This position is located in the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs (PGA), Disclosure Division, Washington, DC. Serves as a Disclosure Specialist in Headquarters in the Office of the Assistant Director Public and Governmental Affairs, Disclosure Division with Bureau-wide responsibility for providing technical advice on the interpretation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA); processing requests submitted pursuant to the FOIA and Privacy Act.
Summary
This position is located in the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs (PGA), Disclosure Division, Washington, DC. Serves as a Disclosure Specialist in Headquarters in the Office of the Assistant Director Public and Governmental Affairs, Disclosure Division with Bureau-wide responsibility for providing technical advice on the interpretation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA); processing requests submitted pursuant to the FOIA and Privacy Act.
Processes FOIA and PA Requests. Reviews requests to determine the legitimacy of the request, the scope of the request, and the subject matter of the request and decides whether the initial searches are adequate and appropriate. Consults with responsible officials when recommendations cannot be followed and resolves, through negotiations, any objections concerning the release of information.
Prepares responsive documents for release by deleting appropriate information, informs the requester of the reasons for withholding the information, and provides statutory citations justifying such withholdings. Completes appropriate deletions through the use of computer software. Collects and records the statistical data needed for compilations of annual reports.
Provides technical advice to ATF employees regarding the application of the FOIA and the PA. Responds to inquiries from Headquarters and field employees by equating specific circumstances with statutory and regulatory guidelines, recent judicial opinions, and Bureau disclosure positions.
Initiates contacts with counterparts in other Federal agencies in order to consult with such agencies for the purpose of disclosing their records contained in Bureau files or addressing the disclosure or withholding of Bureau documents and information contained in the records of other Federal agencies.
NOTE: This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date or at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day we receive the 100th application, whichever comes first.
Males must be registered with Selective Service System. See www.sss.gov
Must be able to obtain a "Top Secret" Clearance.
May be required to serve a one year probationary period.
The qualification requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF’s mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process.
Qualifications
To qualify for the GS-12: You must have at least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-11 Federal grade level. Specialized experience for the position is defined as managing and directing a FOIA program and analyzing complex requests for information to determine if they are in compliance with Agency and government-wide FOIA regulations and procedures; preparing comprehensive responses to FOIA requests; and participating in the development of FOIA program procedures.
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if:
1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria.
You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.
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 www.sss.gov.
EEO Statement: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability (physical and mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, retaliation, or other non-merit based factors.
Reasonable Accommodation Statement: ATF provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the ATF’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at (202) 648-8760. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.
“Federal Regulations state no ATF employee, his/her spouse, or his/her minor child shall have, directly or indirectly, any financial interest, including compensated employment, stock, or proprietary interest in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms or explosives industries. You should be aware that you may be asked to relinquish any ownership of or interests in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms or explosives industries before a determination can be made whether access to ATF information, information technology systems, and/or facilities can be authorized.”
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
If you are a 30% or more disabled veteran, you may be eligible to use leave under the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015. This act grants leave for purposes of undergoing medical treatment for a disability instead of using regular sick. For additional information see: Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-75) (Act).
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will be evaluated and rated under ATF's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Gold - applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level of possession of all evaluation criteria, Silver - applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of possession of the evaluation criteria or Bronze - applicants possessing the specialized experience. Names of all candidates in the best qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. Candidates within the Gold category who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans preference eligibles.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure your ability in the following competencies:
Applicant assessment is based upon an applicant's performance evaluation, awards, and responses to the assessment questionnaire. You will be rated on your qualifications as evidenced by the experience, education, and training that you report relative to this position. Paid or unpaid experience will be considered. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure your ability in the following competencies:
Knowledge of FOIA and PA regulations, policies and precedents in order to ensure compliance and to confirm that information released is proper and allowable.
Ability to utilize a document tracking system for retrieval and storage of response documents.
Skills in oral and written communication in order to maintain formal and informal liaison with principal FOIA Officers in the Department of Justice and other Federal agencies.
Ability to analyze FOIA requests and apply FOIA regulations to determine the appropriate approach for bureau response.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
If you are a 30% or more disabled veteran, you may be eligible to use leave under the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015. This act grants leave for purposes of undergoing medical treatment for a disability instead of using regular sick. For additional information see: Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-75) (Act).
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
CTAP/ICTAP documentation, if applicable.
An official college transcript (Note: If you’re selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.) (Use if education is being credited for the purpose of meeting minimum qualification requirements or if grade point average is being used to determine superior academic achievement.)
It is your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are legible. If applying on-line poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Paper applications submitted without prior approval from the agency point of contact may be handled as incomplete. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process.
Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/ validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. All required materials must be uploaded using the supporting documentation instructions described in the announcement.
Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This job is filled through a 3-step on-line application process.
STEP ONE - (Online Resume- USAJOBS) You must create a user account and at least one federal resume at USAJOBS. Information you provide in USAJOBS is general information completed by all applicants. The information you provide and your federal resume will become part of your application and will automatically be transferred to Monster Recruiting System when you apply online. If you have an existing USAJOBS account, simply login and select the resume you wish to include with your application package for this announcement.
STEP TWO - (Vacancy Specific Questions USAJobs) In USAJobs, you will answer vacancy specific questions necessary to evaluate your qualifications for the job to which you are applying. When completed, the information you provided at USAJOBS and the answers to the USAJob questions will become your application package.
STEP THREE - (Supporting Documentation) You may upload supporting documentation in one of two ways: (l) Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, you will be prompted to upload your document(s) to your application package. You will be given the choice to either upload the document as part of the application process, or you can select a document that you've already loaded on USAJOBS, or simply fax supporting documentation, which will provide you the necessary cover sheets for each of your documents so that they will be correctly submitted to the appropriate vacancy announcement. The fax number will be available on the cover sheet. (2) You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you have located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online". Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select "Upload" in order to add a document to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation that the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g. SF-50, CTAP) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
Personnel Division
99 New York Ave NW
Room 2.S-127
Washington, District of Columbia 20226
United States
Next steps
You can check the status of your application anytime by accessing the USAJOBS online application system at http://www.usajobs.gov. You will need to provide your USAJOBS User ID and Password to access the Track your Online Job Application feature. You may also click on the link provided to access additional information on USAJobs. All applicants will be notified at four (4) stages in the hiring process:
(1) upon receipt of your application; (2) after your qualifications have been assessed; (3) whether or not you've been referred to the Selecting Official; and (4) whether or not you've been selected for the position.
If your name is sent to the hiring manager, you may be invited for an interview.
After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer to selectee(s) upon favorable completion of the background.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
CTAP/ICTAP documentation, if applicable.
An official college transcript (Note: If you’re selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.) (Use if education is being credited for the purpose of meeting minimum qualification requirements or if grade point average is being used to determine superior academic achievement.)
It is your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are legible. If applying on-line poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Paper applications submitted without prior approval from the agency point of contact may be handled as incomplete. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process.
Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/ validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. All required materials must be uploaded using the supporting documentation instructions described in the announcement.
Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This job is filled through a 3-step on-line application process.
STEP ONE - (Online Resume- USAJOBS) You must create a user account and at least one federal resume at USAJOBS. Information you provide in USAJOBS is general information completed by all applicants. The information you provide and your federal resume will become part of your application and will automatically be transferred to Monster Recruiting System when you apply online. If you have an existing USAJOBS account, simply login and select the resume you wish to include with your application package for this announcement.
STEP TWO - (Vacancy Specific Questions USAJobs) In USAJobs, you will answer vacancy specific questions necessary to evaluate your qualifications for the job to which you are applying. When completed, the information you provided at USAJOBS and the answers to the USAJob questions will become your application package.
STEP THREE - (Supporting Documentation) You may upload supporting documentation in one of two ways: (l) Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, you will be prompted to upload your document(s) to your application package. You will be given the choice to either upload the document as part of the application process, or you can select a document that you've already loaded on USAJOBS, or simply fax supporting documentation, which will provide you the necessary cover sheets for each of your documents so that they will be correctly submitted to the appropriate vacancy announcement. The fax number will be available on the cover sheet. (2) You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you have located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online". Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select "Upload" in order to add a document to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation that the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g. SF-50, CTAP) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
Personnel Division
99 New York Ave NW
Room 2.S-127
Washington, District of Columbia 20226
United States
Next steps
You can check the status of your application anytime by accessing the USAJOBS online application system at http://www.usajobs.gov. You will need to provide your USAJOBS User ID and Password to access the Track your Online Job Application feature. You may also click on the link provided to access additional information on USAJobs. All applicants will be notified at four (4) stages in the hiring process:
(1) upon receipt of your application; (2) after your qualifications have been assessed; (3) whether or not you've been referred to the Selecting Official; and (4) whether or not you've been selected for the position.
If your name is sent to the hiring manager, you may be invited for an interview.
After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer to selectee(s) upon favorable completion of the background.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
