Join our team and help shape the policies and programs that support NIH's world-class scientific and administrative workforce. We are seeking HR professionals with expertise in recruitment, compensation, classification, and policy under Title 5 and Title 42 authorities. Our work ensures fair, consistent, compliant, and innovative human capital practices that enable NIH to recruit, retain, and support exceptional talent.
Join our team and help shape the policies and programs that support NIH's world-class scientific and administrative workforce. We are seeking HR professionals with expertise in recruitment, compensation, classification, and policy under Title 5 and Title 42 authorities. Our work ensures fair, consistent, compliant, and innovative human capital practices that enable NIH to recruit, retain, and support exceptional talent.
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. This job is also open to USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers and Call-To-Active Duty (CAD) Candidates.
This announcement will be used to fill several Human Resources vacancies within the following offices: Client Services Division (CSD), Compensation and Policy Division (CPD) and other divisions within OHR.
The Client Services Division (CSD) serves as the primary provider of human resources operational services for the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs). As a HR Specialist in CSD, you will work in a collaborative and fast-paced environment providing expert consultation, technical guidance, and comprehensive HR services across the employee lifecycle. This includes strategic recruitment, staffing, delegated examining, position classification, and Commissioned Corps human resources. HR Specialists partner with NIH managers, supervisors, employees, and colleagues across the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to deliver responsive, customer-focused human capital solutions that support NIH's mission.
The Compensation and Policy Division (CPD) serves as NIH's center of expertise for compensation, position management, and human resources policy. As an HR Specialist in CPD, you will provide expert consultation and authoritative guidance on complex position management, compensation, and policy issues affecting a diverse scientific and administrative workforce. Working collaboratively with NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), you will interpret Federal HR laws and regulations, develop innovative solutions to challenging workforce issues, and help shape policies that ensure equitable, compliant, and mission-focused human capital practices across the NIH.
You qualify at the GS-11 level, if you meet one of the following qualification requirements:
You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks:
providing advice and guidance to managers and employees on recruitment and placement processes; utilizing automated human resources staffing systems to perform recruitment functions, including reviewing, rating, and ranking applications; preparing job opportunity announcements and qualification determinations; applying Federal staffing laws, regulations, and policies to recruitment actions; classifying positions into occupations based on their duties and responsibilities; and assisting managers with filling vacant positions and resolving routine
staffing and classification issues.;
OR
B. Completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, if related;
OR
A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience that meets the qualification requirements for this position.
You qualify at the GS-12 level, if you meet the following qualification requirement:
You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: serving as a human resources consultant and advisor to management officials on recruitment, staffing, classification, and compensation matters; advising on and applying pay-setting authorities, compensation flexibilities, and monetary and non-monetary incentives; conducting position classification and position management reviews to determine appropriate occupational series, title, and grade levels; developing job analyses, assessment strategies, and specialized experience statements; evaluating recruitment metrics and workforce data to identify trends and recommend process improvements; and interpreting and applying Federal human resources laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to resolve complex staffing and classification issues.
You qualify at the GS-13 level, if you meet the following qualification requirement:
You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: Independently determining applicant eligibility and qualifications for Federal positions by applying OPM qualification standards, selective placement factors, and Federal staffing regulations, and serving as the final authority on qualification determinations. Making final veterans' preference determinations and adjudicating eligibility for appointment, referral, and selection actions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and OPM guidance. Reviewing, certifying, and issuing certificates of eligibles and referral lists, ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and regulatory compliance of recruitment actions prior to release to selecting officials. Reviewing and approving personnel actions and supporting documentation for accuracy, legal sufficiency, and compliance with Federal human resources laws, regulations, policies, and procedures prior to processing.
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.
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. · Qualified · Well Qualified · Best Qualified
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 07/23/2026 through 07/27/2026; unless the applicant cut-off (500 applications) is reached. This announcement will close at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 07/27/2026, or on the day the 500th application is received, whichever comes first. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the closing day of the announcement to receive consideration. Early submission of your application is highly encouraged.
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/13005693
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.