Summary

This position is located at Bureau of Engraving and Printing, within the Product Design Division. As a Banknote Designer (Apprentice), you will be responsible for learning how to develop banknote designs and other security documents/products. The apprenticeship is of seven years duration and consists of supervised training in the various craft skills. The successful completion of the apprenticeship training will validate the apprentice as a Journeyman Banknote Designer.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

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

U.S. citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

Duties

The apprenticeship is of seven years duration and consists of supervised training in the various craft skills. The successful completion of the apprenticeship training will validate the apprentice as a Journeyman Banknote Designer. The apprentice is supervised by the Design Manager, with training guidance by Journeymen Banknote Designers, and progressively assumes advanced tasks with less supervision over the course of their Apprenticeship. Incumbent's work is closely inspected for quality and the Apprentice is expected to master all operations through experience and guidance.

As a Banknote Designer (Apprentice), you will:

Demonstrate an understanding of the overall printing processes and ability to leverage new processes and/or equipment to better facilitate a design.
Develop design files using a variety of software applications including but not limited to the following: One System, Adobe Illustrator®, and Adobe Photoshop®.
Build strong collaboration with the Office of Engraving to provide satisfactory continuous tone models (including but not limited to: portrait, ornament, title, vignette, guilloche models, et al) and output files that Engraving can use to create intaglio linework.
Collaborate with the Office of Engraving when developing offset linework for currency design and other security products that is satisfactory to both entities.
Develop an understanding of the limitations of manufacturing processes that may influence reproducibility, through working with Product Managers and manufacturing personnel and use this data to incorporate technical information to enhance the manufacturability of the product.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

A recruitment incentive will not be offered.
All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
Undergo a tax compliance review.
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.
Obtain and use a government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment.
Pass a pre-employment physical examination.
Wear required safety clothing and/or equipment required by the position. This may include safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, masks, etc.
Shift Work: This facility operates on a 24 hour per day, three-shift basis. The day shift is the primary shift for this role, work during different shifts may be required on an ad-hoc basis to support testing or mission critical activities. The successful applicant must be available to work on all three shifts on a rotational basis.
Weekend work and overtime, if applicable, will be scheduled when needed based on production requirements as determined by Management.

Key Requirements:

Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

*** PLEASE READ CAREFULLY***

You must meet the screen-out element, Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision, normally addressed at the beginning of the online questions.

To meet the screen-out element, applicants must have:
I am able to create original non-digital designs, drawings, or artwork with minimal supervision.

In addition, you must also obtain an average score of two (2) for the following elements for this position as addressed through the online question in order to be considered minimally qualified. Your application will be evaluated in the following areas:

Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (screen-out)
Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)
Knowledge of Materials
Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (other than blueprints)

Rating: A Two-phase rating method will be used. Answers to the online application questions will constitute 25% of your overall rating. The remaining 75% will be determined by your artwork.

**You will need to submit a total of 6 pieces of artwork, 1 from each of the following categories: Do not submit more than 6 pieces of artwork.

Black/White Portrait
Black/White Landscape
Black/White Still Life
Color Still Life
Figures
Lettering

Please identify what method or medium you used to create each piece of art that is submitted in your portfolio. To meet file size limitations, applicants may send separate emails for each submittal.

Submit your artwork to banknotedesign@bep.gov in either a JPEG or PDF format.

**Do not submit artwork via USA Jobs. Only artwork submitted to banknotedesign@bep.gov will be considered.

Failure to submit artwork will disqualify applicants.

Your artwork will be evaluated by a Subject Matter Expert (SME)/Art panel in the following areas:

Layout
Rendering
2D Perspective
Balance and Symmetry
Spatial Awareness

**Failure to meet the minimum art panel score of 50 out of 100 will remove you from consideration.**

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Physical Requirements:
The work is both sedentary and physically demanding. Moderate physical effort is required. The work requires standing, bending, lifting, and reaching.
AND
You must show in your experience in online application that you possess the knowledge, skill and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a bargaining unit position.
The facility typically shuts down annually between Christmas and New Year's Day. As such, all BEP employees must take leave for work days during the shutdown period.
Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for disqualification in the hiring process. The background investigation process conducted by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is very thorough. Therefore, it is imperative that applicants exercise candor and honesty when answering background questionnaires, especially as it relates to arrest, employment, education, finances, illegal drug use, and/or other criminal history. Falsification discovered in security documents or during the background investigation process may result in an immediate negative suitability determination or immediate revocation of your interim clearance (if applicable).

When the Bureau of Engraving and Printing completes its hiring, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional Treasury bureaus. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with additional Treasury bureaus. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

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.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has a distinguished history dating back to the founding of our nation. As the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, Treasury is a major and influential leader in today's global economy. We have over 100,000 employees across the country and around the world. Come Join the Department of the Treasury and Invest in Tomorrow.

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:

Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
Public Transportation Incentives and reserved parking available for Washington DC positions.
A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits

Come Join the Department of the Treasury and Invest in Tomorrow.

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 application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Be sure your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas:
Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (screen-out)
Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)
Knowledge of Materials
Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (other than blueprints)

A subject matter expert may be used in the evaluation. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

A Two-phase rating method will be used. Answers to the online application questions will constitute 25% of your overall rating. The remaining 75% will be determined by your artwork.

*You will need to submit a total of 6 pieces of artwork, 1 from each of the following categories: Do not submit more than 6.
B/W=Black/White

B/W Portrait
B/W Landscape
B/W Still Life
Color Still Life
Figures
Lettering

Identify the method/medium used to create each piece of art submitted. To meet file size limitations, you may send separate emails for each submittal.

Submit artwork to banknotedesign@bep.gov in either JPEG or PDF format. Do NOT submit in USA Jobs.

Failure to submit artwork will disqualify applicants.

Artwork will be evaluated in the following areas:

Layout
Rendering
2D Perspective
Balance and Symmetry
Spatial Awareness

*Failure to meet the minimum art panel score of 50 out of 100 will remove you from consideration.*

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of below three quality level categories depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position.

Gold (highest category/score of 90 or better) - highly proficient with an overall comprehensive level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job.

Silver (middle category/score of 80-89) - Has a solid and comprehensive understanding. Can perform the required tasks efficiently and is proficient in applying the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position.

Bronze (minimally qualified/score of 70-79) - an overall basic level of knowledge, skills and abilities of the job.

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.

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. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

If selected for an interview, candidates will be provided 1 hour for a light tonal drawing exercise and a 2D Design Layout activity. All required materials will be provided by the BEP.

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 score 85 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

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. 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 two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. 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.

All applicants must submit vacancy question responses: All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veterans' preference, please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be considered for veterans' preference, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.

CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) 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.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

**You will need to submit a total of 6 pieces of artwork, 1 from each of the following categories: Do not submit more than six pieces of artwork.

Black/White Portrait
Black/White Landscape
Black/White Still Life
Color Still Life
Figures
Lettering

Submit your artwork to banknotedesign@bep.gov in either a JPEG or PDF format.

**Do not submit artwork via USA Jobs. Only artwork submitted to banknotedesign@bep.gov will be considered.

Failure to submit artwork will disqualify applicants.

How to Apply

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has partnered with the Treasury Common Services Center (TCSC) to provide certain personnel services to its organization. TCSC's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing 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 résume 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 wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application.

No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.

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

For additional information on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the ADA, please click on the links below:

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov.

To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

To preview the questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12906003

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center

Phone: 304-480-7300
Email: bepinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov

Address: Product Design Division
Treasury Common Services Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

Next steps

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. 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/.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

Banknote Designer (Apprentice) Job in Washington, DC