The Wilson Center was established by an Act of Congress in 1968 as the national, living memorial honoring President Woodrow Wilson. It is one of the three entities affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and is governed by its own presidentially appointed Board of Trustees. The Center provides a non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue that seeks to inform actionable ideas for the policy community and the public at large.
Summary
The Wilson Center was established by an Act of Congress in 1968 as the national, living memorial honoring President Woodrow Wilson. It is one of the three entities affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and is governed by its own presidentially appointed Board of Trustees. The Center provides a non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue that seeks to inform actionable ideas for the policy community and the public at large.
Writing and editing content for all of the Wilson Center’s print and digital platforms, (wilsoncenter.org; www.wilsonquarterly.com; social media and email marketing platforms) including, but not limited to, articles, marketing materials, Wilson Weekly newsletter and other newsletters, event descriptions, internal communications materials, summaries and blurbs, press releases, web copy, and social media posts. Occasional speechwriting and op-ed writing may be assigned. Applicant must have a sophisticated knowledge of international affairs and be able to write about a variety of subjects in a style and format that is platform-specific and suitable for an educated, global, public-policy audience.
Serving as editor of The Wilson Quarterly (wilsonquarterly.com), the Center’s award-winning digital magazine of long-form articles, essays, and multimedia that explores diverse topics in foreign affairs and global dynamics. Duties include conception and development of issue themes, article topics, and multimedia/visual tie-ins; commissioning and working closely with authors; editing all content through the drafting and publication process; working with web developers and external designers; selecting accompanying art and visuals, working with in-house graphic designer as needed; managing budgets and contracts, working with business director as needed; maintaining Wilson Quarterly Twitter and Facebook accounts; performing other duties to promote Wilson Quarterly content via digital and print platforms, including newsletters and video; managing editorial calendar; managing and coordinating with the publication’s Advisory Council.
Assisting the Director of Digital Communications and Marketing in content curation and other tasks, and serving as a back up to the social media manager when needed (assisting in maintaining social media accounts for the Wilson Center). Applicant will possess the ability to examine analytics and grow audience.
Assisting the Director of Digital Communications and Marketing and the Vice President for External Relations in developing strategic communication plans for the Wilson Center by considering topics and initiatives to emphasize and the most effective tools to use in reaching intended audiences and maximizing impact
You will be required to provide proof of COVID vaccination.
You must be allowed to legally work in the United States.
You must complete a background investigation.
Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit.
You must have a valid Social Security Number.
* All Qualifications criteria must be met by the closing date of announcement.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, you must have the following:
Grade 11: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the Grade 09 level that is relative to market standards. Specialized experience is defined as researching, writing, editing, and proofreading a variety of print and electronic projects (magazines, newspapers, press releases, blogs, speeches, social media articles, etc.) for public; writing news and policy analysis (i.e. foreign policy, daily news and global events); employing print production experience for publications projects; assisting in developing strategic plans; and ensuring that all projects conform to content development standards.
The grade 09 equivalency level is assessed based on multiple factors to include the type of work, work products, supervision, complexity, and scope of work assignments.
OR
Education: To qualify on education in lieu of specialized experience, you must possess:
Grade 11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.
Such the education must demonstration the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Degrees and coursework in journalism, creative writing, and mass communication are qualifying.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for grade 11, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11.
A degree in journalism, creative writing, or mass communication with experience writing publications or articles in international affairs and U.S. foreign policy are highly desirable.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Additional information
EEO Policy: The Wilson Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors.
Reasonable Accommodation: Federal agencies provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Note: More than one position may be filled from this announcement, as needed.
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.
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.
Applications are evaluated and rated under Category Rating and Selection procedures. Category rating combines the applicant's total experience and/or education/training into a single category. Your application will initially be rated against the criteria outlined in this announcement.
Qualifying applications will be placed into one of the following categories:
1. Gold (Best Qualified) 2. Silver 3. Bronze
Applications in the Best Qualified category will be evaluated to ensure that the Specialized Experience and other eligibility requirements are met and supported/verified by the résumé and supplemental documents submitted.
You will be rated based on the following competencies:
Writing
Editing
Research and Analysis
Communication and Social Media
Note: Some parts of the hiring assessment will include providing writing samples.
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.
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.
A Résumé showing relevant experience including hours worked per week and month/year dates of employment.
Writing Samples (see instructions below)
Responses to the Assessment Questionnaire completed online.
Unofficial transcript if you are using education to qualify for the position.
WRITING SAMPLES REQUIREMENTS:
You will be required to provide three writing samples, where you are the primary author:
One news article
One feature article, and
One of your choice preferably an article related to international affairs
You can add your writing sample in the "Writing Sample" and/or "Others". Note: If you are combining all documents in one file, please keep in mind that the system only allows a document up to 3MB.
Note: If selected for the position, you will be required to submit your official transcript if you are using education to qualify for the position.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents, including missing information in your resume, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents have been submitted.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire.
Click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the initial online questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
If you log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
When you receive a notification from your USAJOBS account it may indicate that your application is complete after you submit the initial online questionnaire and documentation, however, your application will NOT be complete until you have successfully completed all steps described above.
NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20004
United States
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A Résumé showing relevant experience including hours worked per week and month/year dates of employment.
Writing Samples (see instructions below)
Responses to the Assessment Questionnaire completed online.
Unofficial transcript if you are using education to qualify for the position.
WRITING SAMPLES REQUIREMENTS:
You will be required to provide three writing samples, where you are the primary author:
One news article
One feature article, and
One of your choice preferably an article related to international affairs
You can add your writing sample in the "Writing Sample" and/or "Others". Note: If you are combining all documents in one file, please keep in mind that the system only allows a document up to 3MB.
Note: If selected for the position, you will be required to submit your official transcript if you are using education to qualify for the position.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents, including missing information in your resume, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents have been submitted.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire.
Click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the initial online questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
If you log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
When you receive a notification from your USAJOBS account it may indicate that your application is complete after you submit the initial online questionnaire and documentation, however, your application will NOT be complete until you have successfully completed all steps described above.
NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20004
United States
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
