Summary
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is accepting applications from people who wish to be considered for employment under its Selective Placement Program. SSA seeks to recruit and hire applicants with targeted disabilities by aiding these individuals in obtaining employment consistent with their level of skills and abilities. Such disabilities include severe physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities.
For more about Schedule A and eligibility requirements, please refer to this guide.
Clarification from the agency
Non-competitive employment for individuals with disabilities (Schedule A).
Duties
- Your application will be placed into a pool of individuals with disabilities for evaluation and referral to selecting officials for non-competitive hiring.
- You MAY be contacted by interested selecting officials and asked to interview.
- We will not be able to provide status updates other than the receipt of your application via an acknowledgement email from USAStaffingOffice@opm.gov.
- You may update your application at any time until the closing date.
- This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies at any time without notification, in any series or grade. Typical job opportunities within SSA can include, but are not limited to, the following occupations:
- Acquisitions, Grants, and Contracts: Contract Specialists, Purchasing Agents, Procurement Analysts, Grants Management Specialists
- Administrative Support: Staff and Executive Assistants, Management Analysts
- Facilities and Physical Security: Physical Security Specialists, Safety and Occupational Health Specialists, Architects, Supply Specialists and Inventory Management Specialists, Mechanical, Industrial, and Electrical Engineers
- Finance and Accounting: Financial Management Analysts, Accountants, Budget Analysts, IT Specialists
- Human Resources: Management Analysts, Human Resource Specialists, Employee and Labor Relations Specialists, Equal Opportunity Specialists
- Information Technology
- Law Enforcement: Criminal Investigators, Auditors
- Legal: Legal Support, Legal Assistants, Paralegal Specialist, Paralegal Analysts, Paralegal Specialists (Decision Writers), General Attorneys
- Public Contact: Claims Specialists, Customer Service Representatives, Benefit Authorizers
- Maintenance: Plumbers, Pipefitters, Carpenters, Electricians, Motor Vehicle Operators, Automotive Workers, Utility Systems Repairer-Operators, Materials Handlers, Distribution Facilities Electricians, Maintenance Inspectors
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship required
- Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
- Background and/or security investigation required
- Job offers are contingent on background / security investigation results
- Selectees are required to serve a 2-year trial period
- Relocation expenses will not be paid
- All required documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement
Qualifications
For consideration under the Schedule A non-competitive hiring authority, please submit the following:
- Documentation of your disability. Please see the Required Documents section below for examples of acceptable proof of an intellectual, severe physical, or psychiatric disability. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THIS CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
- Resume
- College transcripts (if applicable)
Applicants wishing to be considered for employment at SSA through the Selective Placement Program may also submit an application using SSA's competitive selection process by responding to a specific job opportunity announcement listed on SSA's job opportunity page at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?a=SZ00&hp=public&p=1
Education
Providing Proof of Education or Substituting Education
Some positions require proof of education or allow you to use your education to meet qualification requirements. For information on providing proof of education or substituting education for experience, visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-Standards
If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.
Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation that 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 a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once we have received your required documentation and questionnaire, we will consider you for job placement under the Selective Placement Program. You will be evaluated based on your submitted documentation, as well as the following:
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Title.
Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.
To view qualification requirements for all series, click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for the Interview: Applicants should state any accommodation needed for the interview process prior to the interview, e.g., when the interview is scheduled.
Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10748971
Your application will be retained in our active files for one (1) year from the date of receipt.
Documentation of your Disability:
You must provide proof of disability; i.e., Schedule A Letter. This letter must be on official stationery/letterhead with an official signature. The letter should clearly state your full name and that you are a person with a disability or targeted disability and are eligible for appointment under Schedule A hiring authority as outlined in 5 CFR Section 213.3102(u). Such documentation must be from one of the below sources:
- A licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional duly certified by a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory, to practice medicine)
- A licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (State or private)
- Any Federal agency, State agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits.
Resume:
You must submit a resume that provides:
- Personal information - your full name, email and mailing addresses, phone number
- Education information - the name of the school and the dates you attended
- Work experience - paid and unpaid work with the following information:
- Job title
- Detailed duties and accomplishments
- Employer's name and address
- Supervisor's name and phone number
- Starting and ending dates (If actual dates are not known, provide your best-estimated timeframes.)
- Hours per week
- Salary, if applicable
- Other qualifications - skills, certifications/licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and job-related training courses
College Transcripts (if applicable):
Please see the Education section of this announcement for detailed information about transcripts.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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 provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Your Resume and Proof of Disability
- The Occupational Questionnaire
- Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section)
The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (EST) on 09/30/2023. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Decisions to grant reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
To complete the Application Package, follow the steps below:
- To begin the process, create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. We recommend you create a resume using USAJOBS' Resume Builder. Please refer to the Required Documents section for instructions on what to include in your resume.
- Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you review the qualification requirements at the OPM link provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section for any occupation for which you feel you may qualify. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your eligibility for that occupation.
- Click on the "APPLY" button near the top of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the agency's website to complete the application process. If this is your first time applying, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to your account for future announcements.
- Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
- USAJOBS offers two options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement. (1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement. (2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
- Click the "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the process. To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account. Select the position, then the Application Information link.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL DOCUMENTS ARE RECEIVED ON TIME AND THAT THE MATERIALS ARE READABLE. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN YOUR APPLICATION BEING EXCLUDED FROM CONSIDERATION FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact HQ Selective Placement at DCHR.OPE.Selective.Placement.HQ@SSA.gov.
Individuals with disabilities may also contact us using the e-mail address above.
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
Next steps
Your application will be placed into a pool of individuals with disabilities for evaluation and referral to selecting officials for non-competitive hiring.
You may be contacted by interested selecting officials and asked to interview.
We will not be able to provide status updates other than the receipt of your application via an acknowledgement email from USAStaffingOffice@opm.gov.
You may update your application at any time until the closing date.
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