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Language Specialist

Department of Defense
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Indo-Pacific Directorate

Summary

The mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel from our Nation's past conflicts to their families and our Nation. DPAA personnel research, investigate, recover, and identify remains of DoW personnel unaccounted for from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Iraq conflicts and Persian Gulf War. The DPAA Director, (SES-III) reports to the Under Secretary of War for Policy (USW(P)).

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/26/2026 to 03/03/2026
Salary
$93,445 to - $121,482 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
01 vacancies in the following location:
Hickam AFB, HI
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation incentive may be authorized in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
DE-12885820-26-JGA
Control number
859148500

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all U.S. Citizens

Duties

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Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Provides on-site accurate and complete translation, interpretation linguistic support to the Indo Pacific (IP) Division, AOR Commander, Detachment Commander, and by extension those personnel and organizational entities integral to the pursuit of DPAA's mission.
  • Incumbent may also lead archival research missions in a specific nation and provide liaison with the associated government officials to enhance the POW/MIA accounting mission.
  • Analyzes weather, terrain and routes using web-based tools, maps and firsthand knowledge of nation specific AOR to facilitate case selection, development of operational and logistical plans for JFAs, and site survey tasks to include rotary wing aviation concepts of support, coordination and execution.
  • Arranges and coordinates all aspects of the IP Division, AOR/Detachment's routine visits to the host Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security and the U.S. Embassy/Consulate.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
  • Selections from this notice are subject to provisions of the DOD Priority Placement Program for displaced employees.
  • The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
  • A non-disclosure agreement must be signed.
  • The employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays, and/or overtime.
  • The incumbent must obtain and maintain a U.S. Government passport and be willing to travel internationally.
  • This position may require up to 50% occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
  • The incumbent is required to pass a pre-employment physical examination and a physical examination at least every 4 years for this position.
  • The incumbent must obtain and maintain a valid driver's license to operate passenger type motor vehicles.
  • The incumbent must successfully pass the Foreign Language Proficiency Test.

Qualifications

The Language Specialist occupation has specific requirements which apply to all positions. To qualify, applicants must meet the following Basic Requirement:

A.Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- the appropriate foreign language (Vietnamese) from an English-speaking college or university, English from a college or university in the other country or translating or interpreting where English and the foreign language were prerequisites.

OR

B. Experience: Experience in translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and the other language; or a combination of work (that required English and the other language) and training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute, or comparable training

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement above, you must also meet the specialized experience requirement below:

You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:
1. Translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and Laotian;
2. Logistics, to include personnel and equipment movement by air/ground and base camp establishment in remote environments, field search and recovery mission operational planning, execution, and post-mission reporting;
3. Developing solutions to linguistic problems posed by special situations or subject matter.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures:

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-4) dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-3) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-2) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference.

Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-1) to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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 an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Probationary Periods: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility.

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 an online application, you may request an alternative application. Please send an email to the following address for information on how to obtain an alternative application: whs.job.application.assistance@mail.mil

Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, your eligibility and qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire. If after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the following quality categories: The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

  • Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.
  • Well Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies listed above.
  • Best Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies listed above.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:
  • Interpreting
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Political Savvy
The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

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