This position is located in the National Science Foundation, Office of the Director, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA), Government Affairs Branch. The incumbent is responsible for assisting in the facilitation, coordination, and communication of information to the Congress and the public on a wide range of issues related to Federal support for science and engineering research and education.
Summary
This position is located in the National Science Foundation, Office of the Director, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA), Government Affairs Branch. The incumbent is responsible for assisting in the facilitation, coordination, and communication of information to the Congress and the public on a wide range of issues related to Federal support for science and engineering research and education.
Current or former Federal employees with competitive status obtained through a permanent Federal competitive service appointment OR individuals with eligibility for noncompetitive special appointing authority OR ICTAP/CTAP eligibles OR veterans eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act. This position is open to the public under vacancy number OLPA-23-12120142.
The incumbent assists senior OLPA and NSF staff with congressional, state, and local, and science community interactions and works under the direction of the Supervisory Government Affairs Specialist. Specific duties include:
Supports the NSF Government Affairs staff members to enable close and continuing contacts with Members of Congress and congressional staff with interest in and/or responsibility for NSF oversight.
Helps to ensure NSF leadership is aware of all congressional initiatives and concerns relating to NSF by, among other things, assisting with tracking, reporting on, and analyzing legislation that may impact NSF, attending and preparing reports of congressional hearings, mark-ups, and floor debates pertaining to issues important to NSF and the science and engineering research and education community, and communicating congressional interest to other affected NSF staff and assists in developing information and/or recommendations for NSF policy and follow-up actions.
Assists with the management of congressional correspondence, including mandated reports, and the administration of related systems.
Supports the maintenance of the grant notification system and other contacts databases.
Assists in the development and implementation of strategies for proactive and reactive strategic engagement with Members of Congress and their staff.
Assists in developing and distributing (as appropriate) informational and other materials on important legislative issues, developments, and engagements including but not limited to congressional hearings and outreach activities to the Congress, state and local officials, and public.
Identifies opportunities to develop working partnerships between state-level stakeholders, institutions of higher education, and NSF. Such partnerships may include travel to institutions to provide educational materials on working with NSF and coordination withrelevant NSF staff.
Assists in the Government Affairs Branch's support of the NSF Director's travel and coordinates state-related activities as directed.
Provides administrative support coverage when needed. This may include but is not limited to providing office coverage, purchasing, travel, and meeting logistics.
Performs special projects and other duties as assigned.
The incumbent exercises a high level of responsibility and initiative always, while maintaining harmonious integrity-based working relationships both within and outside the Foundation.
Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
Selectee may be required to serve a 1-year trial/probationary period.
Additional Requirements:
Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade/equivalent.
You must meet eligibility & qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire & any external assessment that is included.
All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Qualifications
Qualified applicants must possess both the specialized experience and must meet the selective factor identified below in order to be considered.
To qualify at the GS-11 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in federal service supporting communications with members of Congress and/or Congressional staff. Examples of experience include: researching Congressional initiatives and legislation; analyzing legislation; drafting responses to Congressional inquiries/reports; drafting informational materials; identifying and tracking congressional reporting requirements; and establishing and maintaining relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staffs, and/or external organizational stakeholders. OR
- Must Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR - Must Have Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR - Must Have a combination of post high school education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.
To qualify at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in federal service facilitating communication with Members of Congress and Congressional staffs. Examples of experience include: maintaining an awareness of Congressional initiatives and legislation; analyzing legislation to determine potential impacts; drafting responses and recommendations based on Congressional inquiries/reports; developing informational materials on legislative issues; identifying and tracking congressional reporting requirements; and establishing and maintaining relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staffs, and external organizational stakeholders.
In addition to possessing the basic qualifications above, you must meet the following selective factor in order to be considered.
I have experience with the Federal legislative process, and with managing and tracking congressional reporting and correspondence in the areas of science and technology policy.
Experience refers to paid/unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) & other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, & skills & can provide valuable training/experience that translates directly to paid work. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
FOR GS-11: Education may be substituted for experience as described in "Qualifications."If qualifying based on education, you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
FOR GS-12: Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.
Additional information
Relocation Expenses will not be paid.
This position is in the bargaining unit represented by AFGE Local 3403.
It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to & including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment & referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)
ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "Very Good" on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources
Veteran's Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the VA letter or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.
NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.
This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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 above. Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire which will rate the following competencies:
Knowledge of the legislative process, Congressional procedures, and terminology
Oral Communication
Stakeholder Management
Teamwork
Writing
In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used.
Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.
Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At NSF, this means a score of 90.0 or higher.
In the merit promotion selection process, formal performance appraisals may be considered if voluntarily submitted by the applicant.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
All applicants should submit a resume/CV of their choice and may also submit a cover letter.
If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status.
If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee.- SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement.- An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service.- Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, an SF15, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating (VA Letter) from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
Other - Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. This includes:
Returned Peace Corp Volunteers
Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473)
Former Overseas Employees
Foreign Service Employees
Career Service Employees
Postal Rate Commission Employees
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
If qualifying based on education, you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH OR ANY OTHER PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
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.
Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established at the OPM website following the instructions provided in order to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be re-directed to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position will be able to apply until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact on this job opportunity announcement.
All applicants should submit a resume/CV of their choice and may also submit a cover letter.
If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status.
If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee.- SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement.- An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service.- Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, an SF15, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating (VA Letter) from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
Other - Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. This includes:
Returned Peace Corp Volunteers
Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473)
Former Overseas Employees
Foreign Service Employees
Career Service Employees
Postal Rate Commission Employees
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
If qualifying based on education, you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH OR ANY OTHER PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
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.
Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established at the OPM website following the instructions provided in order to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be re-directed to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position will be able to apply until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact on this job opportunity announcement.
