Clarification from the agency

Recent Graduates - All U.S. Citizens, Nationals, and Foreign Nationals who meet both Immigration Laws and Annual Appropriations Laws.

As a IT Specialist (Recent Graduate), you will:

• Perform routine and recurring assignments, under close supervision, designed to provide experience and training in one or more Information Technology/Operational Technology specialty areas.
• Identify and resolve issues and problems independently, but within the framework established by the supervisor and in conformance with established practices and prescribed procedures.
• Prepare recommendations for changes in methods and practices where appropriate.
• Participate in a rotation program to other organizations within Transmission Technology and complete assignments in multiple functional areas in order to broaden expertise.

.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), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If you are selected for this position, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22, 2021, or prior to onboarding, if hired after November 22, unless you request a legally required exception from this requirement.

As part of onboarding, you will need to submit DOE's Certification of COVID-19 Vaccination for Prospective Federal Employees attesting to truthfulness that you are fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021, or prior to onboarding, if hired after November 22, 2021. Once onboard, you will then be required to provide proof of vaccination in DOE's MyEnergy system and certify the documentation you provide is true and correct under penalty of perjury. Providing a knowing and willful false statement on either DOE's COVID-19 Vaccination Form prior to starting or when providing proof of vaccination in DOE's MyEnergy system once onboard is punishable by fine and/or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001) and will result in termination from Federal service.

Conditions of employment

This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period..
The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 999C

CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS:

• BPA has the option to convert a Recent Graduate position to a permanent or term position upon successful completion of program requirements. This is not automatic, nor guaranteed. Conversion is at the discretion of the hiring manager and employing office.
• To be eligible to be converted to permanent or term position you must:
  • Be a US Citizen.
  • Be recommended for conversion by your manager.
  • Complete all training and development requirements within the 1-year appointment period.
  • Successful completion of 1 year of continuous service. Have demonstrated successful job performance.
  • Met OPM qualification standard for the position to which you will be converted.
  • A Recent Graduate may be converted to the highest General Schedule (GS) grade level qualified for at time of conversion.

Qualifications

Qualifications:
To be eligible for the Recent Graduate program you must be a:

Recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associates,
bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a
qualifying educational institution.
-OR-

Student who within nine months of the closing date of this announcement will meet the education
requirements and will graduate with a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional,
doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.
A student may not be appointed to a position until they have graduated.

-OR-
Preference eligible veteran who was precluded from applying due to their military service
obligation begin their two-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty.
Eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed six years after degree or certificate completion.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:
You must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four (4) competencies listed below. The experience must be IT related and may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification) as appropriate. 1. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. 2. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. 3. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. 4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgement to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. To meet this requirement you must demonstrate proficiency in each of the four competencies listed above as follows: GS-07: Novice - You have the level of experience gained in a classroom and/or experimental scenarios or as a trainee on-the-job. You are expected to need help when performing these competencies. Focus is on developing through on-the-job experience; You understand and can discuss terminology, concepts, principles, and issues related to these competencies; You utilize the full range of reference and resource materials in each of these competencies. GS-09: Intermediate - You are able to successfully complete tasks in each competency as requested. Help from an expert may be required from time to time, but you can usually perform each competency independently. Focus is on applying and enhancing knowledge or skill; You have applied each of these competencies to situations occasionally while needing minimal guidance to perform successfully; You understand and can discuss the application and implications of changes to processes, policies, and procedures in this area.

To qualify, you must have either the education or experience required:

GS-07
Education:

Degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management,
mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a
minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the
development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks.

One year of graduate-level education, or superior academic achievement (S.A.A.) gained in a
bachelor degree curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled (based on class
standing, grade-point average, or honor society membership). See the following link for more
information:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualificati
on- policies/#url=app

GS-09:
Education:

Degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management,
mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a
minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the
development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks.

Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level
graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree; your education must
demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:
GS-07 In addition to demonstrating IT-related experience in the four competencies a qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5 ) in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is define as: Experience in applying IT principles, methods, and practices 1) in the assigned specialty areas performing routine and recurring technical documentation, preparing and updating manuals, instructions, and operating procedures, and 2) in providing information and assistance to customers.

GS-09 A qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level(GS-07) in the Federal service.
Specialized Experience is defined as: Experience in applying IT principles, methods, and practices in assigned programs 1) performing routine and recurring information technology evaluation to identify and address system issues and problems, and 2) determining root cause and system impact, and providing recommendations for corrective actions where appropriate

How you will be evaluated

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

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to place you into an initial quality category via OPM's Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to ensure you have been placed into the appropriate quality category.

Your application is rated based on the extent and quality of your experience, education (when applicable), and training as described in your resume and applicant assessment. Your credentials are measured against the established duties of the position at the grade level(s) being advertised.

If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as scoring in the Well Qualified category (or higher).

If you are a Veteran Preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly

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

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three pre-defined quality categories under Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Operating Systems
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Software Development

Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as scoring 85.0 or higher.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (12/28/2021) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11321720