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Recent Graduate (Program Specialist)

Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
This job announcement has closed

Summary

NIH Recent Graduates perform duties in one of the Institutes or Centers in the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH Recent Graduates receive on-the-job training for one year and complete at least 40 hours of formal interactive training while in the program. Assignments are aimed at developing the employee's skills and knowledge to progressively perform more difficult duties.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/24/2024 to 06/25/2024
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$55,924 to - $88,926 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Locations
Baltimore, MD
Few vacancies
Frederick, MD
Few vacancies
Montgomery County, MD
Many vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent graduates
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
13 - The promotion potential is the highest level that can be obtained while in the program and is not inclusive for all Recent Graduate positions. Promotion potential is determined based on the position being filled within an Institute/Center.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NIH-RG-24-12423011
Control number
796188700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Recent Graduates must be a U.S. Citizen, National or legal permanent resident.

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Duties

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  • Participate in the development and implementation of comprehensive plans and strategies for projects, actions, and activities.
  • Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of programs or operations to identify issues and make recommendations for improvement.
  • Provide organizational support for planning, analyzing, coordinating, and evaluating the development of priorities, resource allocations, work force management, and/or performance objectives.
  • Provide technical support to program staff during the development of projects or programs.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must have completed within the last 2 years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree, or certificate from a qualifying accredited institution.
  • Must have obtained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen, national, or legal resident.
  • Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen prior to conversion to competitive appointment.
  • One-year probationary period will be required upon selection/placement.
  • The duration of a Pathways appointment under Sch D is a trial period.
  • The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.

Qualifications

To be eligible for appointment, you must be a recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree, or certificate from a qualifying, accredited educational institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. A valid certificate program is post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution that is equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study, as defined by your university. The certificate program must also be a part of an accredited college-level, technical, vocational, trade, or business school curriculum.

AND

In order to qualify for the GS-07, you must meet one of the following qualification requirements:

A.
have completed one full year of graduate level education that is related to the position;

OR

B. meet one of the requirements for superior academic achievement based on a) graduating within the upper third of the graduating class in a college, university, or major subdivision such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; b) having a grade point average of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or c) being elected for membership in a national scholastic honor society;

OR

C. have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: providing support for program planning and analysis activities; using tracking and reporting systems; gathering and compiling data; using a computer to research information and prepare documents; and assisting in reviewing information and analysis of findings;

OR

D.
have a combination of post baccalaureate education that is related to the position and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

In order to qualify for the GS-09, you must meet one of the following qualification requirements:

A. have completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or a LL.B. or J.D.,if related

OR

B. have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: assisting in the development and implementation of program practices and procedures; participating in administrative or management studies, such as analyzing data, developing formats to report the results of studies; and providing support for program planning and analysis activities utilizing integrated reporting systems

OR

C.
a combination of education and specialized experience that meets the qualification requirements for this position.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

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.

Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation may have as much as six years after degree completion to apply. Veterans are granted exclusion for their time served. Therefore, if a Veteran graduates and then serves on active duty for four years, his/her service time is subtracted for the purposes of the two-year calculation.

Recent Graduates and their supervisors must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement which outlines expectations for the internship prior to entrance on duty.

This announcement can be used to fill a variety of administrative positions such as: Auditor, Accountant, Human Resources Specialist, Program Specialist, Administrative Technician, Administrative Officer, Management/Program Analyst, Budget Analyst, Engineer, Architect, Property Management Specialist, Grants Management Specialist, Contract Specialist, Purchasing Agent, Librarian, Technical Information Specialist, Archivist, Health Specialist, Data Scientist, Writer-Editor, IT Specialist, as well as many others. For example, descriptions of major positions filled by this announcement, please click here.

While conversion is not guaranteed, Recent Graduates, with U.S. citizenship, may be converted to a career-conditional appointment (a term position lasting 1-4 years or a permanent position) upon successful completion of all program requirements specified by the Pathways Participant Agreement. Upon conversion positions may have promotion potential up to the GS-13 grade level. Promotion potential is determined based on the position being filled within an Institute/Center.

Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12423011

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package; however, official transcripts will be required prior to receiving an official offer. Please note that unofficial transcripts attached to the application must reflect that the degree or certificate has been awarded or conferred. The date that the degree was awarded or conferred must meet the program criteria at the time of application. Applicants who have completed their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization and must provide a copy of the evaluation at the time of application. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

Applicants must have graduated with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. We do not round the GPA.

All documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement.

You must have received a degree or certificate from an institution that is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. To verify that your degree or certificate is from an accredited institution, please visit here.

Additional information

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the closing date of the announcement or on the day the 150th application is received, whichever comes first, to receive consideration. Early submission of your application is highly encouraged.
  • This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
  • We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s). Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions.
  • The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
  • Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active-duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
  • Visit our Total Compensation page for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement, and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.
  • Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications.

Veterans' Preference does apply. If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, you MUST submit supporting documents with your application package to verify your preference claim and receive preference. These documents may include, but are not limited to: DD-214 member 4 copy (which indicates character of service), SF-15, VA Letter and/or Activation/Deactivation orders. If you are a veteran, click here for additional information and about required documents.

Selections will be made in preference order. All individuals in the highest preference group must be selected before making selections from the next lower preference eligible group. All preference eligible veterans must be selected before making selections from the non-preference eligible group.

The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 85 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

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