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Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations)

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Employee Relations, Accountability and Discipline Division (HR/ER/AD) and is the subject matter expert and advisor on conduct, suitability, and discipline issues. Incumbent will be responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of policies and programs that affect employees, insuring consistency in policies, practices and procedures.

Overview

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Open & closing dates
03/17/2026 to 03/23/2026
Salary
$143,913 to - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—With supervisory approval, per Department policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
M/PERT-MPI-2026-0014
Control number
861332200

Duties

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  • Researches, analyzes, and evaluates misconduct cases and issues, including complex and sensitive cases and/or those lacking precedent, to determine the appropriate disciplinary action based on reports of investigations or other referrals.
  • Ensures that disciplinary actions are properly supported so that charges and penalties are defendable before a third party, such as the Foreign Service Grievance Board or Merit Systems Protection Board.
  • Provides authoritative guidance to post and bureau management officials and supervisors on handling the full range of misconduct issues for Civil Service and Foreign Service employees, and on Civil Service performance related matters.
  • Incumbent drafts agency's response to Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Acknowledgment Orders; serves as technical representative on MSPB appeals and Foreign Service Grievance Board (FSGB) grievances.
  • Responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of policies and programs that affect employees in the Civil Service and the Foreign Service, insuring consistency in policies, practices, and procedures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience advising on advising on conduct and disciplinary actions.
  • Experience analyzing employee relations programs and policies and providing recommendations for improvements.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. 

  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. 

  • Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM’s  CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position. 

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.

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume limited to two pages will be conducted and evaluated by an HR specialist to determine if you are qualified for this job. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Ability to apply new concepts to complex discipline cases.
  • Knowledge of theories, principles, practices and techniques and case law governing employee relations.
  • Ability to develop recommendations for program modifications and improvements.
  • Ability to administer programs.
  • Ability to prioritize work.

Agency Career and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job to receive consideration for selection priority. To be considered well-qualified, in addition to meeting minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all of the major aspects of the position.


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