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Staff Support Assistant

Department of the Army
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES

Summary

About the Position: This position is with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Institute for Water Resources (IWR), Alexandria, VA.

This position will be filled on a permanent basis. Position is being filled at the GS-05, GS-07 or target GS-09 grade level.

Duties described reflect the full performance GS-09 level. GS-05 and GS-07 duties will be performed in a developmental capacity under close supervision.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 08/03/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 3, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—situational telework authorized, as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$46,610 - $91,815 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 9
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 10% Business Travel may be expected for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CEDA-26-13014823-MP
Control number
877364800

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Duties

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  • Serves as Staff Support Assistant; performs a wide variety of complex organizational projects and assignments for the Headquarters Staff, comprised of the Executive Office, Resource Management Office and Contracting groups.
  • Serves as the authority for administrative policies, business procedures, and requirements.
  • Maintains spreadsheets or other tools to track requirements, suspense dates and status for multiple actions, coordinating with responsible action officers to monitor completion within established time limits.
  • Uses automated financial management systems to process purchase requests, travel orders, and reconcile government purchase card transactions.
  • Finalizes a variety of technical and non-technical correspondence, such as memorandums, information papers, staff summaries, technical papers, nonmilitary letters, engineering regulations, pamphlets, handouts, reports, charts, and graphs.
  • Serves as the organization’s point of contact interacting with counterparts from other offices and organizations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management.

  • Current Department of Army Civilian Employees
  • Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Executive Order (E.O.) 12721
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
  • Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • People with Disabilities, Schedule A
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Reinstatement
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998
  • Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)


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 experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

This position has positive education requirements. To view the educational requirements, go to the link listed below for the series you are interested in applying for on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website:

Staff Support Assistant (series 0301): https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0300/miscellaneous-administration-and-program-series-0301/

In addition to meeting the education requirements for the above series, you must also meet the following:

Experience required for the GS-05 Grade Level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service which includes: Assisting with routine administrative tasks such as filing documents, preparing basic correspondence, and organizing information for office projects. Following detailed instructions to process requests for supplies, schedule meetings, and support staff with travel arrangements. Gathering data for reports and ensuring documents are accurate and complete. Communicating with staff to clarify or provide information as needed. This definition of general experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04).

Experience required for the GS-07 Grade Level: One year of specialized experience which includes: Assisting with administrative support tasks such as maintaining files, preparing correspondence, and tracking information for office projects. Using established procedures to process requests for supplies, schedule meetings, and support staff with travel arrangements. Gathering data for reports and ensuring documents are accurate and complete. Communicating with staff and other offices to clarify or provide information as needed. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

Experience required for the GS-09 Grade Level: One year of specialized experience which includes: Providing administrative support to multiple offices which may include tracking contract actions and maintaining spreadsheets for contract status. Coordinating administrative support operations, reviewing correspondence for compliance, and managing file systems. Using automated financial management systems to process purchase requests, travel orders, and reconcile government purchase card transactions. Managing records, scheduling meetings and travel, and supporting staff with information gathering and reporting requirements. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Time in Grade Requirement for GS-05: 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 or equivalent (GS-04).
Time in Grade Requirement for GS-07: 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 or equivalent (GS-05).
Time in Grade Requirement for GS-09: 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 or equivalent (GS-07).

Education

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/.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a General Administration and Support Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
  • Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management.

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 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.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), we do not just construct infrastructure; we engineer the future of our Nation. From securing vital water resource infrastructure and restoring fragile ecosystems to designing world-class facilities for our armed forces and responding to natural disasters, our work touches lives every day.

By joining USACE, you will have the opportunity to contribute to high-impact, meaningful projects, collaborate with a diverse network of dedicated professionals, and advance your career. Here, your skills do not just build structures; they build national resilience, protect local communities, and support a safer, stronger tomorrow.

Build Strong With Us - explore our opportunities and engineer your legacy today.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
RA-W4EFAA USACE INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES
DO NOT MAIL
Alexandria, VA 22315
US

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Learn more about what it's like to work at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.usace.army.mil/Careers/

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