Summary
NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Administrative Office Assistant (OA) to join our team!
This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens
Duties
The Fire Fighting Technology Group (FFTG) enables advances in fire fighter safety, fire ground operations, and effectiveness of the fire service; develops and applies technology, measurements and standards, and improves the understanding of the behavior, prevention and control of fires to enhance fire fighting operations and equipment, fire suppression, fire investigations, and disaster response.
If selected at the ZS-III level, you will provide clerical and administrative support to the Fire Fighting Technology Group. The position involves processing domestic and international travel authorizations and vouchers; preparing documentation for associate appointments and renewals; assisting with the in-processing of new employees and associates, including arranging office space, phones, and computer accounts before their arrival; preparing and executing out-processing actions for departing employees and associates; managing time and attendance; purchasing equipment, supplies, and services; serving as a bank card holder; preparing training requests and documenting completed training in the Commerce Learning Center database; scheduling meetings; registering visitors; managing files, including archiving records according to published records schedules; and serving as the principal office contact for phone calls and visitors.
You will prepare documents, reports, and correspondence, requiring typing at 40 WPM and proficiency with a variety of office automation software, such as spreadsheet and word processing applications. You will collaborate with all levels of employees, supervisors, and administrative staff to obtain necessary information, resolve recurring problems, provide instructions, ensure documentation is in order, and secure cooperation as needed.
If selected at the ZS-IV level, you will provide clerical and administrative support within the Fire Fighting Technology Group. Your responsibilities will include processing domestic and international travel authorizations and vouchers, preparing documentation for associate appointments and renewals, and assisting with the in-processing of new employees and associates. This involves arranging office space, phones, and computer accounts before their arrival. You will also be responsible for preparing and executing out-processing actions for departing employees and associates, managing time and attendance, purchasing equipment, supplies, and services, and serving as a bank card holder. Additionally, you will prepare training requests and document completed training in the Commerce Learning Center database, schedule meetings, register visitors, manage files, and archive records according to published records schedules. As the principal office contact, you will handle phone calls and visitors.
In this role, you will prepare documents, reports, and correspondence, requiring typing at 40 WPM and proficiency with various office automation software, such as spreadsheet and word processing applications. You will also train administrative staff on various subjects, work independently and collaboratively to develop and implement improvements in workflow and services, and support current policies and processes while drafting new administrative policies and processes to meet unit needs. Collaboration with all levels of employees, supervisors, and administrative staff will be essential to obtain necessary information, resolve recurring problems, provide instructions, ensure documentation is in order, and secure cooperation as needed.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. citizenship
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
- Suitable for Federal employment
- Bargaining Unit Position: No
- Must be able to type 40 WPM
Qualifications
At the ZS-III level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 (ZS-II for NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience utilizing administrative/clerical skill and automated systems to process time and attendance; make travel and conference arrangements, manage multiple calendars, review correspondence for procedural and grammatical accuracy, respond to non-technical correspondence, maintain an office filing system, compile and enter information into, and retrieve information from various automated programs.
At the ZS-IV level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 (ZS-III for NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience performing a broad range of clerical assignments including preparing and managing travel request, timecards, bankcards reconciliations according to deadlines using automated systems and coordinating work with all offices within an organization.
In addition to the above requirements, ALL applicants must be able to type 40 WPM.
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.
The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.
Applicant Reconsideration
Education
Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position.
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
How you will be evaluated: We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documents to assess your qualifications for this position. Please be sure that your resume and supporting documents include detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient and/or legible evidence in your resume or supporting documents may result in a "not qualified" determination. You MUST select at least ONE eligibility (i.e., how you wish to be considered) to receive consideration for this position.
Referral: All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are not rated and ranked, and veteran preference does not apply.
CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility
Required Documents
The documents required vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
A complete application includes: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Resume: All applicants must submit a resume by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
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
Click 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a four-step process to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the closing date of the announcement.
Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The Human Resources Office will evaluate your application to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Need help applying?
- If you are experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button), please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between regular business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If you receive any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or, at a minimum, the error message text and number. We will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance if necessary.
- If you are having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder), please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
- If you are experiencing a significant hardship that hinders your ability to apply online, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during regular business hours to discuss your situation.
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
- A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
- Applications are referred to the selecting official.
- A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after announcement's closing date. Also, note that if you provide an inaccurate email address or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication, which could affect your consideration for this position.
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