ARCHIVES SPECIALIST Job in College Park, MD

Vacancy No. IMP-12950201-26-KB Department National Archives and Records Administration
Salary $70,623.00 to $91,815.00 Grade 9 to 9
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/5/2026 Close Date 5/13/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
College Park, MD


Summary

This position is part of the National Archives and Records Administration, National Declassification Center. Specialists at the center are responsible for the review, referral, and declassification of classified records in excess of 25 years old, as well as reviewing request made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) provisions of Executive Order (EO) 13526, or special requests.

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

All Candidates who are: Current NARA employees who hold or have previously held a permanent appointment in the competitive service; OR Current NARA employees serving on a special appointing authority, such as Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) or a Disability appointment; OR Current NARA CTAP eligibles.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-11. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

As an ARCHIVES SPECIALIST, you will:

  • Frequently address complex access review requests for FOIA, MDR, or prioritized review for automatic declassification.
  • Analyze and evaluate records in order to interpret and apply access; related case law, pertinent regulations, declassification guidelines, and/or other government agency determinations when needed to make final release decisions.
  • Coordinate records for which NARA does not have declassification authority with appropriate Federal agencies.
  • Work with the various functions of the NARA HMS, and ANDC ADRRES, Onestop, Special Media OneStop, and F-Stop data entry systems to enter and update information for the proper tracking, declassification review and handling of requests.
  • Identify issues with assigned task stages, data work sheets, or overall procedures within the ANDC declassification process and advises team leader/supervisor on solutions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.

  • A probationary or trial period may be required. Continued employment is contingent upon supervisory certification that continued employment will benefit the Federal Service; the certification will occur no less than 30 days before the end of the probationary/trial period.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Designated and/or Random Drug Testing may be required.
Key Requirements:
  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  3. Must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals.
  4. This position also requires Q sensitive and Top Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized Experience: To be qualified for this position at the GS-9 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes:

  • Performing record maintenance, processing, or preservation actions in adherence with archival principles, procedures and record keeping practices; AND
  • Using judgment and analysis to determine the proper course of action needed to accomplish an assignment; AND
  • Interpreting and applying federal laws, regulations, legal decisions, policies, procedures, or directives pertaining to the receipt and processing of access demand requests (i.e. Freedom of Information Act, Mandatory Declassification Review, congressional requests, etc.).
OR
  • Education: A Master's or equivalent degree OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree that demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work OR a LL.B or J.D, in a field related to this position;
OR
  • Combination: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education.

NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (i.e., beyond the first year) of graduate education is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.


In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following requirements, if applicable (as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F):
Time-in-Grade: For the GS-09, you must have been at the GS-07level for 52 weeks.

Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Additional information

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • When the National Archives and Records Administration completes their selections, the remaining lists of qualified candidates may be shared with hiring managers and Human Resources specialists at additional offices, bureaus, or agencies who are hiring for similar positions. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared with additional offices or bureaus. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • We offer opportunities for telework, per Agency policy.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules, per Agency policy.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS:
If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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.

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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

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.

Rating: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score of 85 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority

To be found well-qualified at the GS-09 grade level, and in addition to meeting specialized experience, the applicant must have documented the following experience: Having a solid and comprehensive understanding of the position. Can perform the required tasks efficiently and is proficient in applying the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job.

Required Documents

1. All applicants must submit a résumé showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. All applicants are required to submit arésumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, your resume will still be accepted, however only the first 2 pages of the document titled "resume" will be reviewed and considered for qualifications determination. If multiple résumés are submitted, only the résumé with the most recent submission date and time stamp will be reviewed. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.

2. Vacancy Question Responses - All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement.

3. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL/REVIEW/EVALUATION, ETC: All (Federal and Non-Federal) applicants are required to submit their most recently completed annual performance appraisal (dated within 18 months from the closing date of the vacancy announcement), which identifies your official rating of record (must be at least "Fully Successful") AND is signed by the supervisor, OR a statement explaining why the performance appraisal/review/evaluation is unavailable OR incomplete. If you fail to provide a copy of the performance appraisal/review/evaluation, or a statement advising why it is unavailable, you will be removed from further consideration. N/A is not considered an acceptable response.

4. SF-50 for CURRENT EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:

  • Submit a copy of your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) title, series, grade, and competitive service status. (To verify your competitive service status, on the SF50, Box 34 "Position Occupied" should show a "1" and Box 24 "Tenure" should show a "1" or "2".)
  • Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
  • If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) or Schedule A Disability, submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that appointment. (To verify your status, on the SF50, Box 34 "Position Occupied" should show a "2" and Box 24 "Tenure" should show a "1" or" 2".

5. Transcripts - For positions with an education requirement, OR if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional Required Documents if Applying Through the Hiring Authorities Listed Below:

6. If you are currently serving on a special hiring authority (e.g. VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide and that specific hiring authority.

7. CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.

Failure to submit any of the applicable above-mentioned documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

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.

How to Apply

The National Archives and Records Administration has partnered with the Department of Treasury to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Treasury's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

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 all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. 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:

The National Archives and Records Administration provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
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.
  • Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  • 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.
  • Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  • 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.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

To preview the questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12950201

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Phone
304-480-8990
Email
NARAHR@fiscal.treasury.gov
Address
AGENCY SERVICES
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
US

Next steps

After you have completed your initial application, you will 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 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation. A final job offer for this position is typically made within 40 days after the closing date of the announcement.

National Archives and Records Administration

Whether you are new to the Federal Government or an experienced professional seeking a career change, you can make history at the National Archives. Our dedicated staff works across a variety of career fields to safeguard the records of the Federal Government - more than 13 billion of them.

Visit our Employee Gallery at www.archives.gov/careers to see the kinds of dynamic projects our staff are undertaking. If you want a career where you can see the difference your work makes, then join the National Archives!

For more information, visit: www.archives.gov/ .

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Phone
304-480-8990
Email
NARAHR@fiscal.treasury.gov
Address
AGENCY SERVICES
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
US