Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
Students with a transcript with a degree confer date on or before the closing date of this announcement will be considered for the Recent Graduate Program. Graduation / expect graduation date MUST be indicated on your resume.
Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.
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.
Applicants must have completed, within the previous two-years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical education program (which may include Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps).
EXCEPTIONS TO THE TWO YEARS:
- Veterans, as defined in 5 USC 2108 , who, due to military service obligations, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduate Program during the two-year eligibility. Veterans have a full two-year period of eligibility upon their release or discharge from active duty. The eligibility period shall not extend beyond six years from the date of academic completion.
- Current students or qualifying program participants may also apply, provided they are "up to nine months prior to completing their academic requirements". The application must include documentation that clearly shows the student is within the 9-month education completion window.
Qualifying Education Institution: Any of the following educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education:
http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/
Specialized experience: To qualify at the GS-9 level: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Assisting in the analysis and/or application of US trade laws; and
- Assisting in the application of international financial and business concepts to US trade law; and
- Assisting in preparing briefings, correspondence, reports, and/or memoranda; and
- Conducting research, gathering evidence, performing analysis and presenting findings.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 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.
OR
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. Only graduate education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination.