Human Resources Specialist (Labor/Employee Relations) Job in Sembach, Germany

Vacancy No. NC7X250289220255 Department Department of Defense Education Activity
Salary $75,706.00 to $117,034.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/9/2025 Close Date 9/15/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Sembach, Germany


Summary

About the Position:
This position is with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in the Labor Management & Employee Relations (LMER) Division, Europe Branch.

Federal employees in Sembach, Germany are currently entitled to receive a 42% Post Allowance (COLA) in addition to the base salary. This percentage amount is subject to change.

Duties

  • Perform work related to Employee Relations program, e.g., adverse actions, discipline, employee assistance, performance-based actions, performance management, awards, absence and leave, administrative grievances, and drug free workplace.
  • Plan and implement employee relations programs.
  • Interpret and adapt legislative history, regulations, policy determinations, and Federal and non-Federal sector case law and precedents.
  • Participate in the development of management proposals and bargaining positions.
  • Conduct independent, in-depth research into complex questions of program operations and produces reports and studies on performance.
  • Counsel, advice, and assist on actions concerning employee-management communications, grievances and appeals, disciplinary actions, and performance-based actions for both management and employees.
  • Serve as a representative or key witness in complex third-party proceedings before various third parties.
  • Provide assistance to management at various level of negotiations involving collective bargaining unit orally or in written form.
  • Present managements position in a wide variety of labor and management-employee relations situations through written correspondence.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Requirement.
  • Proof of U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • One trial or probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment subject to a suitability/fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
  • This position requires a Tier 3 (T3) investigation.
  • You may be required to sign a transportation agreement.
  • Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/.
  • Individuals hired from the Continental United States (CONUS) and their family members (who are US citizens) are required to obtain Official Passports prior to departure to the overseas area.
  • This position requires the incumbent to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Current Competitive Service Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Civilian Employee
  • Current Permanent Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian Employee
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Excepted Service Overseas Family Member Appointment
  • Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Reinstatement
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998


In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Specialized Experience for GS 12: One year of specialized experience which includes providing guidance to management officials in resolving employee relations/labor relations (LMER) issues (e.g., grievances, collective bargaining agreements, unfair labor practices, representation proceedings, negotiability appeals, etc.); applying laws, rules, and/or regulations to effectively deal with LMER matters; presenting facts in support of management's position on LMER situations; and applying and/or interpreting collective bargaining agreements. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

Specialized Experience for GS 13: One year of specialized experience which includes providing guidance to management officials in resolving employee relations/labor relations (LMER) issues (e.g., grievances, collective bargaining agreements, unfair labor practices, representation proceedings, negotiability appeals, etc.); developing operating guidance or conducting training related to LMER; conducting research into complex questions of program operations; and negotiating collective bargaining units or participating in third party proceedings. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-12).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Employee Relations
  • Labor Relations
  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication


Time in Grade Requirement for GS 12: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-11).

Time in Grade Requirement for GS 13: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-12).

If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are not considered Ordinarily Resident under the applicable Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). An ordinarily resident is anyone who has lived in the host country longer than the allowed number of days without being a member of the forces assigned, civilian component or a family member of either the aforementioned or who has obtained a work permit for any duration. Ordinarily Resident restrictions apply and vary depending on the host nation.
  • Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions.
  • Applicants who have family members with special medical needs should ensure that prior to accepting a position overseas their family members' medical needs can be met. Access to care in a military treatment facility may not be available to civilian employees except on a space available basis. Consequently, host nation medical facilities may be the only care available. The availability and level of care at host nation medical facilities will vary by location.
  • Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Medical and dental care may be provided by host nation providers. The availability and level of care at host nation medical and dental facilities will vary by location.
  • Status candidates subject to the 5 year overseas rotation, who are currently overseas, must have enough time to meet the initial tour stated in the job announcement. Waivers may not be granted to meet the 5 year limitation requirement.
  • Status applicants in their fourth year of an overseas assignment cannot be selected unless a waiver of the 5 year overseas service limitation requirement is approved.
  • Selectees initially recruited from the United States may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. (Subject to approval). Overseas allowances may be authorized in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250. http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/1400.25-V1250.pdf
  • Selectees recruited outside the U.S. will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire.
  • For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information before applying for or accepting this position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
  • Applicants with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should notify David Walton ra@dodea.edu
You will find additional information about this vacancy in the How You Will Be Evaluated section.

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Additional Information regarding overseas appointments:

  • If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings a family member to an overseas location who requires medical or dental care, then the employee will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Family member appointments will expire based on the sponsor's rotation date. Family member appointments may not exceed two months after an employee is no longer considered a family member within the local commuting area due to PCS or divorce of sponsor or, in the case of a child, the age of 23. Family members are defined according to the DODI 1400.25, Vol.1232 as: For a military member whose duty station is in a foreign area, the member's spouse or unmarried dependent child. For a civilian US employee as defined by section 2105 of Title 5, United States Code, the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or unmarried dependent child, or unmarried child of the employee's spouse or domestic partner. A family member must physically reside with his or her sponsor to receive family member preference.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (e.g. applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement). Please review the following link to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Proof of Eligibility.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.
  • You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • MSP/FMP: Military Spouse Preference OR Family Member Preference eligible must provide sponsor orders that should include the date reporting
  • SF50 (required): You must submit a copy of your most recent SF50, Notification of Personnel Action. Block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a "2" for Excepted Service or a "1" for Competitive Service
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-grade Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). 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. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/15/2025 to receive consideration.

  • 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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12790255).
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé 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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
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/.

Additional Information
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.
  • The selecting official has requested a competitive and noncompetitive candidate list for this vacancy. If you are eligible for the noncompetitive list, you will be evaluated on basic and/or minimum qualifications, as applicable. While required to answer the assessment questions, non-competitive candidates will not be evaluated against the competitive rating & ranking criteria. The selecting official may select from any of the candidate lists.
  • Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management. Duties described reflect the full performance GS-13 level. If not selected at the full performance level, duties will be performed in a developmental capacity under close supervision.
  • Be advised that effective Jan. 1 2018, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, most civilian employee relocation allowances became taxable. The Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) reimburses eligible employees for the additional Federal, State, and local income taxes incurred as a result of receiving taxable travel income. For more information, visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.html.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.
  • You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.
  • DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.
  • You may claim Military Spouse preference.
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
DoDEA Headquarters
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22311
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.


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


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