Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Braille Technician

Social Security Administration
SSA-HQ / Office of Facilities and Logistics Management (OFLM)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

READ ALL INFORMATION TO ENSURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS ARE VERY DETAILED AND MUST BE FOLLOWED COMPLETELY.

Serves as a production and material resource specialist in the review, editing, preparation and production of Braille and other alternative media materials for visually impaired agency personnel and the public. The work requires considerable specialized training and experience.

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/14/2020 to 09/18/2020
Salary
$48,670 to - $63,267 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Woodlawn, MD
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Flex-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
SH10910479
Control number
578395700

Duties

Help
  • Serves as the agency specialist in the review, preparation and production of Braille and other alternative media materials for agency personnel and the public.
  • Contributes to and reviews Braille contract specifications, reviews contractor proofs and participates in validation testing using adaptive devices such as JAWS.
  • Provides support, guidance and recommendations to SSA components on a variety alternative media initiatives targeted to the visually impaired community.
  • Provides advice on alternative media production, usage and usability/validation testing of new applications.
  • Proofs and edits agency's informational materials specifically directed to the visually impaired community designed to interpret the provisions of SSA programs and to inform that community of their rights and responsibilities.
  • Recommends formatting or modifications to materials based on agency and Braille Authority of North America (BANA) standards.
  • Operates adapted computers utilizing specialized software and other Braille devices to transcribe or translate a variety of agency publications, pamphlets, manuals and instructional materials into Braille for use by the visually impaired.
  • Translates materials from various formats (CD, email, Microsoft Word documents) into final Braille copy or verbatim transcript as appropriate.
  • Serves as SSA's technical authority on alternative media.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Background and/or security investigation required
  • Job offers are contingent on background / security investigation results
  • Selectees may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period
  • Relocation expenses will not be paid
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
  • Assignments include a broad range of Braille transcription or translation using adapted computers and specialized software to review and prepare materials for distribution.
  • Timeliness and accuracy are necessary for both public relations and operational efficiencies.
  • Uses multiple systems to prepare reports and conduct research for outreach activities.
  • Proofs material for accuracy, reconciles discrepancies with component author, selects the appropriate procedure and format or adapts available formats to ensure user comprehension.
  • Facilitates dissemination of information about SSA programs to employees and the public using a variety of available media outlets.

Qualifications

READ THIS SECTION BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION. YOUR EXPERIENCE MUST INCLUDE WORK THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PRODUCTION OF BRAILLE AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE MEDIA MATERIALS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.

APPLICANTS WITHOUT THIS EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.


COMPLETE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO QUALIFICATIONS FOLLOWS:

You must have at least 52 weeks of Specialized Experience* as described below. This experience must have been gained in a federal position at or above GS-06 OR (if your position/experience is in another federal payscale or outside of federal service) by performing duties at a level equivalent to those performed in a federal position at or above GS-06. This Specialized Experience must have provided you with the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the functions of this GS-07 Braille Technician position.


SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE should primarily consist of duties directly related to the production of Braille and other alternative media materials for the visually impaired.


DUTIES SHOULD INCLUDE applying techniques and procedures established by the Braille Authority of North America, the National Braille Association and the Library of Congress to proofread, edit, transcribe and translate various documents to assist visually impaired employees to perform their work assignments.

If you perform these types of duties you must specifically describe them in your resume.

Applicants without this experience are not qualified for this position.

Experience from participation in a special project or workgroup is not creditable unless that experience equals 52 weeks at the required grade level.

You cannot be credited for federal experience unless you clearly show your grade level at the time the experience was gained, as well as the complete dates [month/day/year] you were at each grade level.

You must be very specific in describing the duties you perform (or performed) at the required grade level.

If your federal grade level is not specified with your relevant federal experience you may be eliminated from further consideration.

If you combine federal career-ladder experience into a single description of duties, you may be eliminated from consideration based on failure to clearly document the required experience at the required grade level for the required period of time.

It is suggested that you separate all experience at or equivalent to GS-06 (and above) from all other grade-level experience (even if that GS-06 [and above] was part of a career-ladder position).

Likewise, if your experience was gained outside of federal employment, list each position separately (including the full dates [month/day/year] you worked at each position and the specific duties you performed).

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.



Position located in
Office of Facilities and Logistics Management (OFLM)
Office of Media and Logistics Management (OMLM)
Division of Media and Inventory Management (DMIM)

Education

There is no educational requirement for this position, but you must be knowledgeable of the techniques and procedures established by the Braille Authority of North America, the National Braille Association and the Library of Congress to proofread, edit, transcribe and translate various documents to assist visually impaired employees to perform their work assignments.


This position does not allow the option to use education in lieu of specialized experience.

Additional information

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.


OTHER NOTES:

See CONDITIONS for important information pertaining to this position.

See REQUIRED DOCUMENTS to ensure you the documents needed to support your claim.

This position is NOT currently eligible for telework consideration.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

How you will be evaluated

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

READ THIS INFORMATION BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.

Applications will be ranked using Category Rating.

Preview questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10910479 Use APPLY link to submit responses.

You may not be credited for federal experience unless you clearly show your grade at the time the experience was gained, as well as the complete dates (month/date/year) you were in each position.

SEE QUALIFICATIONS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR RESUME MUST DEMONSTRATE.


Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your qualifications. It should clearly describe duties you perform that demonstrate how you meet the Specialized Experience requirement (e.g.,work that is directly related to the production of Braille and other alternative media materials for the visually impaired), as well as duties you perform that demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities as they pertain to the Specialized Experience requirement. Duties that are not clearly described cannot be credited.

-- Ability to analyze, interpret and provide guidance on multimedia initiatives and procedures

-- Skill in time management

-- Skill in utilizing specialized Braille software and equipment


Follow instructions. Experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation to support your answers or to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability

If you meet the basic requirements, as evidenced by your responses to the Online Questionnaire (see How To Apply), you will placed into one of three categories:

(1) Qualified -- Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.

(2) Well Qualified -- Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

(3) Best Qualified -- Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

Resumes and supporting documents (if required) will then be reviewed.

Applicants eligible for Priority Selection (see below) will receive the first consideration.

PRIORITY SELECTION: NOTE THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU HAVE SUBMITTED IN THE PAST.

CTAP and ICTAP provide eligible displaced federal competitive service employees with priority selection for competitive service vacancies. To receive priority selection, you must meet specific conditions, receive a rating of 85% or higher and submit documents specified under REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.

See http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

Candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the category for which they have been rated.

Additionally, preference-eligibles who demonstrate a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent (AND who meet minimum qualification requirements) will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.

See Required Documents for information on how to support these claims.



Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.