Summary
NIST is seeking highly qualified and motivated Administrative Support Assistants to provide comprehensive administrative support services. This role drives organizational efficiency by coordinating and executing a wide range of administrative tasks, including managing calendars, arranging conference rooms for meetings, preparing timecards, and purchasing supplies and equipment.
This job is open to
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.
Veterans
Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.
Clarification from the agency
Status candidates only
Duties
In this position, you will:
- serve as the principal office contact for phone calls and visitors
- schedule meetings
- process travel authorizations and vouchers
- assist with onboarding and out-processing of staff
- prepare timecards
- manage time and attendance
- serve as a bankcard holder and purchase equipment, supplies, and services
- prepare documents, reports, and correspondence
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- U.S. citizenship
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
- Suitable for Federal employment
- Merit applicants must meet time-in-grade/band requirements, as applicable
- Must be able to type 40 words per minute
- Bargaining Unit Position: No
Qualifications
To qualify for the ZS-III, applicants must meet one of the following:
Possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 (ZS-II at NIST) level. Specialized experience is defined as experience scheduling meetings, answering phones, greeting visitors, and arranging and reserving conference rooms for meetings.
OR
4 years of education above high school
OR
A combination of education and experience
To qualify for the ZS-IV, applicants must possess 1 year ( 52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS- 06 ( ZS- III at NIST) level. Specialized experience is defined as experience preparing travel requests, managing calendars, reviewing and editing written communications, and completing bankcard purchases.
AND
In addition to the requirements above, all applicants must be able to type 40 words per minute.
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.
If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
Education
This position allows applicants to qualify with education. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required before a final offer of employment.
Use of foreign education for qualifications. An accredited organization must evaluate education completed outside of the U.S. to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with course-by-course listing) is required with your application.
Additional information
This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS), a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent Learn more about the APMS here!
- We may share your application package with other selecting officials. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
- Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
- You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY to be considered for this position.
- All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
- A probationary period may be required.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: 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 Overview - Agency Resource Center
NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities. For more information, please visit our Careers
website.
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.
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.
Please prepare a resume that is no longer than two pages; only the first two pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork
To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12929360
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed in this announcement. 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.
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.
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. You will be referred based on your eligibility (e.g., Merit candidate, veterans' preference, etc.). Please review the Evaluation Process on how applicants are reviewed and referred based upon how they wish to be considered for the position.
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. Please prepare a resume no longer than 2 pages; only the first 2 pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We suggest you review the qualification requirements for this position as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports the position qualifications. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
Reinstatement: If you are a former federal employee (separated from Federal service for at least 1 year) and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
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
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 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:
- Click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- 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 at least 3 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: Click on this: USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job 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.
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account. 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: USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job 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.