The Executive Assistant at the National Science Foundation delivers high-level administrative and organizational support to leadership, managing meetings, travel arrangements, communications, and sensitive projects. This position acts as a confidential liaison and facilitates efficient office operations while managing critical information with discretion.
This announcement will close at 11:59 PM ET on the listed closing date, or once 100 applications have been received, whichever occurs first.
Summary
The Executive Assistant at the National Science Foundation delivers high-level administrative and organizational support to leadership, managing meetings, travel arrangements, communications, and sensitive projects. This position acts as a confidential liaison and facilitates efficient office operations while managing critical information with discretion.
This announcement will close at 11:59 PM ET on the listed closing date, or once 100 applications have been received, whichever occurs first.
Applications will be accepted from All U.S. citizens, including individuals eligible under ICTAP or CTAP, or eligible for a non-competitive appointment under a special appointing authority.
This position is open to status candidates under announcement NSF-26-1111606.
As an Executive Assistant, you will perform the following duties:
Serve as a confidential assistant to an executive handling private and/or sensitive information with discretion.
Collaborate with senior staff to address business needs and enhance effectiveness by evaluating complex management processes and projects using analytical techniques.
Research diverse subjects and analyze data to deliver authoritative information and materials for senior leadership's preparation of reports, policy documents, and speeches.
Schedule internal and external meetings for executives, and prepare and distribute meeting materials, including notices, file briefs, agendas, and supporting documentation.
Plan and coordinate all foreign and domestic travel, accommodations, and transportation for executives and special guests. Review travel requests and vouchers to ensure compliance with Federal Travel Regulations and NSF policies
Work with executives on special assignments and projects of a sensitive and/or high priority nature.
Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
Selectee may be required to serve a 2-year trial/probationary period.
Additional Requirements:
Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade/equivalent.
You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire and any external assessment that is included.
All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
It is NSF policy that personnel employed at, or Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) individuals detailed to, NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General.
NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.
Qualifications
To qualify at the GS-9 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service providing administrative program support for an organizational executive.
OR A master`s or equivalent graduate degree OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR A combination of post high school education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position
Examples of specialized experience for the GS- 9 include:
Serving as a personal assistant in a confidential capacity to a senior official
Performing management planning, meeting planning, and coordinating and organizing policy activities
Performing various administrative duties independently
Completing special assignments of a high priority and sensitive nature.
To qualify at the GS-11 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in Federal service providing substantive administrative and organizational program support for senior executive leaders
OR possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR possess 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR a combination of post high school education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position
Examples of specialized experience for the GS-11 include:
Speaking for a senior official in informal circumstances, communicating their goals and objectives
Independently researching and analyzing various subjects and issues to provide authoritative recommendations to executives
Planning and coordinating travel, accommodations, and transportation arrangements for a senior official
Experience refers to paid/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/experience that translates directly to paid work. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
Education may be substituted for experience as described in "Qualifications." If qualifying based on education, you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
Additional information
Relocation Expenses will not be paid.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)
ICTAP and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "Very Good" on the assessment. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources
Veteran's Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the VA letter or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.
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 the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your responses to the application questionnaire.
To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Attention to Detail
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Decision Making
Reasoning
Final rating will be based on category rating procedures. Based on your responses to the online assessment, you will be assigned a score. Your score will determine in which of three categories you will be placed: Excellent, Very Good, or Good. Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the assessment.
Under this process, veterans will be assigned to the appropriate category (without additional preference points) and then placed at the top of their category.
Veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more will be placed at the top of the highest quality category.
Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or CTAP must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." In NSF categories, this means at least "Very Good" with a score of 85.
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.
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.
Required Documents: All applicants are required to submit a legible resume/CV that is no longer than two pages.The resume must include a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If a military or civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Only the two-page resume, starting at your work experience, will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letters, links to additional information) will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the specialized experience listed in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
Additional Documents, if applicable, may include:
Applicants may submit an optional cover letter.
You must submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you MUST submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met. OR If qualifying based on education, you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
Veteran's Preference Documentation (DD-214, VA Letter, and SF-15): If you are eligible and claiming 5-point veteran's preference, you MUST submit a copy of your "member copy 4 version" DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veteran's preference, you MUST submit a copy of your DD-214, SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" and the VA letter or other documentation required by the SF-15. (Please note: An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing veterans' preference will not be accepted as proof of entitlement.)
CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
Schedule A Certification: Applicants requesting consideration under Schedule A MUST submit a Schedule A Certification.
If you are applying based on eligibility for another special employment program/authority, you MUST submit supporting documentation in order to establish program eligibility.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date. IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH, OR ANY OTHER PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
US National Science Foundation
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website.
Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Required Documents: All applicants are required to submit a legible resume/CV that is no longer than two pages.The resume must include a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If a military or civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Only the two-page resume, starting at your work experience, will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letters, links to additional information) will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the specialized experience listed in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
Additional Documents, if applicable, may include:
Applicants may submit an optional cover letter.
You must submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you MUST submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met. OR If qualifying based on education, you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
Veteran's Preference Documentation (DD-214, VA Letter, and SF-15): If you are eligible and claiming 5-point veteran's preference, you MUST submit a copy of your "member copy 4 version" DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veteran's preference, you MUST submit a copy of your DD-214, SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" and the VA letter or other documentation required by the SF-15. (Please note: An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing veterans' preference will not be accepted as proof of entitlement.)
CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
Schedule A Certification: Applicants requesting consideration under Schedule A MUST submit a Schedule A Certification.
If you are applying based on eligibility for another special employment program/authority, you MUST submit supporting documentation in order to establish program eligibility.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date. IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH, OR ANY OTHER PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
US National Science Foundation
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website.
Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
