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IRS Pathways Recent Graduate Progam (Human Resources Specialist)

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

For additional information regarding the Pathways Program, please refer to: Students & Recent Graduates on USAJOBS.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? Visit us on the web at www.jobs.irs.gov

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/04/2020 to 06/17/2020
Salary
$30,113 to - $59,316 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 9
Locations
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Chamblee, GA
1 vacancy
Chicago, IL
2 vacancies
Covington, KY
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent Graduates
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
20STR-HCO10806999-0201-5T9
Control number
570030200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to IRS Career/Career-Conditional employees who have completed a degree or certificate from a qualifying education institution within the previous 2 years or are within 9 months of graduating. Veterans unable to apply within 2 years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have a full 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. The eligibility period for veterans must be within 6 years of degree completion.

Duties

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IRS Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Selected applicants are placed in a dynamic, developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government. In addition, the IRS implemented the new IRS Forward Recent Graduate Program that includes an additional year of formal development, training, networking, project teams, and may include rotational assignments.

Following the completion of program requirements, selectees may be considered for non-competitive conversion to a career/career-conditional or term appointment. All conversion requirements will be identified in the Participant Agreement. Program requirements include but are not limited to:
  • Successful completion of at least 1 to 2 years of continuous service depending on the position;
  • Completion of at least 40 hours of interactive training;
  • Mentorship;
  • Demonstration of successful job performance; and
  • Meet the qualification position standards.
Conversion to the competitive service is not implied or guaranteed.

If selected, you will be placed in a developmental position as a Human Resources Specialist, GS-0201-05/07/09 with promotion potential to GS-12 in the Human Capital Office (HCO).

A description of the business unit can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisions

WHAT DOES A HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) SPECIALIST DO? As a Human Resources (HR) Specialist, you will serve as a consultant and provide guidance over various personnel/payroll issues. In this position you will be responsible for accomplishing a variety of analytical studies and/or participate in projects relating to mission/oriented programs for the Internal Revenue Service. In addition, you will provide advice, guidance and information on personnel/payroll systems and provide feedback in the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of the assigned programs and systems.

The following are the duties of an HR Specialist at the GS-12 full working level. You will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

As a HR Specialist you will:
  • Serve as a primary analyst for two or more program areas, providing expert assistance and advice on personnel management issues.
  • Formulate annual on-going comprehensive work plans in which customer needs are identified, objectives are defined, and approaches are developed and recommended.
  • Plan, initiate and conduct various Service Wide studies. Organize and coordinate inter-functional and/or inter-regional task forces often composed of management officials.
  • Perform extensive research and fact-finding; analyze results and the application of appropriate regulations, policies, and standards in order to develop recommendations for high level management

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

-You will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
-Undergo an income tax verification and review of prior performance/conduct.
-All selectees must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement.
-Subject to a 1-year trial period (unless already completed).
-Must successfully complete a background investigation, including a FBI criminal history record check (fingerprint check).
-Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
-If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
-Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
-Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
-The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.
-Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must first meet Pathways Recent Graduate Program eligibility:

You must have, within the previous 2 years, completed all educational requirements for a qualifying associate, bachelor, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying institution; or intended graduation is no more than 9 months from date of application;
-OR-
Veterans (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2108) who, due to a military service obligation, were precluded from applying to a Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period may have their eligibility period extended so that they receive the full 2 years of eligibility. The remaining 2-year eligibility period will begin upon his or her release or discharge from active duty. The veteran's eligibility period may not extend beyond 6 years from the date of completion of all requirements of an academic course of study.

Secondly, you must meet any basic requirements of the position and the experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management Positions.

GS-05: To be eligible for this position at the grade 5 level, you must meet the requirements below:

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess three (3) years of general experience, one (1) year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4 in the Federal government. To be qualifying your experience must demonstrate the ability to:

  • Analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions;
  • Plan and organize work; and communicate effectively verbally and in writing;
OR
EDUCATION:
Four (4) year course of study leading to a Bachelor's Degree at an accredited college or university in any field of study;

OR
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:
At least 1 year of combined education and experience as defined above.

GS-07: To be eligible for this position at the grade 7 level, you must meet the requirements below:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes experience:
  • that demonstrates basic knowledge of human resources management principles and practices to perform highly structured, entry level work designed to communicate procedural and factual information to business customers;
  • using basic knowledge of and skill in basic analytical methods and diagnostic techniques to gather basic information for use by others;
  • using knowledge of written communication techniques to assist with reviewing project papers, briefings status/staff reports, and correspondence for grammar and syntax;

OR
EDUCATION:
One (1) full academic year of graduate education in a related field of study such as human resources, public administration, organizational psychology, or other administrative and management fields.

OR
SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (SAA): SAA may be met by having a Bachelor's degree, with one of the following:
  • A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last 2 years of study, or
  • A GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all courses in the major field of study or those courses in the major completed in the last 2 years of study, or
  • Rank in the upper one third of the class in the college, university, or major subdivision, or membership in a national honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.
OR
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:
At least 1 year of combined education and experience as defined above.

GS-09: To be eligible for this position at the grade 9 level, you must meet the requirements below:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes experience:
  • using knowledge of personnel management and pay administration regulations, guides, and issues;
  • applying expert knowledge of the principles, practices, techniques, and regulations governing at least two personnel management programs;
  • that demonstrates skill in applying research and fact-finding techniques and in evaluating the results of those efforts;
  • analyzing and integrating a variety of information from client functions, and other sources, especially in the area of environmental scanning, trend analysis, and projection;
  • dealing effectively with others and in persuading and convincing management to change or effect major programs, policies, procedures, and/or organizations;
  • communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, and in presenting recommendations to management, functional clients and skill in effectively accomplishing assigned objectives within appropriate time restraints;
  • that demonstrates the ability to serve as a project leader, and provide expert advice and technical assistance to others;

OR
EDUCATION:
  • Two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree in a related field of study such as human resources, public administration, organizational psychology, or other administrative and management fields; or
  • Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field of study such as human resources, public administration, organizational psychology, or other administrative and management fields; or
  • LL.B or J.D., if related;

OR
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of experience and education as defined above.

The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis.- To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.


MEET TIME IN GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-­grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the grade you are applying for. (Applicable for positions above GS-05.)

Education

This position has an education requirement. You MUST submit dated documentation showing completion or intended completion (if graduation is no more than 9 months from the date of application) of all educational requirements (e.g. letter from the registrar, unofficial transcripts). An official transcript will be required if you are selected. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.

CERTIFICATE: If you are qualifying based on a certificate program, please refer to Treasury's Pathways Program for more information on qualifying certificate programs. A Certificate program is a post-secondary educational program, in a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one full- time academic year of study, that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational or business school curriculum.

For more information on education requirements go to Treasury's Pathways Program.

Additional information

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for all duty locations listed. The range will be adjusted for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a non-bargainingunit position.
Must meet IRS telework eligibility requirements.
We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.

Though many locations may be listed, you will be limited to a maximum of 5 location choices. Please consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a position at one of your location selections, that location will become your official post of duty.

Pathways in an Excepted Service Appointment, Schedule D, 5 CFR Part 362. Selected applicants who occupy positions in the Competitive Service must acknowledge the outcome of voluntarily leaving the Competitive Service prior to accepting an Excepted Service Appointment in a Pathways Program. See 5 CFR 302.102(b)(2).

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Accountability
Applies Technology to Tasks
Attention to Detail
Customer
Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Oral Communication
Reading
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Writing

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process and meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Referral: A category-like rating (Quality Group) will be used to rate, rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories, Superior/Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, and Qualified.

If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. Candidates, if required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring practices), will be interviewed in quality group order. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category. Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.

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