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Writer-Editor

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs, Inspector General
This job announcement has closed

Summary

OIG is organized into seven operational units: the Immediate Office of the Inspector General, Office of the Counselor, Office of Audits and Evaluations, Office of Healthcare Inspections, Office of Investigations, Office of Management and Administration, and Office of Special Reviews. In addition to the Washington, DC, headquarters, OIG has offices located in more than 60 locations throughout the country.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/07/2021 to 10/21/2021
This job will close when we have received 200 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$53,433 to - $79,323 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel 1-5 nights per month for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent Graduates
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
21-VAOIG-415-X
Control number
616626200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens and U.S. Nationals who are Recent Graduates and have completed a degree or certificate from a qualifying education institution within the previous 2 yrs. Veterans unable to apply within 2 yrs 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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Location is negotiable once selected for the following locations:

Arlington, VA; Decatur, GA; Aurora, CO; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Bay Pines, FL; Bedford, MA; Dallas, TX; Hines, IL; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; and Washington, DC

VA-OIG's 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. Successful applicants are placed in a dynamic, developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government.

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

  • Research, analyze, distill, and present information either in a variety of fields or, with a broad and non-specialized approach, in a single field.
  • Provide input to OIG's managers and senior management on how to effectively manage writing and editing activities.
  • Gather information for assignments by collaborating with teams. The writer-editor may also observe activities, processes, and/or demonstrations. The writer-editor analyzes, selects, and organizes the information to present.
  • Participate in meetings and deliberations associated with OAE written products and provide advice, counsel, or instruction to OAE staff on written products.
  • Prepare papers, articles, or reports, and prepare manuals for training in, or guidance on, the specifications for the development of audit reports.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

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

Key Requirements:
  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  3. Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
Conditions of Employment:
- A one year trial period may be required.
- Must successfully complete a background investigation.
- Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
-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.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- Obtain and use a Government-issued purchase card for business-related travel.
- File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
-Undergo an income tax verification.
- Must adhere to agency health requirements, including, but not limited to: (1) must report Covid-19 vaccination status when requested; and (2) must comply with agency's Covid-19 testing and vaccination requirements, if any, or qualify for and receive a valid exemption.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Recent Graduate may be converted. To be eligible for the Recent Graduates Program, applicants must have, within the previous 2 years*, completed all educational requirements for a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying institution.*Veterans 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.

Specialized Experience for the GS-09: Fifty-two (52) weeks of experience at the GS-07 level or equivalent in other public or private sectors, that is directly related to the position as listed above and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as experience using writing and editing principles, concepts and methods to prepare materials for publishing AND managing the editorial review process.

OR

Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, in fields such as English or Journalism, OR LL.B. or J.D. if related, in an accredited college or university that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

OR

Combination of Experience and Education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

Education

The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information

Other information:
-We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Applicants who apply for this position may be considered for other positions within the Office of Inspector General that require the same knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- This is a non-bargaining unit position.
- A recruitment incentive may be offered.
- We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
- Full-time telework may be temporarily required if space is not currently available at the location chosen by the selectee. Selectees will be notified prior to their start date if this is necessary. Telework on a more permanent basis will be determined by management upon completion of all telework requirements and availability needs.
- Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

Following the completion of program requirements, selectees may be considered for non-competitive conversion to a 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-year
  • Demonstration of successful job performance; and
  • Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Recent Graduate may be converted.
  • Completion of at least 40 hours of interactive training.

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:
- Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
- Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
- Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
- A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
- A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.- Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

How you will be evaluated

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

How You will be Evaluated:
Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, required supporting documents, and Completion of your USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if applicable. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination. Additionally, 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.

Rating: You will be assessed on the following competencies: Attention to Detail, Decision Making, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, Analytical and Communication skills.

Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories, A-Exceptionally Qualified, B-Highly Qualified, or C-Qualified, depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

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.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview and/or a writing assessment. Applicants who are selected for an interview may ask questions about the evaluation process at the time they are contacted for an interview.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. 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.

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