Government Information Specialist (Arbitration)

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

Office of General Counsel

Summary

This position is located within the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), Headquarters, Office of General Counsel (OGC) and reports directly to the General Counsel.

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.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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

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

Clarification from the agency

All Candidates who are: Current or former federal employees qualifying as Status Candidates, VEOA eligibles, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles.

Duties

Responsible for the daily processing of arbitration panel requests; communicating with external parties and providing excellent customer service. Serves as the primary point of contact for parties submitting arbitration panel requests, ensuring timely and accurate processing from intake through final issuance.

Responsible for processing applications to be on the FMCS arbitration roster. Reviews and evaluates applications submitted by arbitrators seeking placement on the FMCS roster, verifying that applicants meet all eligibility criteria established by applicable regulations and FMCS policy.

Serves as the primary Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/ Privacy Act (PA) Specialist with responsibility for analyzing, processing, and responding to requests for records pursuant to the FOIA and Privacy Act. Independently processes the full range of requests from intake to final determination, including complex and sensitive requests.

Responds to FOIA/PA lawsuits concerning records released or withheld, including conducting comprehensive file reviews, drafting declarations to be filed with federal courts, and consulting with representing attorneys. Prepares supporting documentation including administrative records, Vaughn indices, and chronologies of agency action for use in litigation.

Supports the Privacy Office by researching and drafting Privacy Act compliance documents. Advises program offices and agency leadership on Privacy Act requirements, including the proper collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) in agency records systems.

Assists in the administration of FMCS's ethics program by directing inquiries to designation officials, and ensures prompt responses are channeled to personnel as appropriate.

Plans and coordinates development, consolidation, review, and approval of ethics, privacy, FOIA, litigation, arbitration, and administrative law programs in support of OGC's mission. Analyzes quantitative and qualitative data evaluating performance and progress, identifies material weaknesses, and recommends corrective actions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Selectee must meet/maintain suitability and security requirements, as determined by a background investigation.
This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period; if requirement has not previously been satisfied.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level includes:

Overseeing the daily operations of an agency program and serving at the point of contact for all parties ensuring timely and accurate processing from intake through final issuance;
Processing complex and sensitive requests, coordinating with program offices and legal counsel, making disclosure determinations, and supporting FOIA-related litigation; and
Providing program management and analytical support for legal compliance initiatives; and
Administering and/or assisting an agency's ethics program and serving the Records manager.

Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

This position requires submission of a 2-page resume, completion of a USA HIRE assessment, and an Accomplishment Record based on selected competencies.

Candidates scoring above 90 on the USA HIRE assessment will be considered. Your resume will then be reviewed by an HR Specialist and a Subject Matter Expert to determine if you meet the specialized experience and qualification requirements as outlined in the announcement.

Qualifications:

This position requires submission of a 2-page resume, and completion of a USA HIRE assessment. Candidates scoring above 90 on the USA HIRE assessment will be considered.

Your resume will then be reviewed by an HR Specialist and a Subject Matter Expert to determine if you meet the specialized experience and qualification requirements as outlined in the announcement.

Your resume must have complete information. Please ensure your resume accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position.

Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the number of hours per week spent in such employment.

Qualifications must be met by the Closing Date: You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59pm EDT on the closing date of this announcement.

After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement, 08/05/2026, to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Additional information

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for Washington, DC.

Direct Deposit - Selectee is required to participate in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service direct deposit of pay program.

Security Background - A Public Trust background is a requirement for this position. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. If you possess a security clearance, please indicate the level and termination date in your resume. The successful candidate will 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 FMCS. The successful candidate will also be enrolled in FBI's Rap Back program, which will allow FMCS to receive notification from the FBI of criminal activities (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time.

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 CompetencyBased 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. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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.

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

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

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.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13015068

Required Documents

Required documents to be submitted online:

Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable). Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience). Resume must not exceed 2 pages. If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration.
Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station. NOTE: Eligibility is based on your current position of record (if you are on a temporary promotion, the temporary promotion position is your position of record).
Most recent completed annual performance appraisal dated within the last 18 months (if it is not dated within the last 18 months or you have not received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). Your submitted performance appraisal must show the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature that certifies the rating at the time it was given. If your performance appraisal was conducted virtually, a supervisory email certifying your end-of-year review/rating was completed and date it occurred is acceptable documentation in lieu of the supervisor's signature on the performance appraisal document; the overall rating must also be provided on either the email or performance appraisal document.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference.

DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE

Agency notice
Most recent performance appraisal
Most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station

For additional information regarding ICTAP/CTAP, Click Here.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

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 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:

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 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.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/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.

Agency contact information

FMCS Office of Human Resources

Phone: (202) 606-5494
Email: FMCSHR2@fmcs.gov

Next steps

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., Performance Appraisal, Resume, and SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action.).

Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s). When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.

Government Information Specialist (Arbitration) Job in Washington, DC