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Visitor Assistant

Legislative Branch
Architect of the Capitol
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The USBG is a leading public garden and museum that inspires people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. Comprised of four divisions, the USBG provides educational experiences to 1 million visitors annually, presents horticultural displays and exhibits, strives to break down barriers to inclusion, and advances the exchange of ideas and information through national and global partnerships and initiatives. Learn more: U.S. Botanic Garden.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/18/2024 to 07/11/2024
Salary
$50,326 to - $65,425 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 06
Location
Washington, DC
4 vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - PERMANENT, PART-TIME
Work schedule
Part-time - This is an Excepted Service position and does not require or confer Civil Service Competitive Status
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
06
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
USBG-2024-344
Control number
796264100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all U.S. citizens.

Duties

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The position is in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief of Operations, Executive Director US Botanic Garden, Learning and Engagement Division. The incumbent performs services to assist visitors to orient themselves, find facilities and participate in tours and other public programs for the US Botanic Garden (USBG).

Provides visitor assistance services in support of exhibit and display operations in the Gated Outdoor Garden and Conservatory at the U.S. Botanic Garden.

Greets visitors to explain the display and any safety measures required. Assists and provides order with managing extremely large groups with unfamiliar surroundings where there may be safety concerns.

Collaborates with co-workers on daily and routine tasks and adjusts, as necessary, to ensure visitor flow is maintained and the display operates as scheduled.

Works with visitors in a variety of ways, in support of the Garden (e.g., greeting visitors, providing information on times and content, collecting data, enforcing Garden policies, providing accessibility services).

Takes guidance from the U.S. Capitol Police with safety and security issues such as addressing prohibited items, directing crowds and assisting visitors in the event of an emergency in the Garden and maintaining personal safety. 

Assists visitors with possible special requirements or attention (e.g. Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, international visitors, persons with disabilities, distinguished visitors and photographers).

In support of visitor flow, lifts stanchions, makes announcements and maneuvers unoccupied wheelchairs. Lifts boxes of brochures and restocks brochure racks throughout the Garden.

The incumbent is responsible for utilizing a thorough knowledge of and compliance with applicable AOC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety rules and regulations to ensure that work progresses in a safe manner and to initiate or take corrective action on unsafe conditions in managed areas.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • A citizen of the United States.
  • A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B).
  • A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible.
  • A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or
  • You must be able to pass a drug test and background check.
  • Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
  • You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
 
Candidates for the GS-06 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service.  Specialized experience for this position is defined as having experience:

  • Providing assistance to customers in a hospitality, museum or public garden environment.
  • Answering basic questions that arise from customers' inquiries.
  • Ensuring the safety of customers, when necessary.

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: The experience requirements for the GS-6 level may be met by completion of one (1) year of graduate level education (18 semester/27 quarter hours) in courses such as hospitality, museum studies, education, or natural science.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet the experience requirements.

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/ .

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.
 
The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.
 
The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency 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 agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
 
Moving expenses are not authorized.
 
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
 
Probationary Period A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How you will be evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. 

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

  • Problem Solving
  • Oral Communication
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Customer Service

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions.  Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).


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