Extramural Support Assistants (OA) (ESAs) perform administrative and technical duties supporting program, review, and grants functions. ESAs help coordinate the reviews of NIH grant applications making sure applications are fairly, expertly and efficiently reviewed.
If you're organized, detail-oriented, and enjoy supporting a busy team, consider applying and making an impact in a fast-paced environment!
Extramural Support Assistants (OA) (ESAs) perform administrative and technical duties supporting program, review, and grants functions. ESAs help coordinate the reviews of NIH grant applications making sure applications are fairly, expertly and efficiently reviewed.
If you're organized, detail-oriented, and enjoy supporting a busy team, consider applying and making an impact in a fast-paced environment!
You must be a current or former federal employee eligible to apply under merit promotion procedures or otherwise be eligible as a status applicant (e.g., Veterans Employment Opportunity Act) OR be an individual who is eligible through an OPM interchange agreement or for a non-competitive appointment.
GS-05 Grade Level:
In order to qualify for an Extramural Support Assistant (OA), GS-0303 position at the GS-05 level, you must have:
A. completed 4 years of education above high school; OR
B. 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: (1) performing clerical tasks (e.g., processing paperwork, tracking applications); (2) providing administrative support by receiving and screening telephone calls, sorting mail, and filing documents; (3) logging transactional and administrative data using spreadsheets or database software; AND (4) providing logistics services for office staff (e.g., delivering mail, scanning documents, obtaining equipment, shipping files); OR
C. a combination of post high school education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
In order to qualify for an Extramural Support Assistant (OA), GS-0303 position at the GS-06 level, you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: (1) reviewing documents against the established standard to ensure accuracy/completeness; (2) answering questions from customers and directing inquires to appropriate parties; (3) managing office supplies and equipment and preparing requests for purchases/repairs; (4) maintaining administrative related information using spreadsheets or database software; AND (5) coordinating meeting and travel logistics (e.g., creating itineraries, finding airfare and hotels, identifying meeting locations).
In order to qualify for an Extramural Support Assistant (OA), GS-0303 position at the GS-07 level, you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: (1) reviewing grant applications or contracting paperwork to ensure accuracy/completeness; (2) retrieving reports for management from various databases/systems on administrative matters; (3) managing office supplies and equipment and preparing requests for purchases/repairs; (4) using Microsoft Office products (or similar products) to produce correspondence, narrative reports, spreadsheets, and presentations; AND (5) coordinating meeting and travel logistics (e.g., creating itineraries, finding airfare and hotels, identifying meeting locations).
In addition, at all grade levels, you must be able to type at least 40 or more words per minute with 3 or fewer errors in a 5 minute sample.
You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.
Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer.
Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12962243
If you qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application packages. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.
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.
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), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies:
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by the agency's Reemployment Priority List (RPL). RPL candidates will be rated, placed into one of the quality categories below, and referred to the hiring office, once veterans' preference is applied.
Required for All Applicants
RESUME:
Your resume must clearly demonstrate, in two pages or less, how your skills and experiences align with the "Qualifications" section and support your questionnaire responses. While cover letters provided with your application will be shared with hiring officials, they will not be used for initial qualification determinations. We cannot assume required experience based on your work or academic history. If your resume exceeds two pages, only the first two will be reviewed. Use a legible font such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, or Arial, with 0.5-inch margins. Suggested formatting: 14-point for titles and 10-point for body text. You may use the USAJOBS Resume Builder or upload your own resume. If uploading, ensure it includes all required information and is organized so we can match the following to each position:
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.
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.
This announcement accepts applications during the open period of Monday, June 1, 2026 to Friday, June 5, 2026; unless the applicant cut-off (100 applications) is reached. This announcement will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time (ET) on Friday, June 5, 2026, or on the day the 100th application is received, whichever comes first.
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 and submit all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents sections. 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:
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
Complete the application questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12962243
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.
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.
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.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
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.
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgment email with the status of your application. To track or update your application or supporting documentation, during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. The Additional Application Information page provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment.
At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
