The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is urgently hiring temporary Public Affairs Specialists to support disaster recovery for the 2025 hurricane season. You will help survivors and businesses to understand SBA's disaster loan programs by sharing information through press releases, interviews, social media, and outreach; responding to inquiries; and partnering with community leaders, officials, and media to ensure SBA delivers timely, accurate information that helps communities recover.
Summary
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is urgently hiring temporary Public Affairs Specialists to support disaster recovery for the 2025 hurricane season. You will help survivors and businesses to understand SBA's disaster loan programs by sharing information through press releases, interviews, social media, and outreach; responding to inquiries; and partnering with community leaders, officials, and media to ensure SBA delivers timely, accurate information that helps communities recover.
As a Public Affairs Specialist at the GS-1035-9, some of your typical work assignments may include:
Assists with planning, organizing, and preparing press releases, photos, flyers, presentations, etc. directed to specific targeted audiences within the public, the media or government.
Participates in the development and coordination of social media campaigns.
Assists lead and senior Public Affairs Specialists in communicating with program managers in ODR&R to determine media, governmental and public information needs of the disaster program.
Assist senior Public Affairs Specialist in preparing for the media coverage of local events such as press conferences, town hall meetings, and openings of disaster assistance centers.
Assists senior Public Affairs Specialist or supervisor with their duties as a representative for ODR&R and supports them and the Center Director by preparing presentations and talking points as necessary.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Resumes will be reviewed for qualifications and qualified eligible applicants will be referred to hiring officials on a weekly or earlier basis as needed in response to disaster activity.
This is a temporary appointment in the Excepted service with an intermittent (on call) work schedule. This means that employees are in a pay and duty status only when activated to respond to workload needs, especially in response to heightened disaster activity. When no longer needed, employees return to a non-pay status until the next event necessitates additional staff.
However, depending on the workload and/or level of disaster activity, your work schedule may be changed to full-time. Subsequently, if the workload decreases, your work schedule may be changed back to intermittent.
If required to travel to a disaster site, you may encounter hazardous working and/or living conditions, for example, no water or electricity and/or minimal lodging facilities.
Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 180 days from the closing date.
You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government travel credit card.
Mandatory Overtime: In order to respond quickly and efficiently to disaster survivors, substantial compensated overtime hours may be required while on assignment (up to seven days a week and ten to fourteen hours a day).
This position is not included in a bargaining unit.
U.S. citizenship is required.
Favorable background investigation is required.
Qualifications
Generally, time in non-pay status is not creditable towards the specialized experience requirement listed below. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
You may qualify based on experience, education or a combination of both.
Experience: To receive credit, you must indicate the month and year as well as the average hours worked per week for each employer or that experience will not be credited for meeting the specialized experience requirement.
GS-09: To qualify you must have at least 1 full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-07 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. This experience may have been gained in a Non-Federal service position. In addition, this Specialized Experience must demonstrate the following:
Using social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, X formerly known as Twitter) to share pre-approved announcements or updates on behalf of an organization, business, school, nonprofit, or community group; AND
Assisting in the preparation or delivering of briefings, announcements, or community updates to customers, community groups, or local audiences; AND
Establishing and maintaining relationships with community groups, local officials, or media representatives.
OR
Education
If qualifying based on education, you must submit transcripts by the closing date of this announcement, or you will not be found eligible.
*** If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. *** For further information, click on: Foreign Education.
GS-09: Must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field (e.g., Public Relations, Communications or Journalism) or 2 full years of related progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D degree, if related. Education must be in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
OR
A combination of experience and education as indicated above.
Additional information
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. For additional information visit www.sss.gov.
This not a Remote position, however, situational telework may be available. For information on Telework please visit: http://www.telework.gov/
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications website: Public Affairs Series 1035
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
If you work or are expected to work at least 90 consecutive days and 130 hours per month, you will become eligible for health insurance benefits only.
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.
Your application and resume will be compared to the answer you give to the minimum qualification question (s) on the assessment questionnaire.
Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet all the Specialized Experience required at each grade level. If you do not, you will be rated "Ineligible". If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your score can and may be adjusted downward to reflect the submitted application material.
Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.
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.
If you work or are expected to work at least 90 consecutive days and 130 hours per month, you will become eligible for health insurance benefits only.
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.
College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
Unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application process; however, official transcripts will be required if selected.
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 or other DD-214 copy showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME OR ANY APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE AGENCY CONTACT.
Your latest resume submitted for this position will be used for qualification determinations and supersedes previous submissions.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/12/2025 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Field Operations Center West - FOCW
6501 Sylvan Road
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
US
Next steps
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email.
SBA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
Unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application process; however, official transcripts will be required if selected.
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 or other DD-214 copy showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME OR ANY APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE AGENCY CONTACT.
Your latest resume submitted for this position will be used for qualification determinations and supersedes previous submissions.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/12/2025 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Field Operations Center West - FOCW
6501 Sylvan Road
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
US
Next steps
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email.
SBA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
