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International Trade Specialist

Department of Commerce
Commerce, International Trade Administration
Global Markets
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is with the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, located in Boston, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, Cleveland, Ohio, Houston, Texas, Kansas City, Missouri, Las Vegas, Nevada, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ontario, California, and Seattle, Washington.

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 11/18/2021
Closed date: 12/08/2021
Location
9 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$66,829 - $103,309 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
ST-11296703-22-DR
Control number
622383900

Duties

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  • The incumbent will work on highly complex analytical work addressing critical international trade issues, U.S. business exports, reverse investment facilitation, and/or new trade development initiatives in key industries and world regions.
  • Contributes to the planning and coordination of activities of the office.
  • Conducts market research and disseminates trade information and materials on government products and services to U.S. businesses and associates.
  • Counsels current and potential U.S. exporters to meet client export market development objectives.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
  • A probationary period may be required.
  • Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No
  • Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

Specialized Experience:
GS-12: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government, performing the following duties:

  • Analyzing complex economic and trade policies to protect the national economic interest of U.S. industry through deliberations and negotiations; and
  • Performing U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion through trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and negotiations.
GS-13: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government, performing the following duties:
  • Performing U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion through trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and negotiations;
  • Recommending empirical trade information with interpretation and prediction of influences of economic, market, political, and other events; and
  • Developing strategies for U.S. business facilitation, trade and investment promotion initiatives, regulatory, and global trade-policy positions.

NOTE(s):
  • Experience: Your resume must support your claim of experience or you may be found ineligible.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Time-in-Grade Requirements:
Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

NOTE: 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. For work in the federal service, include the grade level for the position(s).

Education

Education may not be used or combined to qualify for this position.

Additional information

Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Commerce requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for Secret clearance as a condition of placement in this Noncritical-Sensitive position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

The physical worksite for this position is located in Boston, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, Cleveland, Ohio, Houston, Texas, Kansas City, Missouri, Las Vegas, Nevada, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ontario, California, and Seattle, Washington. However, the ITA is currently under a maximum telework posture due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, this position is currently under a 100 percent telework schedule. The position's telework schedule will likely change in the future when ITA moves away from its maximum telework posture. At that time, the incumbent will be expected to report to the physical work site in accordance with the updated status requirements of their supervisor. The nature and scope of future telework opportunities will be subject to the unit's telework policy, any applicable bargaining unit agreements, and supervisory approval. Payment of relocation expenses, as applicable, will be paid in accordance with this Job Opportunity Announcement. Non-compliance with the supervisor's telework-schedule requirement could result in adverse action, including separation.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Career Transition Assistance Program: This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) will be eligible 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; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

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 and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

  • Economics and Accounting
  • Foreign Market Research
  • International Business Management
  • Planning and Evaluating
Based on your responses, you will receive a score from the Assessment Questionnaire. Those applicants who meets or exceeds the cut-off score will be referred to the hiring manager and may be called for an interview. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you will be removed from consideration or your score will be lowered.

Due Weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager.

For Competitive Merit Promotion and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Applicants: The highest rated candidates will be referred to the hiring agency. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions (you must submit a DD214-member copy 4).???????

For Noncompetitive Appointment Eligibles: All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

To preview the assessment questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11296703

Commerce, International Trade Administration

The mission of the U.S. Department of Commerce is to help American businesses thrive, creating jobs here at home while being competitive abroad. Our programs touch the daily lives of the American people in many ways, with a wide range of responsibilities in the areas of trade, economic development, technology, entrepreneurship and business development, environmental stewardship, and statistical research and analysis.

Agency contact information

Mid-Atlantic Service Branch
Phone
816-541-8100
Email
NORFOLKMAIL@OPM.GOV
Address
DOC Headquarters
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Commerce, International Trade Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.commerce.gov/

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