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Cooperative Program Specialist, ZA-1101-3 (DE/CR)

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Assistant Administrator, Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) with one vacancy located in Silver Spring, MD. 

This position is also announced under vacancy number NOS-IOOS-2019-1001, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/03/2019 to 06/17/2019
Salary
$69,581 to - $108,422 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3
Location
Silver Spring, MD
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 5% of domestic travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
NOS-IOOS-2019-0002
Control number
535306500

Duties

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As a Cooperative Program Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Serve as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the U.S. IOOS Office, procure supplies, services, and/or equipment utilizing acquisition procedures from open market, federal supply and agency contracts in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and agency specific acquisition.
  • Serve as acquisition specialist and provide administrative and programmatic support to the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Office by administering grants, developing interagency agreements, and supporting the IOOS Business team with budget execution.
  • Develop and interpret new or modify existing administrative program policies, regulations, goals, and objectives, and recommend improvements to internal operations and procedures of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
  • Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Must be suitable for Federal employment.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
  • Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

This position requires a Public Trust Security Clearance.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.

* A one year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

College Transcript:  If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume.   You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work.  An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.  This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.  Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.  This experience need not have been in the federal government.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations e.g., professional; philanthropic, religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies; knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To qualify at the ZA-3 or GS-11:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or equivalent to GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Providing support to the management of contracts for federal or non-federal programs;
  • Providing guidance on contract management and statements of work; and
  • Procuring supplies, services and equipment.

EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of related graduate level education and specialized experience. Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years is qualifying for combination.

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of Silver (Well Qualified).  Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action”, noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOAA participates in e-Verify.  E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.  If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories.  The categories are “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”.  However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.  Candidates placed in the “gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility:  Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.  Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Ability to procure supplies, services and equipment.
  • Ability to manage a technical services contract.
  • Knowledge of grants administration, cooperative agreements, statutory and regulatory requirements and grants methods.
  • Ability to provide guidance on statements of work and contract management.
  • Skill in developing and interpreting new or modified policies, regulations, goals and objectives and recommend improvements.
  • Skill in communicating information to individuals or groups effectively while taking into account the audience and nature of the information.
  • Ability to conduct quantitative and qualitative studies to identify organizational issues and deficiencies.

To preview questions please click here.

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