The U. S. Sentencing Commission is seeking an Education and Sentencing Practice Helpline Specialist. The incumbent is responsible for providing guideline application assistance to federal probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and federal judges through the Commission's online and telephone "Helpline."
Summary
The U. S. Sentencing Commission is seeking an Education and Sentencing Practice Helpline Specialist. The incumbent is responsible for providing guideline application assistance to federal probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and federal judges through the Commission's online and telephone "Helpline."
Provide guideline application assistance to federal probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and federal judges through the Commission's telephone "Helpline."
Coordinate and maintain the Helpline database to ensure consistency in answering questions and to help identify areas for Commission staff to emphasize in training programs.
Work collaboratively to produce effective training programs for Commission staff, including drawing on relevant sentencing data and current Commission publications, as appropriate.
Completing other duties as assigned by the Director of ESP.
MANDATORY QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university or college in criminal justice or a related field. Applicants must have at least one year of specialized work experience equivalent to the previous level in the federal service. For example, one year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level is required to qualify for appointment at the JS-12 level. Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible work experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities that will enable the individual to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position.
Applicants must have demonstrated work experience related to the mandatory requirements listed below and must address the qualification requirements in an attached cover letter.
Knowledge of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 and the functions of the United States Sentencing Commission.
Expertise in applying the federal sentencing guidelines.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to work well as a member of a team and independently.
Ability to answer questions effectively and anticipate issues from users of the helpline
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Preference will be given to applicants with one or more of the following areas of experience:
Experience as a probation officer, federal prosecutor, or federal defense attorney.
BENEFITS
The Commission participates in the following federal benefits:
Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program
Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program
Federal Retirement
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
Federal Leave Program
In addition, the Commission participates in the Judiciary's Flexible Spending Program for dependent care, health care, and commuter reimbursement, and the government-wide Long Term Care Insurance Program, unemployment, and workers' compensation benefits.
The Commission offers a monthly transit subsidy to employees who use mass transit to commute to and from work, subject to the availability of funds. The Commission offers alternative work schedules (AWS), which are fixed work schedules that enable full-time employees to complete the basic 80-hour biweekly work requirement in less than 10 workdays.
The Commission is conveniently located next to Union Station on Capitol Hill, and is easily accessible by public transportation, including the Metro, and the MARC and VRE commuter trains. In addition to the federal benefits package, the Commission's location in the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building offers various amenities such as a health unit, credit union, day care center, cafeteria, and free on-site fitness center.
The Commission offers regular telework (not full-time) to employees in positions deemed eligible by the staff director and who meet the requirements of an approved telework arrangement in which an employee performs official duties at home or at an approved telework site.
The Commission also offers training opportunities to employees through LinkedIn Learning, and the Judiciary's Online University, which offers academic credit and professional credit programs through web-based learning. These training tools assist Commission employees with taking online courses in a flexible way, by offering training courses in the areas of: staff training and development; credit toward undergraduate degree programs; continuing education and non-credit certificate programs; executive education; contract training; credit credentials courses for continuing professional education and credit for individuals who hold credentials and achieve certifications associated with several globally-recognized sponsored organizations.
Education
Applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university or college in criminal justice or a related field.
Additional information
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of positions in the competitive Civil Service.
All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship or, for noncitizens, proof of authorization to work in the United States and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Employment_of_Non-citizens. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf.
The Commission participates in E-Verify and will confirm your authorization to work in the United States.
A background security investigation is required for all selectees. Appointment will be subject to a selectee's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. A background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time.
All new Commission employees must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment, mandated by the Federal Compensation Act.
All new Commission employees, those converted from a temporary appointment to a permanent appointment, and all rehired former Commission employees are required to serve a one-year probationary period. The probationary period begins on the effective date of the employee's appointment, conversion, or rehire.
The selected applicant must relocate to the Washington DC Metropolitan area.
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.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED
The Commission evaluates applicants through a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary virtual interview. Applicants who do not address the qualification requirements (mandatory and preferred) in his or her application materials as stated in the vacancy announcement are automatically disqualified from consideration and must re-apply before the closing date to be considered for employment.
The Office of Human Resources:
Reviews the applicant's application to ensure the proper materials are submitted.
Ensures that the application addresses all of the qualification requirements (mandatory and preferred) as stated in the vacancy announcement.
Determines whether the applicant meets the qualification requirements for the particular position and notifies the applicant about the status of his or her application.
Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be considered and their application materials will be forwarded to the screening panel for review. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the position are automatically disqualified from consideration. In addition, applicants who reach the final stages of the selection process may be tested using simulation helpline calls to assess the applicant's experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified 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.
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.
In order to be considered, all applicants must submit an electronic resume and cover letter that address all of the qualification requirements listed in this announcement, and if available, provide a recent job performance evaluation and college transcripts. Applicants will also need to complete the online occupational questionnaire. All applications must be submitted at www.usajobs.gov.
United States Sentencing Commission
One Columbus Circle NE Suite 2-500
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be considered and their application materials will be forwarded to the screening panel for review. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the position are automatically disqualified from consideration. In addition, some applicants may be tested using various assessment tools not listed on the vacancy announcement to verify an applicant's experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for consideration and selection.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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.
In order to be considered, all applicants must submit an electronic resume and cover letter that address all of the qualification requirements listed in this announcement, and if available, provide a recent job performance evaluation and college transcripts. Applicants will also need to complete the online occupational questionnaire. All applications must be submitted at www.usajobs.gov.
United States Sentencing Commission
One Columbus Circle NE Suite 2-500
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be considered and their application materials will be forwarded to the screening panel for review. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the position are automatically disqualified from consideration. In addition, some applicants may be tested using various assessment tools not listed on the vacancy announcement to verify an applicant's experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for consideration and selection.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
