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The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The mission of the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) is to save species by using cutting-edge science, sharing knowledge and providing inspirational experiences for our guests.
Learn more about this agency02/09/2024 to 02/12/2024
$28.10 - $32.75 per hour
WG 07
Few vacancies in the following locations:
No
No
Not required
No
Permanent - Federal
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Competitive
09
No
No
24R-CW-310290-DEU-NZP
775798200
This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals. Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #24R-CW-310290-MPA-NZP. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.
The Animal Keeper Helper position is located at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), either at the National Zoological Park (NZP) in Washington, DC or at the Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, VA. This position may rotate between Animal Programs and the Commissary as part of a training program or be reassigned to one of the three animal care departments depending on animal care requirements.
In this position you will:
Conditions of Employment
Physical Requirements:
This position requires the physical ability to perform moderately heavy work including lifting and carrying heavy objects up to 100 lbs.; work outside in all weather conditions with exposure to dirt, dust, pollen and insects; climb ladders and stairs; and stand and walk for extended periods.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.
For information on the Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations, see OPM’s website.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.
For information on the Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations, see OPM’s web site at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/federal-wage-system-qualifications/
In order to be rated qualified, an applicant's overall experience and training must indicate possession of the minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position such as, the skill and ability to carry out routine animal keeper duties; the ability to understand instructions given by higher level animal keeper personnel; the ability to carry out training and developmental assignments; the ability to catch, shift, restrain, and/or trailer animals without injuring the animals or endangering him/herself; familiarity with a range of animal identification methods in order to identify individuals by natural and artificial markings such as color, tags, and brands in group(herd) settings; and the ability to operate motorized vehicles/scooters on NZCBI grounds.
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.
This position does not have a positive education requirement.
This position is included in the bargaining unit.
Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Office of Human Resources. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.
Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.
Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applications will first be evaluated to determine whether the following screen out element is met:
If an applicant meets the screen-out element, the following Job Elements will be evaluated:
Applicants who meet or exceed the screen-out element will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:
Best Category - Meets the screen-out element and excels in most of the job-related elements above.
Better Category - Meets the screen-out element and satisfies most of the job-related elements above.
Good Category - Meets the screen-out element but does not satisfy most of the job-related elements above to a substantive degree.
This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-veterans within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no veteran in that category is passed over to select a non-veteran in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.
Veterans who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher.
Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the announcement questions will not be considered for this position.
Important Note:
Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience.
Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
Your application package should include the following documents:
Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position.
For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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 on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed. Additional Information:
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/775798200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
