Human Resources Specialist Job

Vacancy No. 20250731-61685-010818-CE-IM Department U.S. Coast Guard
Salary $69,923.00 to $131,826.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/6/2025 Close Date 8/15/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DCGlen Burnie, MD


Summary

This vacancy is for a GS-0201-9/11/12, Human Resources Specialist located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICE CENTER WEST. Duty location will be determined upon selection.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Current agency employees ONLY.

Duties

You will serve as an Human Resources Specialist and be responsible for the accurate and timely processing of a host of personnel actions which range from routine to highly complex. The position provides administrative and technical support in multiple civilian personnel functions. Such support is rendered in the immediate office, but assistance may also be given to field representatives, employees, management officials, or the public when needed.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

  • Planning and administering Federal civilian HR transaction processing functions by providing technical guidance and assistance to other staff members in order to resolve difficult personnel action problems.
  • Gathering, analyzing, and evaluating information related to duties in a human resource environment.
  • Using Human Resources Information Systems to input, code and track personnel and payroll actions.
  • Reviewing, coding, and updating various personnel actions in EmpowHR or similar Federal civilian automated personnel data systems.
  • Assisting processing assistants with complex actions that involve Federal civilian pay and coordination with the National Finance Center requiring research of legal authorities, multiple corrective actions and those that are less frequently encountered.
  • Briefing HR assistants on new or updated procedural changes being implemented to improve the overall Federal civilian personnel processing.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume:

  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Date of Birth (DOB)
  • Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
  • Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Key Requirements:

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Public Trust as a condition of placement into this position. This may include e.g., a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs".
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • This not a Bargaining Unit position.
  • Time-in-Grade requirement must be met by the closing date of the vacancy.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

GS-9: To qualify at the GS-9 level, applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7 or equivalent), in the Federal civilian service which is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Examples of specialized experience include:

  • Reviewing, coding, and updating personnel actions in EmpowHR or similar Federal civilian automated personnel data systems;
  • Accurately and timely processing of personnel actions;
  • Assisting in the administration of Federal civilian personnel processing correction actions, which may include History Correction Update Processing (HCUP) system packages for the correction and cancellation of historical personnel actions within the history database;
  • Providing information and advice on proper coding and the method used to process personnel actions.

or

Master's or equivalent graduate degree

or

2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.

or

LL.B. or J.D., if related

NOTE: Education can be substituted for experience at this grade level.

GS-11: To qualify at the GS-11 level, applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9 or equivalent), in the Federal civilian service which is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Examples of specialized experience include:

  • Reviewing, coding, and updating personnel actions in EmpowHR or similar Federal civilian automated personnel data systems;
  • Accurately and timely processing of personnel actions which range from routine to highly complex;
  • Assisting in the administration of all aspects of Federal civilian personnel processing correction actions, which may include History Correction Update Processing (HCUP) system packages for the correction and cancellation of historical personnel actions within the history database;
  • Providing information and advice on proper coding and the method used to process personnel actions.
or

Applicants may substitute successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.M, if related).

or

A combination of appropriate specialized experience (as described above) and graduate education (as described above) that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study to meet the qualification requirements.

NOTE: Education can be substituted for experience at this grade level.

GS-12: To qualify at the GS-12 level, applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11 or equivalent), in the Federal civilian service which is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Examples of specialized experience include:
  • Providing technical guidance and instruction to assistants on the application of a variety of complex, laws, regulations, directives, procedures, and local policies relating to legal authorities for processing Federal civilian personnel transactions;
  • Administering all aspects of Federal civilian personnel processing correction actions, which may include History Correction Update Processing (HCUP) system packages for the correction and cancellation of historical personnel actions within the history database;
  • Providing assistance with researching and validating nature of action processing codes and legal authorities for new or seldom used actions;
  • Reviewing, coding, and updating personnel actions in EmpowHR or similar Federal civilian automated personnel data systems;
  • Preparing a variety of recurring and non-recurring Federal civilian HR transactions processing reports.

NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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 Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Transcripts--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

Additional information

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Due Weight
Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

E-Verify
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components 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 charles.l.edwards@uscg.mil.

Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Special Employment Consideration
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Recruitment incentives may be authorized.

If selection is made below the full performance level, the incumbent may be promoted up to the target grade without further competition, if all legal and regulatory requirements are met and when recommended by the supervisor. However, promotion to the full performance level is not guaranteed and is dependent on successful performance at the lower grade level(s).

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact charles.l.edwards@uscg.mil. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation

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.

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.

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 resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or you may be rated ineligible . The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure your ability in the following competencies:

  • Administration and Management
  • HR Information Systems
  • Oral Communication
  • Reasoning
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Problem Solving
  • Written Communication


To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12776469

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation. CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles: CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position. If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. Individuals must be well-qualified by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf

Required Documents

Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education, and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/date/year to month/date/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. What to include in my resume

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

  • You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50(s) that verify your eligibility for consideration as a current or former federal applicant; and
  • Your SF-50 must verify your highest competitive grade, time-in-grade, your current promotion potential or full performance level and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. DO NOT submit an award SF-50 or pay adjustment SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility.
  • For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. Recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50.

Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: A copy of your RIF separation notice, a copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating, a copy of your most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting your current position, grade level, and duty location, any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: A copy of your RIF separation notice, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting your current position, grade level, and duty location, a copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating, any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

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

To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. We encourage you to apply online.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 08/15/2025.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

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/.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Charles Edwards at charles.l.edwards@uscg.mil to obtain an alternative application.

Agency contact information

Charles Edwards

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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