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Government Information Specialist

Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

In this position, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing the program's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and records management programs. Work is accomplished through the performance of many diverse one-time projects using quantitative and qualitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of technical programs while cognizant of the mission, objectives, and organization of the program.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/25/2020 to 03/31/2020
Salary
$59,534 to - $93,638 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Location
Riverdale, MD
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
Excepted
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
RG-10747081-20-AC
Control number
562517300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Recent graduate who has, within the previous two years, completed a qualifying Associate's, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, professional, vocational or technical degree or certificate program. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation have up to six years after degree completion to apply.

Duties

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  • The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
  • The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Performing substantive legal analysis of requests for information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts.
  • Analyzing, interpreting, and responding to complex requests for access to Agency records maintained by (Animal Care) AC personnel throughout the U.S.
  • Develops and implements a Records and Information Management (RIM) program to capture, retrieve, secure, preserve, and make accessible the vital and permanent records of the program.
  • Researches and determines the extent to which (Animal Care) AC records are responsive to the request based upon pre-determined factors.
  • Develops, coordinates, and monitors a tracking system to ensure FOIA documents and requests are maintained.
  • Modernizes records management functions by managing the transition of agency paper records to electronic records.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
  • Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check
  • Successful completion of one-year trial period
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

Qualifications

To qualify, you MUST meet all program and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements;

  • Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years.
  • Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met.
Applicants must meet the following specialized experience and/or education requirements listed below:

TRANSCRIPTS are required.

FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service (equivalent to the GS-07 level) (experience may have been obtained in private or public sectors), that demonstrates the ability to:
  • Present and/or explain complex information and findings to program and Agency level officials in a way that is easily understood.
  • Track and manage Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
  • Research, analyze, gather and assemble information in order to accurately respond to FOIA requests
  • Drafting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) training manuals or procedures.
  • Strong customer-service experience interacting with internal and external customers including attorneys.
  • Write complete, professional and timely reports, papers, e-mails and other correspondences to present information clearly and concisely
OR master's in a field of study such as Public Administration, Business Administration & Organizational Management or equivalent graduate degree

OR2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree

OR LL.B. or J.D. in Public Administration, Business Administration & Organizational Management or a related field


FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that demonstrates:
  • Evaluate processes, recommend changes, institute new procedures, and foresee problems and requirements.
  • Conduct research, gather and analyze data information, and prepare and implement recommendations that may involve significant changes to the manner in which information management activities are carried out program-wide.
  • Apply fact-finding and investigative techniques to gather clear-cut factual evidence of administrative compliance with regulations for Freedom of Information Act and records information management.
  • Development, implementation, and administration of electronic storage and retrieval systems for effective record keeping and the processing of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
OR Ph.D. in a field of study such as Public Administration, Business Administration & Organizational Management or equivalent doctoral degree

OR3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in Public Administration, Business Administration & Organizational Management or a related field;

This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09/11 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. To learn more about combining education and experience for this series, click the following: Combining Education and Experience for Administrative and Management Positions

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 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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Transcripts including the date your degree was conferred are required. Applications will not be considered without this documentation.

Additional information

  • Recent Graduate appointments are intended to last for 1 year. Recent Graduates who satisfactorily complete all the USDA Recent Graduates Program requirements may be non-competitively converted to a Term or Permanent appointment in the competitive service. Conversion is not guaranteed. Recent Graduates converted to Term appointments may later be non-competitively converted to a Permanent competitive service position.
  • If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entrance on duty.
  • A Pathways Participant Agreement will be required if you are selected for a position. The agreement must be signed by all applicable parties prior to entrance on duty.
  • First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  • This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the duty location of the position. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
  • Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
  • Selection will be at GS-0306-09 or GS-0306-11 with the possibility of conversion to a term or permanent Government Information Specialist, with promotion potential to the GS-12 level. Conversion eligibility and position is not guaranteed and depends upon the program unit's needs.
CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS Recent Graduates may be non-competitively converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service. To be eligible for conversion the Recent Graduate must meet all of the following:
  • Successfully complete at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program as outlined in the Participant Agreement.
  • Demonstrate successful job performance.
  • Meet the qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. The following quality categories will be used: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Within each quality category, veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Your final category placement will be based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10747081

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