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Language Specialist

National Labor Relations Board
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in a National Labor Relations Board field office and is supervised by the Division of Operations-Management in Washington, DC. The Division of Operations-Management is responsible for the management of case processing work in the field offices. The position serves as an interpreter, translator, transcriber for the full range of field office unfair labor practice case handling and elections work performed by the field examiners and field attorneys.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/28/2024 to 07/09/2024
This job will close when we have received 90 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$41,966 to - $66,731 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Downtown
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Chicago, IL
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NL24DE12453680DE
Control number
797756500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens (Including Veterans); All current and former federal employees (status & non-status); and Qualified ICTAP; CTAP; RPL candidates

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Duties

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As a Language Specialist, GS-1040-7/9, your typical work assignments may include:

  • Assisting professional staff as an interpreter during personal interviews and telephone conversations in connection with processing of cases.
  • Drafting and composing documents and correspondence to ensure accuracy and completeness of Spanish/English language.
  • Using effective interpersonal skills to work with office staff at all levels to accomplish the work effectively and efficiently in managing the interpretation and translation.
  • Establishing and maintaining case files that includes uploading and documenting case data in the electronic case management system.
  • Collaborating with office professionals to serve as a language liaison by interpreting the verbal communications during representation hearings, affidavits / depositions, and status hearings.
  • Translating, transcribing and interpreting conversations, audio/video recordings, testimony, instructions at formal hearings, statements in interviews, manuals, correspondence, and other material concerning all case processing.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U. S. Citizenship Required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • This is not a remote appointment.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • May be subject to a background investigation prior to appointment.
  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • Must be bilingual in English and Spanish.
  • This is a positive education position. Transcripts are required to be considered for this position.
  • Transcripts are required if qualifying based on education in lieu of specialized experience.
  • Transcripts are required if qualifying on a combination of experience and education.
  • This position is part of the Bargaining Unit
  • This position is in the Competitive Service.
  • Salary range listed is base. Locality salary to be determined after selection.
  • Submit complete application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

Qualifications

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate for this position has experience interpreting, while typing and translating, information from dictation; experience interpreting in a legal or professional setting; transcribing from recording devices and has the ability to adapt to daily changes in their work procedures depending on the need.

Minimum Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-07 level
Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Language Specialist, at the GS-07 grade level.

Specialized experience includes:

  • Experience in translating, transcribing and interpreting or other work requiring the use of English and Spanish; or a combination of work (that required English and Spanish) and training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute, or comparable training.
The following are examples of work in the required language that may have provided the required abilities: translator; transcriber; interpreter; librarian or information specialist required to make abstracts, screen, index, and scan material; intelligence; writer or editor; international organizational work, such as the Peace Corps, World Bank, United Nations, business, or other organizations; or professor, teacher, or instructor work at the high school or college level that required use of the foreign language.

This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the position description, specialized experience, or assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

OR

Education: Must have completed at least one (1) full academic year of graduate level education (18 credit hours) or meet Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) criteria. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

OR

To qualify at the GS-09 level
Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Language Specialist at the GS-09 grade level.

Specialized experience includes:
  • Experience in translating/interpreting from English and Spanish and vice versa correspondence, reports, briefings, and conversations; and
  • Experience using a wide range of vocabulary in addition to the correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling to produce a more precise translation in English and Spanish and vice versa; and
  • Experience transcribing/translating notes taken at informational meetings and various proceedings as well as from audio files; and
  • Experience utilizing automated systems such as Outlook, Word and PowerPoint, etc. to produce a wide range of documents.
This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the position description, specialized experience, or assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

OR


Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of official transcripts.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100 percent. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of official transcripts.)

For more detailed information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website here.

NOTE: 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.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation here.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.

You mustmeet all qualification requirements. (Required - if applicable) All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, please click here.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For further information regarding Foreign Education, please click here.

Additional information

Supplementary Vacancies
Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation
The National Labor Relations Board is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sex orientation), age, disability, genetic information, political affiliations, or any other non-merit factor.

Applicants with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Agency's Selective Placement Coordinator by email here.

NLRB offers a wide array of reasonable accommodations and programs for individuals with disabilities.

(Note: for additional information for job seekers with disabilities, please click on the following website here.)

Placement Policy
The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, or appointment. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

The National Labor Relations Board offers career opportunities that feature competitive starting salaries and the potential for performance-based increases, flexible hours, and the ability to achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle. You will enjoy a range of comprehensive and competitive employment benefits that include Work/Life Balance Programs (Alternative Work Schedules, Telework, Employee Assistance Program, and the Child Care Subsidy Program), the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, and the Transit Benefit Program.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application package will be compared against your responses to the questionnaire to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Computer Skills
  • Customer Service
  • Foreign Language
  • Interpersonal Skills

The questionnaire includes a cut score based on the minimum level of the required skill set for this position.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you do not meet the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

If you meet or exceed the cut score, your application package will be forwarded to Rating and Ranking Panel Members for further review and assessment.

Your rating from the questionnaire and Rating and Ranking Panel will determine if you meet the quality categories of Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified candidates.

  • Best Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
  • Well Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
  • Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application package may be referred to the selecting official for further review.

You may be asked to participate in a writing and/or interpreting exercise.

To preview the assessment questionnaire, please click here.

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