy-protected information
  8. Determines the appropriate response for each request

Relocation Incentives may be authorized at the discretion of management.  

BOEM has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Salary Range Information: First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

GS-09: $56,233 - $73,105

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available. 

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  • You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet the Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying.  

A.  Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service.  Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.  Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:   1) maintaining policies and procedures for effective Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Records Management or eDiscovery processes to include categorization, search and retrieval practices, and compiling data for reporting requirements; 2) developing correspondence, memoranda or other documents relevant to FOIA, Records Management, or eDiscovery; and 3) applying and researching legal interpretations of the FOIA, Records Management, or eDiscovery procedures as they affect handling and processing documents and information.

-OR-

B.  Education: master's or equivalent graduate degree; or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related

-OR-

C.  Combination: A combination of the required specialized experience and graduate level education which must equal at least 100 percent to qualify (to meet 100% only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level and specialized experience at the GS-07 level is creditable)


Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.  

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. 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: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. 

Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report.  In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior.  This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment.  DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity.  Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work.  All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.

A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  1. Written Communication – Skill to develop clear and concise responses to FOIA requests.
  2. Oral Communication – Ability to communicate effectively orally to intended audiences.
  3. Analytical – Skill sufficient to evaluate FOIA information, identify relevant FOIA issues and problems; evaluate alternatives and select logical choices.
  4. Technical Knowledge – Knowledge of FOIA regulations, policies, and precedents in order to search and locate relevant FOIA materials, regulations, policies, case law, guidance and instructions.

To preview questions please click here.

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