The position is located in the Office of Global Research (OGR), Office of Science Management and Operations (OSMO), Office of the Director (OD), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Summary
The position is located in the Office of Global Research (OGR), Office of Science Management and Operations (OSMO), Office of the Director (OD), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
You must be a current or former federal employee eligible to apply under merit promotion procedures or otherwise be eligible as a status applicant (e.g. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act) OR be an individual who is eligible through an OPM interchange agreement or for a non-competitive appointment.
If selected for this position, you may perform the following duties:
Receive, analyze, and responds to inquiries received from governmental, non-governmental sources, and the general public, on complex, multi-faceted, and sensitive issues involving a broad range of scientific, technical, health-related topics and biomedical research programs.
Perform comprehensive searches of online, print, and technical resources on health issues related to enquirer areas of interest, including utilization of PubMed, Medline, Google, and other search engines and tools.
Interpret and analyze information on a variety of scientific, technical, and health related subjects and issues.
Prepare position papers on NIAID programs for use by U.S. representatives at joint science and technology review meetings, meetings of multilateral organizations, and interagency meetings.
Perform quality control assessments on all outbound written responses and tracks all the responses provided.
Assist in developing, documenting, implementing, and updating standard operating procedures and other materials for handling correspondence, inquiries, and other office procedures.
Assist with the development of bilateral and multilateral agreements for biomedical research programs, facilitates and coordinates NIAID participation under such agreements.
If you are selected at the GS-09 or GS-11 level, you will essentially perform the same duties as those at the full performance level described above, however, duties are less complex and will be performed under closer supervision with more detailed guidance.
U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements within thirty (30) calendar days of the closing date of this announcement, including time in grade.
Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
Qualifications
To qualify at the GS-09:
A. completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.B. or J.D., if related.; OR
B. at least 1 year of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: performing comprehensive searches of online, print, and technical resources pertaining to health issues; providing guidance on available resources for health-related scientific and technical information sharing; participating in reviewing global research content for publications and web pages; and preparing background material and briefing documents for health communications activities meetings; OR
C. a combination of graduate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
To qualify at the GS-11:
A. Completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M., if related; OR
B. 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: researching information pertaining to health information and biomedical research programs to assist with correspondence responses; developing and maintaining resources for others to gather and analyze scientific and technical health-related information; updating standard operating procedures and other materials related to health communications; and coordinating health communications activities with internal organizations and staff; OR
C. a combination of post baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
To qualify at the GS-12:
In addition, in order to qualify for a Health Communications Specialist, 1001, at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: preparing technical and scientific correspondence, responses to inquiries, and other written documents involving health information and biomedical research programs; interpreting and analyzing information on scientific, technical, and health-related issues pertaining to research activities; reviewing written materials to ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and style and publication standards; and coordinating health communications activities with internal and external organizations and staff.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.
If you qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application packages. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.
Additional information
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
A one-year trial/probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: [telework (work from home on a regular basis or ad hoc basis but reports to the office at least once a week/two days a pay period), compressed schedules, flexible schedules].
PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should apply online to this announcement to receive consideration.
Veterans' Preference applies only to Schedule A (disability appointment) and Veterans Recruitment Appointments (if applicable).
The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
Visit our Total Compensation page and this sample for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement, and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
1. Ability to prepare technical and scientific correspondence and other written documents to communicate information on health related topics and biomedical research programs.
2. Skill in analyzing, interpreting, organizing, and compiling information on scientific, technical, and health related subjects.
3. Knowledge of policies and procedures for the communication of information on health related topics and biomedical research programs.
4. Ability to prepare responses to inquiries regarding research programs on allergic, immunologic, and infectious diseases.
Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.
To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer. To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 85 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.
RESUME:
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
Performance ratings and any monetary or non-monetary awards
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.
ELIGIBILITY/PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION:
You must submit the following documentation, if applicable to you AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire. If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
SF-50 - A copy of your most recent competitive career or career conditional SF-50 that shows the effective date of your latest position and the full performance level. You may obtain a copy of your SF-50 from your human resources office or, if you are an HHS employee, from your eOPF. If you separated from Federal Government employment, you may obtain a copy of your SF-50 via the Federal Records Center, National Archives and Records Administration.
Veteran Documentation: (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.). Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation if you are a 10-point preference eligible. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you have derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point preference eligibles, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
Schedule A (Disability Appointment): Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead and signed. Please note the Schedule A hiring authority neither guarantees employment, nor gives an individual preference in the hiring process.
Documentation to support any other noncompetitive or OPM interchange agreement eligibility. Reference the Eligibility section of the questionnaire for required documents and information.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 01/30/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11712530
Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying, please contact Tammie Williams at williamstaml@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Dr
Bethesda, MD 20892
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. You will be notified of the status of your applications via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.
At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
RESUME:
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
Performance ratings and any monetary or non-monetary awards
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.
ELIGIBILITY/PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION:
You must submit the following documentation, if applicable to you AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire. If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
SF-50 - A copy of your most recent competitive career or career conditional SF-50 that shows the effective date of your latest position and the full performance level. You may obtain a copy of your SF-50 from your human resources office or, if you are an HHS employee, from your eOPF. If you separated from Federal Government employment, you may obtain a copy of your SF-50 via the Federal Records Center, National Archives and Records Administration.
Veteran Documentation: (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.). Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation if you are a 10-point preference eligible. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you have derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point preference eligibles, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
Schedule A (Disability Appointment): Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead and signed. Please note the Schedule A hiring authority neither guarantees employment, nor gives an individual preference in the hiring process.
Documentation to support any other noncompetitive or OPM interchange agreement eligibility. Reference the Eligibility section of the questionnaire for required documents and information.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 01/30/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11712530
Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying, please contact Tammie Williams at williamstaml@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Dr
Bethesda, MD 20892
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. You will be notified of the status of your applications via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.
At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
