The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the Office of the Director of Conservation and Science at the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI)'s campus in Front Royal, VA.
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Overview
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
Opening and closing dates 06/11/2024 to 07/25/2024
Salary
$82,764 - $128,956 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Front Royal, VA FEW vacancies
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Front Royal, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - This position may require occasional travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness
Announcement number
24R-LT-310839-DEU-NZP
Control number
795141700
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This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals. Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #24R-LT-310839-MPA-NZP More than one selection may be made from this announcement.
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Duties
The Special Assistant is responsible for providing administrative, program support, personal and confidential assistant for the Director and Deputy Director.
In This Position, You Will:
Serve as a personal and confidential assistant to the Director of Conservation and Science as well as a liaison with other NZCBI and Smithsonian units.
Establish computerized suspense system to develop and implement a program to log and track all correspondence.
Arrange, schedule, process request, authorizations, and vouchers for all the senior staff.
Assist with developing project work plans including, but not limited to budgets, spending plans, and schedules.
Review all outgoing correspondence for procedural and grammatical accuracy.
Report on statistical data from brief notes or verbal instructions.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
May need to complete a Probationary Period
Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
Conditions of Employment
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.
Qualifications
Experience: GS-11: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as identifying and analyzing key issues in proposed regulations, standards, or guidelines; conducting presentations using oral communication techniques to explain, justify, or discuss a variety of agency issues requiring logical presentation, preparing written communication to organize ideas and present findings in a logical manner; utilizing knowledge of program management principles and techniques to effectively plan and monitor project progress, schedules, and funding.
Or Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related
Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Experience: GS-12: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as identifying and analyzing key issues in proposed regulations, standards, or guidelines; conducting presentations using oral communication techniques to explain, justify, or discuss a variety of agency issues requiring logical presentation, preparing written communication to organize ideas and present findings in a logical manner; utilizing knowledge of program management principles and techniques to effectively plan and monitor project progress, schedules, and funding, skill in identifying, analyzing and developing courses of action and recommendations for resolving problems requiring the attention of the Director and/or Deputy Director.
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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
This position is not included in the bargaining unit.
Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Office of Human Resources. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
Position title;
Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
Agency; and,
Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.
Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.
Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.
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The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.
Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description.
Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp
Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
Long Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.com
Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants For This Position May Be Evaluated In Multiple Stages. The First Stage Is An Evaluation Of Your Responses To The Online Multiple-choice Questions That Assess Your Experience, Education, And/or Training For The Job Related Competencies Below:
Skill in handling sensitive and confidential data objectively and to act with a high degree of discretion and independence.
Ability to use interpersonal communication skills and the ability to deal with a variety of people in structured and unstructured situations.
Knowledge of conservation organization and its mission, programs, issues, organization nomenclature, and staff officials to coordinate, schedule, and integrate actions and information.
Skill in developing tours and engagements that inform, inspire, and educate with a goal of generating support for NZCBI goals.
Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:
Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above.
Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above.
Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree.
This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.
Important Note:
Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
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The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.
Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description.
Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp
Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
Long Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.com
Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Your Application Package Should Include The Following Documents:
Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.
Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran. Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter.
Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you).
You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process.
The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.
Agency contact information
Fallon Lawson Fallon Lawson
Phone 202-746-9581 Email LawsonF@si.edu
Address SMITHSONIAN
Office of Human Resources
POB 37012, 600 Maryland Avenue, MRC 517
Suite 5060
Washington, District of Columbia 20013-7012
United States
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Next steps
At The End Of The Application Process You Will Be Able To Create And Save a PDF File That Contains Your Responses To The Assessment Questions. You May Save This File As Initial Receipt Of Your Application. After The Job Announcement Closes, You Will Receive An Email From The Smithsonian With Confirmation Of Receipt. The Smithsonian Receives Many Applications For Each Job. Each Application Is Reviewed Carefully Which May Take a Few Weeks. We Will Send You An E-mail To Update You As We Go Through Phases Of The Application Review Process. You May Also Check Your Application Status By Logging Into Www.usajobs.gov And Selecting The Tab "My USAJOBS;" E-mailing Vacancy.info@si.edu; Or By Contacting The Office Of Human Resources Representative Listed. Additional Information:
Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at https://www.si.edu/OHR/howtoapply.
The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but recruitment incentives may be authorized.
The Smithsonian embraces diversity and equal employment opportunity (www.si.edu/oeema).
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probationary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service
Signature and false statements
Social security number request
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Required Documents
Your Application Package Should Include The Following Documents:
Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.
Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran. Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter.
Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.
Help Help
How to Apply
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you).
You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process.
The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.
Agency contact information
Fallon Lawson Fallon Lawson
Phone 202-746-9581 Email LawsonF@si.edu
Address SMITHSONIAN
Office of Human Resources
POB 37012, 600 Maryland Avenue, MRC 517
Suite 5060
Washington, District of Columbia 20013-7012
United States
Learn more about this agency
Next steps
At The End Of The Application Process You Will Be Able To Create And Save a PDF File That Contains Your Responses To The Assessment Questions. You May Save This File As Initial Receipt Of Your Application. After The Job Announcement Closes, You Will Receive An Email From The Smithsonian With Confirmation Of Receipt. The Smithsonian Receives Many Applications For Each Job. Each Application Is Reviewed Carefully Which May Take a Few Weeks. We Will Send You An E-mail To Update You As We Go Through Phases Of The Application Review Process. You May Also Check Your Application Status By Logging Into Www.usajobs.gov And Selecting The Tab "My USAJOBS;" E-mailing Vacancy.info@si.edu; Or By Contacting The Office Of Human Resources Representative Listed. Additional Information:
Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at https://www.si.edu/OHR/howtoapply.
The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but recruitment incentives may be authorized.
The Smithsonian embraces diversity and equal employment opportunity (www.si.edu/oeema).
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probationary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service
Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Seniority level
Entry level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Other
Industries
Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
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