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Information Specialist

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

Salary: $64,649 (Step 01) to $93,863 (Step 10)

Salary is dependent upon the duty location. NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

This position is being advertised concurrently for U.S. citizens with the announcement: USGS-RES-22-11256094-DE-EC

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/05/2021 to 11/26/2021
Salary
$64,649 to - $93,863 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
East Hartford, CT
Northborough, MA
Augusta, ME
Pembroke, NH
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for an average of 1 night per month for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Reimbursement of relocation expenses is authorized.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
USGS-RES-22-11256098-ST-EC
Control number
620943300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current or former Federal employees w/perm comp status; OR those eligible under a special or noncomp appointing authority (e.g.,VRA, disabled, Pathways Interns & Recent Grads who are elig for noncomp conversion, etc.); OR current or former employees who are serving, or previously served, on temp or term appt in a land mgmt agency; OR veterans with preference or have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after approx 3yrs or more of continuous active service.

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Duties

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As an Information Specialist within the New England Water Science Center (NewEng WSC), some of your specific duties will include:

  • Works with scientists and staff to improve communication through standard and novel approaches and platforms.
  • Coordinates and assists scientists in writing briefing sheets, news releases, and newsletter highlights; creating content for NewEng WSC web pages, including video and multimedia materials; and communicating via social media and news releases.
  • Organizes and meets with stakeholder groups to convey activities and products that addresses their interests and needs and to gather requirements for planning responsive science activities and products.
  • Evaluates the effectiveness of NewEng WSC communication efforts, leads the development of communication plans, and hosts meetings and training programs.
  • Participates in public events such as science fair, community meetings, and recruiting and organizes events.
  • Operates a government motor vehicle as an incidental driver.

The USGS New England Water Science Center is committed to inclusive hiring practices that build a healthy workplace where diversity is our strength, and each staff member has the support they need to succeed.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
  5. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

  • Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
  • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
  • If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

For GS-11:

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or LL.M., in a field of study which provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

** OR One year of appropriate specialized experience that is in or directly related to the duties of the position to be filled is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service, and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of experience may include: assisting in the planning and development of scientific web page designs, media events, or other communication projects and activities; analyzing, preparing, and disseminating scientific information through websites, presentations, social media, and other multi-media outlets; writing basic web based scientific content for multi-media outlets; selecting materials and preparing educational and scientific exhibits for conferences, briefings, or workshops. These work experiences would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, Information Specialists have a sound working knowledge of principles and methods of communication, publications, public information, and web policies and the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible work.

**OR A combination of successfully completed graduate level education as described above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and specialized experience, as described above.


You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

  • 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.
  • Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Agency Benefits:

Additional information

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: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire.

Other Information:

  • Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
  • Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
  • USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
  • The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
  • DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
  • The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
  • THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

How you will be evaluated

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

--Basis of Rating: 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 occupational 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):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Information Management
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Reading
  • Written Communication
  • Public Information, outreach activities
  • Multi-Media Communication Skills
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and occupational questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.


--NOTE: 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.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and awards during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11256098

--As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before your entry on duty date with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), if after November 22. DOI will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of USGS a legally required exception from this requirement.

--Due to COVID-19, the U.S. Geological Survey is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement in accordance with the Department's reentry procedures provided by your Servicing Human Resources Office. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days per pay period depending upon the terms of the Department of the Interior's telework policy.

Reasonable Accommodation

--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: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/images/5/59/USAHireAccommodationRequestForm41418.pdf.

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