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Public Affairs Specialist

Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Coordinate NIST's exhibit program for STEM conferences (AAAS, Grace Hopper, etc.), including establishing plan for conference attendance; coordinating shipping; developing content and hands-on activities; recruiting SMEs to staff booth; etc. Coordinate and conduct tours of NIST Gaithersburg campus and special events on campus.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
08/11/2023 to 08/28/2023
Salary
$94,199 to - $145,617 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Gaithersburg, MD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
3
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DO-107-23-12083776
Control number
742820700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens and Status Candidates (this includes Merit Promotion, Status Candidates, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VRA, VEOA, 30% or More Disabled, EVHO, Schedule A, Military Spouses, Americorps, Peace Corps, Vista, Interchange Agreement Eligibles, and National Guard).

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Duties

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  • Coordinate NIST's exhibit program for STEM conferences (AAAS, Grace Hopper, etc.). Includes establishing plan for which conferences NIST will attend; coordinating shipping of materials; developing content and hands-on activities; recruiting SMEs to staff booth; etc.
  • Help staff NIST booths at exhibits. Some travel will be required.
  • Coordinate and conduct tours of NIST campus for VIPs, peer professional, and education groups. Includes establishing tour stops; training presenters on plain language and handling tour logistics.
  • Coordinate and run special events, such as community open houses, as needed.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment
  • Merit applicants must meet time-in-grade/band requirements, as applicable
  • Must submit with their application two writing samples that demonstrate the ability to translate complex chemistry, biology, biotechnology, engineering and/or physics research concepts into plain language(as specified in qualifications section below)
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No

Qualifications

Applicants must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 (ZA-II at NIST) level. Specialized experience is defined as experience writing, editing and/or presenting content about science and technical research topics to a variety of audiences in lay language.

Applicants must submit with their application two writing samples (news stories, press releases, marketing copy, brochures, other collateral, exhibit/demo explanations/descriptions, website content, social media posts, speeches, etc.) and/or audio or video samples (recorded tours, podcasts, video hosting, etc.) that demonstrate the ability to translate complex chemistry, biology, biotechnology, engineering and/or physics research concepts into plain language

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.

If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration

Education

Education cannot be used to qualify for this position.

Additional information

This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). The APMS is a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Find out more about the APMS here!

  • We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
  • Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
  • You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY in order to be considered for this position.
  • All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible in order to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
  • A probationary period may be required.

We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:
  • Telework
  • Flexible work schedules
  • Paid parental leave
  • Paid vacation
  • Sick leave
  • Family-friendly leave
  • Childcare subsidy program for qualifying families
  • Child and elder-care resources
  • On-site childcare center
  • Lactation spaces
  • Wellness programs
  • Fitness center
  • Employee assistance programs

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 documents to assess your qualifications for this position. Please be sure that your resume and supporting documents include detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient and/or legible evidence in your resume or supporting documents may result in a "not qualified" determination. You MUST also selected at least ONE eligibility (i.e., how you wish to be considered) in order to receive consideration for this position.

RATING:

Applications will be assessed on the following competencies:

  • Customer Service
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating


If the minimum qualifications and eligibility requirements are met, your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals, or awards relevant to the duties of the position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses in the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application. To preview the questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12083776

REFERRAL
If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. You will be referred depending upon your eligibility (i.e., Merit candidate, veterans preference, etc). Please review the Evaluation Process on how applicants are review and referred based upon how they wish to be considered for the position.

CTAP or ICTAP eligibility:
If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility

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