Summary
This vacancy is for a International Trade Specialist (Direct Hire) in the International Trade Administration within the Department of Commerce.
This is an open continuous vacancy announcement that will be used to fill vacancies as they occur. Applicants will receive consideration in 30 days cut-off. See "How You Will Be Evaluated" section.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This position is being advertised through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Direct-Hire Authority and is open to all U.S. citizens. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.
Duties
As an International Trade Specialist (Direct Hire), you will perform the following duties:
- Counsels current and potential U.S. exporters to meet client export market development objectives. Plans and executes comprehensive marketing strategies, high-priority trade, and investment promotion programs and events central to U.S. trade-development objectives to strengthen global opportunities.
- Conducts market research and disseminates trade information and materials on government products and services to U.S. businesses and associates.
- Assists with the planning and coordination of activities of the office. Assists current and potential U.S. exporters and investors with navigating challenging obstacles to address trade barriers affecting exports or investments abroad.
- Analyzes complex economic and trade policies to protect the national economic interest of U.S. industry through deliberations and negotiations and to support the Department's decision-making process.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other International Trade Specialist (Direct Hire) GS-1140-9/11/12/13, FPL-GS-13 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs.
- A probationary period may be required.
- Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
- 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.
- All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- Drug Test: Except as prohibited by law, all applicants tentatively selected for this position ·will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment, and if appointed the incumbent will be subjected to random drug testing procedures. In addition, the applicant will be notified that appointments to the positions will be contingent upon a negative drug test result. Failure of the vacancy announcement to contain this statement notice will not preclude applicant testing if advance written notice is provided to applicants in some other manner.
- License required: No
- Pre-employment physical required: No
- Bargaining Unit Position: No
- Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No
- Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: will not be paid
Qualifications
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/
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.
To qualify at the GS-09 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Performing research in one or more of the following areas: international trade issues, U.S. business exports, country standards and regulations, industry sector markets, business practices;
- Prepares written communication and oral presentations on international trade markets and programs; and
- Assists in efforts to coordinate with U.S. and foreign government agencies and the business community to implement U.S. trade policies, strategies or programs
-OR-
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: A master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or LL.B. or J.D., if relatedin a field of study such as international policy, international commerce, international management, intercultural relations, international development, global economy, government and foreign affairs, international business, international trade, international economics, international affairs, international relations, or other related fields of study.
-OR-
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination.
To qualify at the GS-11 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Performing research in at least 2 areas: international trade, U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion, trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and/or negotiations;
- Developing and coordinating logistical and technical details for international trade, marketing or development programs; and
- Summarizing and providing advice on international trade policies and programs.
-OR-
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph. D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. if related in international policy, international commerce, international management, intercultural relations, international development, global economy, government and foreign affairs, international business, international trade, international economics, international affairs, international relations, or other related fields of study.
-OR-
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination.
To qualify at the GS-12 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Performing research in at least 2 areas: international trade, U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion, trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and/or negotiations;
- Developing strategies for U.S business facilitation, trade and investment promotion initiatives, and global trade-policy positions; and
- Drafting, summarizing, and providing recommendations on international trade policies and programs
To qualify at the GS-13 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Performing U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion through trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and negotiations;
- Recommending empirical trade information with interpretation and prediction of influences of economic, market, political, and other events; and
- Developing strategies for U.S. business facilitation, trade and investment promotion initiatives, regulatory, and global trade-policy positions.
Education
See Qualifications Above.
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.
Review our 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 qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply; therefore, your responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans' preference does not apply in DHA, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).
Applicants applying as CTAP or ICTAP candidates, and are determined CTAP or ICTAP eligible, must exceed the minimum qualification requirements to be referred under this selection priority placement program by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. For those deemed eligible and who meet the minimum qualifications, 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 your score may be lowered. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles who are not determined well-qualified by scoring at least 85 will not be referred under the CTAP/ICTAP selection priority placement program; however, will be referred for selection consideration with other minimally qualified applicants.
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
- Foreign Market Research
- International Business Management
- Planning and Evaluting
- Economics
Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration.
- Classified or government sensitive information
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Photos of yourself
- Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12409765
This position will remain open until 08/15/2024. The initial cut-off date is 05/29/2024. Applicants may receive consideration prior to the initial cut-off date, as requested by the organization, as well as on the following cut-off dates specified below. Applicants meeting the requirements will be referred for consideration on a cut-off date, or the date requested by the organization, and will continue to be referred on subsequent cut-off dates:
- 06/29/2024
- 07/29/2024
- 08/15/2024
Required Documents
A complete application consists of the following:
- Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Refer to the "How you will be Evaluated' section for types of information not to include in your resume/application.
- Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
- Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
- Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title;
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
- Agency; and
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
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
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply button and follow the prompts to register/sign-in into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply to continue.
For instructions on submitting your application in an alternate format, please contact the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement.
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://www.usajobs.gov and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
- Application Received or Application Incomplete
- Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
- Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
- Selected or Not Selected.
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 prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
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