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Program Specialist (Russian)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Department of the Interior Region 11 - Alaska Regional Office in Anchorage, Alaska. The incumbent will report directly to the National Park Service Shared Beringian Heritage Program (SBHP) Manager.


Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 01/31/2020
Closed date: 02/18/2020
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$71,583 - $93,056 per year

The salary range does not include the current 2.86% tax free cost of living allowance. Pay is subject to annual review and adjustment.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-Time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel approximately 3 nights per month for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Announcement number
AK-1537-AKRO-20-10710398-DE
Control number
558457200

Duties

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This position supports and facilitates activities related to the National Park Service Shared Beringian Heritage Program (SBHP). This is a complex, cooperative international conservation program and fluency in Russian and English, in oral and written form, is a requirement of the position. Specific programmatic goals are to:

  • Improve conservation, sustainability, and knowledge of the region's natural and cultural resources.
  • Preserve subsistence opportunities and other historic traditions and practices.
  • Interpret and communicate about the region's unique and internationally significant resources and values.
  • Provide opportunities for cultural connections and knowledge exchange.
As a Beringia Program Specialist (Russian Translator), the incumbent will:
  • Function as a program specialist, Russian liaison and translator, and communication and outreach coordinator for all activities related to the SBHP.
  • Support and coordinate communications between park managers, scientists, local citizens, and a multitude of outside interested parties including Russian government officials, representatives of Russian and Alaskan Native organizations, other federal, state, and local government agencies, and other interest groups and organizations.
  • Perform Russian to English and English to Russian translation and interpretation.
  • Summarize cultural and scientific research projects.
  • Maintain a government web site and social media accounts.
  • Coordinate meetings and work with local communities to identify and implement projects and activities that promote connections and knowledge exchange between the United States and Russia.
For questions regarding the specific duties of this position, please contact Leigh Welling, Ph.D., Associate Regional Director, Science, Communications & Partnerships, at (907) 644-3503 or leigh_welling@nps.gov.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • If you are a new employee in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 3 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • Applicants must be at least (1) 18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-02/18/2020-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs Russian to English and English to Russian translation in written and oral forms. Fluency to read, write, and speak both Russian and English is required. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position.
- AND -
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience for this position include providing technical or educational support for a conservation organization, park, or other public land area; or managing public engagement, partnerships, and outreach programs for effective communication of local, regional, and national conservation issues. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of a 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. Important: Your education must be in a field of study that is directly related to the work of the position and must demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to do the work of this position. You must provide a copy of your transcripts with your application package to support your claim.
-OR-
EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 36 semester hours by 18 or the number your school uses to represent one year of full time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. They must equal at least 100% to qualify using this option. Note: You must provide a copy of your transcripts with your application package to support your claim.


Volunteer Experience: 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. When describing the nature of your duties (e.g., your paid or unpaid work or volunteer experience), please be extremely clear, thorough, and specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands: Most work is sedentary, but incumbent is expected to travel when necessary work in outdoor settings, which require hiking and enduring various environmental conditions. Situations may arise with considerable time restraints and long hours.

Working Conditions: Work is most often performed in an office setting. Travel to attend meetings or conduct field inspections in the parks will occur periodically throughout the course of the program. Use of charter airplanes, small OAS-approved fixed wing aircraft and helicopters may be necessary. The stamina and experience needed to work in a "bush" environment in all kinds of weather is important to job performance. Travel in government aircraft may affect employee's private life insurance policies. Private policies often contain clauses excluding life insurance coverage for aviation, SCUBA diving, skydiving, and other hazards.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Alaska currently does not have a state income tax or statewide sales tax.

Working for the National Park Service offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include, in part, sick and personal leave, holidays, life and health insurance, retirement benefits, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan which includes a percentage of government matching contributions.

In the event of an accident while traveling in a government aircraft, the payable benefits of a private life insurance policy may be affected.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How you will be evaluated

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

A review of your 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 your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Administration and Management
  • Communications and Media
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Interpretation
  • Manages and Organizes Information
  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application

National Park Service

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Agency contact information

Carrie Shapbell
Phone
(907) 644-3340
Fax
(907) 644-3808
Email
carrie_shapbell@nps.gov
Address
Alaska Regional Office
240 W 5th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
US

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