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Contract Specialist (Recent Graduate)

Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Office of Acquisition and Logistics Management (OALM)

Summary

This is an excepted service appointment under the NIH Pathways Recent Graduate Program. NIH Recent Graduates receive on-the-job training for one year and complete at least 40 hours of formal interactive training while in the program. Assignments are aimed at developing the employee's skills and knowledge to progressively perform more difficult duties.

Overview

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Accepting applications
This job will close when we have received 200 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$50,460 - $91,815 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential
13 - This position may be filled at the GS-07 or GS-09 level with conversion promotion potential up to the GS-13 without further competition.
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Recent graduates
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
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
NIH-RG-26-13016026
Control number
878767200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration.

Duties

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  • Perform specialized contract award and administration work.
  • Research, interpret, and apply the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures governing NIH acquisitions to plan, manage, and participate in various aspects of contracting.
  • Evaluate bid responsiveness, contractor responsibility and performance.
  • Apply knowledge of contract types, methods, and techniques.
  • Apply knowledge of contract administration and termination techniques sufficient to administer and close out contracts.
  • Coordinate and conduct negotiations on assigned programs.
  • Apply critical thinking and judgment skills to various work assignments to identify and troubleshoot potential problems and to develop remedies and solutions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
  • Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
  • Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
  • The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
  • Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • The duration of a Pathways appointment under Sch D is a trial period.
  • Must have completed within the last 2 years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree, or certificate from a qualifying accredited institution.
  • Must have obtained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Recent Graduates and their supervisors must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement which outlines expectations for the internship prior to entrance on duty.

Qualifications

In order to be eligible for appointment as a Recent Graduate (Contract Specialist) GS-1102-07/09: You must be a recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree, or certificate from a qualifying, accredited educational institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. -OR- A valid certificate program in post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution that is equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study, as defined by your university. The certificate program must also be a part of an accredited college-level, technical, vocational, trade, or business school curriculum. AND

In addition, to be eligible for a Contract Specialist, GS-1102 position at the GS-07/09 leve
l, you must:

A.
Must have completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field OR

B. have at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. OR

C. occupied a GS-1102 position on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. AND

In addition, to be eligible for a Contract Specialist, GS-1102 position at the GS-07 you must:

A
. Have completed one (1) year of graduate-level education that is directly related to the duties of this position. OR

B
. Have met one of the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) based on a) graduating within the upper third of the graduating class in a college, university, or major subdivision such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; b) having a grade point average of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; c) being elected for membership in a national scholastic honor society. Note: SAA must be based on a related curriculum that is qualifying for the position being filled. OR

C.
have one (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: performing administrative duties and assisting program staff to provide acquisition support associated with the procurement of supplies and services, assisting with preparing acquisition documents, analyzing bids/proposals/quotes, and recommend revisions to the statement of work. OR

D.
Have a combination of post-baccalaureate education that is related to this position and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

In addition, to be eligible for a Contract Specialist, GS-1102 position at the GS-09 you must:

A
. Have completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or an LL.B. or J.D. To qualify based on graduate education, graduate education in one or a combination of the following fields is required: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.. OR

B
. Have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: reviewing requisitions for supplies or services to determine that proper specifications or purchase descriptions are included in solicitation documents; evaluating bids or proposals for supplies or services to ensure compliance with specifications or purchase descriptions; and/or evaluating the prior contract performance of potential suppliers to determine their financial responsibility. OR

C.
Have a combination of post-baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

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.

Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation may have as much as six years after degree completion to apply. Veterans are granted exclusion for their time served. Therefore, if a Veteran graduates and then serves on active duty for four years, his/her service time is subtracted for the purposes of the two-year calculation.

While conversion is not guaranteed, Recent Graduates may be converted to a career-conditional appointment (a term position lasting 1-4 years or a permanent position) upon successful completion of all program requirements specified by the Pathways Participant Agreement. To be eligible for conversion to a permanent or term position, Recent Graduates must:

  • Successfully complete at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program.
  • Demonstrate successful job performance.
  • Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate may be converted. To learn more, please visit: http://www.opm.gov/HiringReform/Pathways/program/graduates/.
Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13016026

Education

You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package; however, official transcripts will be required prior to receiving an official offer. Please note that unofficial transcripts attached to the application must reflect that the degree or certificate has been awarded or conferred. The date that the degree was awarded or conferred must meet the program criteria at the time of application. Applicants must have graduated with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. We do not round the GPA.

All documents must be received at the time of application.If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Click here for information on Foreign Education

Additional information

  • Visit our Help Applying page for helpful information on the application process.
  • 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 here: Reasonable Accommodation.
  • We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s).
  • If selected, you may be eligible to receive a salary above the minimum based on superior qualifications and/or a special need of the Government for your services. This applies to employees paid under the General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS) pay systems and is at the discretion of the hiring manager. A salary above the minimum must be approved before the appointment.
  • A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active-duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
  • Position may require either a non-sensitive(NS)/Low Risk or Moderate Risk(MR) position sensitivity. Determination will be made upon selection and grade level of appointment.

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.

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications.

Veteran's Preference does apply. If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, you MUST submit supporting documents with your application package to verify your preference claim and receive preference. These documents may include but are not limited to: DD-214 member 4 copy (which indicates character of service), SF-15, VA Letter and/or Activation/Deactivation orders. If you are a veteran, click here for additional information and about required documents.

Selections will be made in preference order. All individuals in the highest preference group must be selected before making selections from the next lower preference eligible group. All preference eligibles must be selected before making selections from the non-preference eligible group.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

  • Accountability
  • Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

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

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the largest biomedical research funding organization in the world. NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems. NIH employs approximately 18,000 employees in varied occupations, all supporting research efforts that improve health and save lives. For more information on NIH's mission and goals, and its 27 Institutes and Centers, visit the NIH website.

Virtually explore the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Bethesda campus, learn about scientific research, and get to know NIH community members who are working to help people live longer, healthier lives: https://www.nih.gov/virtual-tour/.

Agency contact information

Carolyn Lammering
Email
lammeringcm@mail.nih.gov
Address
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892
US

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