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Technical Information Specialist, ZA-1412-2 (DE/CR)

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) with one vacancy in Boulder, CO.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/28/2020 to 10/07/2020
Salary
$52,905 to - $75,740 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 2
Location
Boulder, CO
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 5% of domestic travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
3 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
OAR-ESRL-2020-0034
Control number
579589000

Duties

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As a Technical Information Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Serve as the main contact point for electronic information tools, services, and OCLC World Share Management Services (WMS). Streamline procedures and workflows for making the Library’s electronic collections discoverable and accessible. Update and maintain WMS for the delivery of library content.
  • Coordinate with publishers and vendors to collect and analyze usage statistics for all electronic resources and services. Use library collections data analytics to inform collection management, database and journal renewals and cancellations. Produce data visualizations to communicate results of data analysis.
  • Coordinate journal and database acquisitions operations. Act as liaison with the Library’s subscription agent for the ordering and renewal of journals and databases.
  • Serve as library webmaster to ensure website is kept updated. Use statistical software to monitor usage.
  • Assist and instruct staff and patrons on the use of electronic information products, software and systems. Conduct troubleshooting of library resource access issues and of WMS.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
  • Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Must be suitable for Federal employment.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
  • Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZA-2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09. However, this position is being advertised equivalent to the GS-09.

*A one year probationary/trial period may be required.

*Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

*This position is not in the bargaining unit.

NOTES:
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Technical Information Specialist, ZA-1412-2 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g.: within the same geographic locations, same grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

College Transcript:  If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned.  You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume.  You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process.  If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note:  Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work.  An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.  This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

To qualify for the 1412 series:

EDUCATION:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of specialized experience in order to be found minimally qualified. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:

A. Education: A full 4-year course of study that meets all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with major study in the subject-matter field of the position to be filled.

OR

B. Experience: Four years of experience that provided a knowledge of the basic principles, theories, practices, techniques, and terminology of a discipline or subject-matter field; an understanding of the standard methods, procedures, and techniques of research and analysis in the subject-matter field; and where appropriate, ability to read and comprehend nontechnical material in one or more foreign languages. Such experience must have been equivalent to that which would have been gained through a 4-year college curriculum.

OR

C. A combination of education and experience as described above.

-AND-

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.  Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. 

This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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.

To qualify at the ZA-2 or GS-09 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Providing support for technical information services in a library associated with an academic institution; or a specialized library associated with a government agency, corporation, medical facility, law firm, or professional society; or any other comparable institutions;
  • Acting as a webmaster by updating and creating web pages, including experience with JavaScript and CSS; and
  • Assisting in the training of other library staff and users on the use of electronic information products, software or systems.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree, e.g., LL.B. or J.D., related to the position.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate-level education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination of education and experience.

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100.  Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action”, noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOAA participates in e-Verify.  E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.  If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories.  The categories are “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”.  However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.  Candidates placed in the “gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility:  Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.  Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Ability to maintain library automation and electronic systems.
  • Ability to make the Library's electronic collections discoverable and accessible, including online journals, electronic books, and databases through proper maintenance of WMS records.
  • Ability in using COUNTER format usage statistics to inform collection management and data processing and visualization.
  • Knowledge of library journal subscription models.
  • Ability to track acquisitions using spreadsheets.
  • Ability to use web-related protocols and formats.
  • Knowledge of statistical software.
  • Ability to provide instructions to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Knowledge of techniques to troubleshoot library resource access issues.

To preview questions please click here.

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