About the Position: The United States Southern Command provides direct support to a four-star unified Combatant Commander, but are compact enough that our staff also works with senior leadership representatives of our inter-service, inter-agency and (public and private) international partner organizations.
This position is being filled under the Direct Hire Authority for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates.
About the Position: The United States Southern Command provides direct support to a four-star unified Combatant Commander, but are compact enough that our staff also works with senior leadership representatives of our inter-service, inter-agency and (public and private) international partner organizations.
This position is being filled under the Direct Hire Authority for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates.
See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.
Who May Apply: To be eligible for consideration you must meet the definition of post-secondary student or recent graduate as defined below:
Post-Secondary Student: a person who, (1) is currently enrolled in, and in good academic standing at, a full-time program at an institution of higher education; and (2) is making satisfactory progress towards receipt of a baccalaureate or graduate degree; and (3) has completed at least one year of the program.
OR
Recent Graduate: a person who was awarded a degree by an institution of higher education not more than two years before the date of the appointment of the applicant. Exception: For a person who has completed a period of obligated service in a uniformed service of more than four years, the degree may be awarded by an institution of higher education not more than four years before the date of the appointment of the applicant.
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant education and experience.
Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
For the GS 07:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1). Performing routine clerical or administrative tasks, such as reviewing standard forms for accuracy, processing organizational documents, or maintaining accurate files and records; 2). Utilizing standard office automation software, spreadsheets, or basic databases to enter, update, and retrieve information or generate simple reports; and 3). Assisting personnel or customers by answering general inquiries, routing questions to the appropriate technical staff, and explaining basic administrative rules or office procedures. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).
OR
Education: Bachelor's or equivalent degree or 4 full years of progressively higher level education leading to such a degree on a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Human Resource Management/Human Resource Development.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.
For the GS 09:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Applying standard human resources regulations, policies, and procedures to process personnel actions, review job descriptions, or assist in administering HR programs; 2) Utilizing automated human resources information systems (e.g., DCPDS, GFEBS, or similar complex databases) to extract personnel or payroll data, resolve standard system discrepancies, and compile analytical data into spreadsheets or reports; and 3) Providing technical assistance and advisory services to managers or employees by researching federal personnel guidelines to answer specific HR questions and recommend solutions to standard HR problems. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).
OR
Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree on a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Human Resource Management/Human Resource Development.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.
For the GS-11:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Managing human resources programs (such as recruitment, position classification, employee relations, or overseas employment programs) and leading complex HR projects or studies to evaluate organizational staffing trends, resource alignment, or program effectiveness; 2) Writing custom data queries and utilizing automated HR and financial information systems (such as DCPDS, GFEBS, or equivalent systems) to analyze personnel demographics, manage system access, and troubleshoot civilian pay or labor interface issues; and 3) Providing authoritative human resources advisory services to senior leaders, interpreting and adapting complex federal personnel policies where clear precedents do not exist, and serving as the primary liaison with external servicing agencies to resolve systemic HR issues. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).
OR
Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Human Resources.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.
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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
Post-secondary students being considered for initial appointments to positions leading to target positions with positive education requirements should be enrolled in directly-related degree programs in order to meet the OPM qualification requirements for the target position upon completion of their academic program.
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.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
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.
Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/09/2026 to receive consideration.
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "incomplete application" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.