Skip to main content
U.S. flag

Social Services Assistant

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent of this position provides leadership and guidance to students in a group living environment and provides practical counseling to students.

The positions are located in multiple locations:

Flatwoods CCC - Coeburn, VA - Point of Contact: syl.garza@usda.gov

Blackwell CCC - Laona, WI - Point of Contact: heather.terry@usda.gov

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Posted 08/22/22
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$40,262 - $58,158 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Promotion potential
7
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
22-JC-BWFL11597363-DPBJH
Control number
672083800

Videos

Duties

Help
  • Duties are listed at the full performance level.
  • Incumbent serves as team Lead and assistant to the Dormitory Manager. Provides on-site supervision of students to ensure a safe, healthy atmosphere.
  • Provides ongoing orientation to new students. Assures that new students are welcomed, and assigns an experienced student to assist with orientation.
  • Provides information to the supervisor, and to the guidance counselor on the need for special help and/or attention to a new student.
  • Participates with the supervisor and other residential living staff in setting performance standards, goals, and objectives for the dormitory, and follows up with students to assure these standards are upheld.
  • Checks progress, performance, and behavior of students in assigned dorm in the educational and vocational programs.
  • Discusses with student and assures any required corrective action is taken. Submits periodic accomplishment reports on progress in meeting objectives.
  • Provides accountability of each student by conducting nightly bed checks and documenting in nightly shift report. Initiates all passes and leaves for students within the dorm.
  • Maintains dormitory order, discipline, and organization. Inspects dorm for cleanliness, need for repairs, safety, and provides cleaning supplies and other materials needed.
  • Supervises student duty assignments to assure dorm is maintained to established standards. Serves as dorm property manager officer; maintaining records of clothing, bedding, personal items issued to students, and conducts locker inspections.
  • Instructs and counsels students in positive social skills.
  • Evaluates these characteristics for each student monthly, and conducts individual counseling sessions to correct problems, or refers as necessary serious maladjustment problems to the group living supervisor.
  • Holds regular dorm meeting for all students to ensure that all pertinent information on Center operations is communicated.
  • Conducts group counseling sessions in the form of dorm meetings, orientation groups, dorm courts, group problem solving, and group discussion.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • 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 E-Verify.
  • This is a Test Designated Position. You will be tested for illegal drugs prior to appointment and randomly thereafter. Appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice.
  • Must obtain and maintain a valid commercial driver's license.
  • This position is required to work swing shift and night shift when determined by the needs of the Center.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable).Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

GS-6:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5); OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as social behavior, human behavior, psychology, or health care); OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience are: providing input in the planning of dormitory activities of students; maintaining order and discipline among students; scheduling, coordinating, and supervising work details, recreational and other group activities; providing leadership and direction to students in performing daily housekeeping duties; and conducting various dorm meetings and student group counseling sessions.

GS-7: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6); OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as social behavior, human behavior, psychology, or health care); OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience are: serving as the assistant to the dormitory manager, providing on-site supervision of residents to ensure a safe, healthy atmosphere; providing ongoing orientation to new residents; participating with the supervisor and other residential living staff in setting performance standards, goals, and objectives for the dormitory, following up with residents to ensure these standards are upheld; and/or checking progress, performance, and behavior of residents in assigned dorm in the educational and vocational programs.

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.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.

Additional information

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

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 not guaranteed.


The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

This position is not eligible for telework.

This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

Government Housing may be available.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. You will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Individuals with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

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 view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11597363

Forest Service

Do you want to be a member of a team that does incredible work every day by harnessing the enormous potential of young people? If your answer is yes, a career with one of 24 U.S. Forest Service Civilian Conservation Centers is for you. Embrace the challenge of transforming a young person's life as they train for successful careers and work to protect our nation's national forests and grasslands. Help shape the lives of the next generation of conservation stewards. Begin a career at a Civilian Conservation Center where you will truly make a difference.

A career with the Forest Service will challenge you to manage and care for more than 193 million acres of our nation's most magnificent lands, conduct research through a network of forest and range experiment stations and the Forest Products Laboratory, and provide assistance to State and private forestry agencies.

It's an awesome responsibility - but the rewards are as limitless as the views.

Agency contact information

HRM Contact Center
Phone
1-877-372-7248 X2
Email
HRM_Contact_Center@usda.gov
Address
USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

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.