These positions allow Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) and certain Returned Peace Corps Response Volunteers (RPCRV) the opportunity to gain experience in the Federal Government while continuing to support the Peace Corps mission. Applicants will be placed in entry level positions across the agency supporting domestic and/or overseas operations.
Summary
These positions allow Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) and certain Returned Peace Corps Response Volunteers (RPCRV) the opportunity to gain experience in the Federal Government while continuing to support the Peace Corps mission. Applicants will be placed in entry level positions across the agency supporting domestic and/or overseas operations.
ONLY OPEN TO: Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) and Returned Peace Corps Response Volunteers (RPCRV) with active Peace Corps Eligibility (PCE). Applicants must be United States Citizens.
These entry level positions will grant individuals who have recently completed volunteer service the opportunity for further professional development through a career in public service. Many of the positions will require the performance of assignments that are designed to further develop applicable analytical and evaluative skills and techniques beyond those gained in their prior volunteer service. Although these are growth opportunities, promotions are based on individual performance and are not guaranteed.
Applicants will be asked to identify prefered job categories, including communications, contract management, country desk unit operations, data management and analysis, finance/budget, administrative support, health services, human resources, information technology, training administration, and volunteer recruitment. You may select more than one job category of interest; however, you may be placed depending on the needs of individual Peace Corps offices.
Communications - Work associated with written and oral communication, such as marketing, public affairs, mass communication, journalism, television, radio and/or social media. Tasks may include contributing to brochures, training materials, reports and web-based communication for public consumption.
Contract Management - Work associated with the procurement of supplies, services, construction, or research and development; the evaluation of contract price proposals; and the administration or termination and close out of contracts. Tasks may include verifying the accuracy of financial transactions, purchase orders, contracts, travel obligations and disbursement of other agency funds.
Country Desk Unit Operations - Work associated with the operations of overseas regional offices, including administrative coordination, operational support and program assistance to the Country Desk Officer and overseas staff, trainees and volunteers. Tasks may include compiling data for program or project requirements, compiling status reports and coordinating training activities.
Data Management and Analysis - Work associated with monitoring data collection processes and providing technical assistance on the use of data collection systems. Tasks may include performing data quality checks, manipulating data, producing basic statistical tests, and preparing tables and graphs for publication in multiple formats.
Finance/Budget - Work associated with financial management, reporting, accounting, budgeting, auditing and other fiscal-related functions. Tasks may include producing, acquiring or recording financial data, tracking daily transactions, budget reporting and monitoring authorized versus actual expenditures.
General Administrative Support - Work associated with the management of an organization, office or program which typically involves the principles, concepts, policies and objectives related to the program or administrative area. Tasks may involve analysis, research, writing and applying judgement in performing assigned duties.
Health Services - Work associated with assessing applicants prior to entering service or assessing patients prior to or after medical care has been given. Tasks may include supporting various functions within the Office of Medical Services.
Human Resources - Work associated with the hiring and developing of employees so that they become more valuable to the organization. Tasks may include recruiting, placing and orienting employees, managing human resource systems, providing benefits, evaluating performance, and communicating with all employees at all levels.
Information Technology - Work involving the application of computers or other related equipment; including design, development, application, implementation, support, network administration, software development and installation and hardware and software maintenance. Tasks may involve managing and implementing moves, adding or changing staff workstations, troubleshooting hardware and software problems, testing and employing non-standard software packages and participating in other projects as assigned.
Training Administration - Work associated with the design and implementation of training programs in order to successfully prepare individuals for Peace Corps service. Tasks may include supporting domestic and overseas locations to register new volunteers for service, orienting them to Peace Corps culture, preparing them for their overseas post location.
Volunteer Recruitment - Work associated with the search and screening of qualified Peace Corps volunteer applicants and building general awareness of Peace Corps programs. Tasks may include performing searches for candidates utilizing computer databases, social networking and other recruiting resources and informing potential volunteers of duties and responsibilities, benefits and working conditions.
This is a Federal civilian job in the Excepted Service. PC employees are paid on the Foreign Service scale and employment terms are not to exceed (NTE) 5 years.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
You must successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet this requirement will be grounds for employment termination.
All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service.
You are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
A one (1) year trial period is required, unless the appointment is less than 5 years.
Prior to employment, and in compliance with statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b, Peace Corps will conduct a check of Peace Corps records for both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps employees.
Additional conditions of employment, depending on the position, include:
A security clearance may be required.
A drug test may be required. Likewise, you may be subject to random drug testing while employed.
Travel may be required.
The position may be in the bargaining unit.
The position may be eligible for telework.
The position may be remote eligible, allowing you to work remotely from a location in the United States.
Qualifications
You must meet the specialized experience for the position at the time of your application. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate dates of employment by month, day, and year and the number of hours worked per week in your resume.
Applicants meeting minimum qualifications may be selected at one of the following grade levels depending on the position they are referred for.
FP-7 (Equivalent to GS-07)
FP-6 (Equivalent to GS-08) FP-5 (Equivalent to GS-09/GS-10)
Qualifying experience includes one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the next lower grade level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience may include: Providing general clerical support (e.g., greeting visitors, maintaining files, and typing routine correspondence); or gathering program data or information following routine search procedures.
A combination of successfully completed post high school education and specialized experience that combined account for a total of 100% may be generally used to meet the total experience requirement.
Some positions may require a different set of specialized experience and/or specific education depending on the job category and/or grade level. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.
MS 601 7.3 Selection Process
A selecting official who wants to use the RPCV Peace Corps Eligibility (PCE) announcement to recruit for a vacancy must request an RPCV PCE certificate from HR. A selecting official has the option to request that the vacancy also be simultaneously posted for competitive selection under MS 620 Merit Selection and Promotion.
Additional information on qualification requirements are outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.
Please note: Peace Corps employees are employed using the Foreign Service Salary Schedule (FP). The FP pay plan does not follow the same structure as the GS pay plan. In the FP pay plan, as the grade-level numbers decrease the level/pay for the position increases (the FP-09 is the lowest, entry, level/pay and the FP-01 is the highest, senior, level/pay).
Education
Depending on the series of the position being filled, some positions may include Individual Occupational Requirements such as specific education and/or experience in addition to the minimum federal qualification requirements in the 'Qualifications Required' section.
Additional information
Peace Corps Information
Peace Corps is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factors.
Peace Corps is drug free workplace and promotes a drug free environment.
We are committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive culture. Our goal is to attract and develop the best and brightest from all lifestyles and backgrounds. We strive to create a culture of inclusion where individuals feel respected and are treated fairly in all aspects of differences. Our commitment is to make a difference in the lives of people around the world.
Peace Corps provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Office of Human Resources or the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity at 202-692-2139. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.
Intelligence Background Information
Peace Corps Manual Section 611 is applicable to this position. This section prohibits the employment of certain persons previously engaged in intelligence activities or connected with intelligence agencies within the past 10 years. If you have ever worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), you are not eligible for employment at the Peace Corps in any capacity, and you should not apply for employment.
Acceptance of employment with Peace Corps precludes employment by certain intelligence organizations for a specific period of time, determined by the employing agency, after Peace Corps employment ceases.
Applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified will be required to submit upon request in the future a completed Intelligence Background Questionnaire, or narrative signed statement, indicating whether the applicant has been involved in or has had any connection with intelligence activities or related work and, if so, the nature and dates of his or her involvement. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the applicant being rated ineligible for further consideration. If you have any other type of possible intelligence connection, your application will not be further considered until you submit this form. Except when the CIA or the National Security Agency (NSA) is involved (see below), if your connection with an Intelligence Agency involves an immediate family member who works or has worked in intelligence, the immediate family member should complete the form, not the applicant. Usually relying on memory is sufficient to answer most if not all of the questions.
If you have an immediate family member who works or has worked for the CIA, you should not give them this form to complete. Please contact your relative in person-not by phone, email, social networking, or any other means that is not in person- and ask him or her to contact the Office of General Counsel at the CIA.
If you or an immediate family member have been employed by or associated with the NSA, you or your family member must contact the NSA Prepublication Review Office at 443-634-4095.
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.
Eligibility
A Human Resources Specialist will review your application package to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements. Please review the required documents section to ensure your application is complete. Failure to submit documents that validate your eligibility will disqualify you from consideration.
Applicants can apply for a non-competitive appointment under this announcement if you meet one of the following criteria and have not already used Peace Corps Eligibility (PCE) to obtain employment with the Peace Corps:
You are within 90 days of completing a qualifying Peace Corps volunteer assignment; OR
You completed a qualifying Peace Corps volunteer assignment within the last three (3) years.
Qualifying Peace Corps Volunteer assignments: Satisfactory completion of a full term of Peace Corps service or satisfactory completion of at least twelve months, including training, when termination is determined to be for reasons beyond the volunteer's control.
Qualifying Returned Peace Corps Response Volunteer assignments: Satisfactory completion of one year (or more) of qualifying Peace Corps Response volunteer experiences (either by one appointment or multiple appointments) over a two-year period.
PCE only applies to positions within Peace Corps. For more information about Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) for positions in the federal government, other than at Peace Corps, please refer to the Non-Competitive Eligibility page on the Peace Corps website - Noncompetitive Eligibility (peacecorps.gov).
Qualifications
In your application, identify all work experience and education (degree(s), GPA, credit hours, honor societies, etc.) to assist in determining minimum qualifications. Supporting documentation must also be provided. You may qualify for some positions based on experience, education, or a combination of the two; others may require additional experience or education (e.g. specific coursework).
Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for disqualification.
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.
A complete application package is required. This includes:
Documentation of Qualifying Volunteer Service: In most cases, this will be your Description of Service (DOS). Please include this under the "Proof of Volunteer with PC, VISTA, ACTION etc." document place holder.
The required certification statement must be included in the final paragraph of the signed DOS, per Peace Corps Manual Section 285 4.3.1.
Peace Corps Response Volunteers should also include their Verification of Service letter, which is important retirement and leave documentation.
References: Contact information for three (3) references from your recent volunteer service is required.
Resume: Include relevant work experience including job title, duties and accomplishments, employer name and address, supervisor name and phone number, start and end dates, hours per week and salary. If you are a current Federal employee or former Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09).
Veterans Documents: You may attach Veterans Documents; including a DD-214 reflecting the type of discharge, the SF-15 and a VA Letter. For more information regarding veterans' preference, please review the OPM Vet Guide.
Federal Employees: If you are a current or former Federal employee, please provide a copy of your appointment and most recent SF-50.
Qualifications Based on Education or a Combination of Education and Experience: If you are seeking to qualify for a position based on education or a combination of education and experience from the FP-9 up to and including the FP-5 level, you must submit a copy of your transcript(s) or an appropriate course listing with a diploma. Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be used towards qualifications. Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by recognized institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website.
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.
Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
Applications are valid for 90 days. To be considered for a position, you must recertify your eligibility by updating your application every 90 days. Failure to do so will remove you from consideration.
Check your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account. Return to your application to update your eligibility by clicking Apply Online in the vacancy announcement and selecting your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account.
Office of Human Resources
1275 First St. NE
Washington, DC 20526
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful.
Please remember that this open continuous announcement requires recertification every 90 days.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and by going to the "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status". For a more detailed update of your application status, you may go to "more information" under the individual vacancy.
USAJOBS has added an alert setting to their system to provide status updates for applicants. You can elect to activate the status updates from your USAJOBS profile at any point during the application process.
Positions may be filled at the Washington D.C. Headquarters location, in a variety of field-based locations throughout the continental United States, or at a remote duty location in the United States. The starting grade, pay and promotion potential will vary by position and location.
When a position is requested to be filled utilizing this RPCV PCE standing register, eligible applicants will be forwarded to management for review and possible selection.
Positions filled through this announcement may be at the FP-7 through FP-5 grade levels (equivalent to GS-7 through GS-9). Your resume and any submitted documents will be retained for 90 days after your first application. You will need to certify your continued interest every 90 days to be considered for future opportunities.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application package is required. This includes:
Documentation of Qualifying Volunteer Service: In most cases, this will be your Description of Service (DOS). Please include this under the "Proof of Volunteer with PC, VISTA, ACTION etc." document place holder.
The required certification statement must be included in the final paragraph of the signed DOS, per Peace Corps Manual Section 285 4.3.1.
Peace Corps Response Volunteers should also include their Verification of Service letter, which is important retirement and leave documentation.
References: Contact information for three (3) references from your recent volunteer service is required.
Resume: Include relevant work experience including job title, duties and accomplishments, employer name and address, supervisor name and phone number, start and end dates, hours per week and salary. If you are a current Federal employee or former Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09).
Veterans Documents: You may attach Veterans Documents; including a DD-214 reflecting the type of discharge, the SF-15 and a VA Letter. For more information regarding veterans' preference, please review the OPM Vet Guide.
Federal Employees: If you are a current or former Federal employee, please provide a copy of your appointment and most recent SF-50.
Qualifications Based on Education or a Combination of Education and Experience: If you are seeking to qualify for a position based on education or a combination of education and experience from the FP-9 up to and including the FP-5 level, you must submit a copy of your transcript(s) or an appropriate course listing with a diploma. Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be used towards qualifications. Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by recognized institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website.
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.
Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
Applications are valid for 90 days. To be considered for a position, you must recertify your eligibility by updating your application every 90 days. Failure to do so will remove you from consideration.
Check your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account. Return to your application to update your eligibility by clicking Apply Online in the vacancy announcement and selecting your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account.
Office of Human Resources
1275 First St. NE
Washington, DC 20526
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful.
Please remember that this open continuous announcement requires recertification every 90 days.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and by going to the "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status". For a more detailed update of your application status, you may go to "more information" under the individual vacancy.
USAJOBS has added an alert setting to their system to provide status updates for applicants. You can elect to activate the status updates from your USAJOBS profile at any point during the application process.
Positions may be filled at the Washington D.C. Headquarters location, in a variety of field-based locations throughout the continental United States, or at a remote duty location in the United States. The starting grade, pay and promotion potential will vary by position and location.
When a position is requested to be filled utilizing this RPCV PCE standing register, eligible applicants will be forwarded to management for review and possible selection.
Positions filled through this announcement may be at the FP-7 through FP-5 grade levels (equivalent to GS-7 through GS-9). Your resume and any submitted documents will be retained for 90 days after your first application. You will need to certify your continued interest every 90 days to be considered for future opportunities.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
