Librarian Job in Fort Meade, MD

Vacancy No. WMA-26-12973938-MP Department Defense Media Activity
Salary $102,415.00 to $133,142.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/1/2026 Close Date 6/15/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Fort Meade, MD


Summary

This position is part of the Department of War Media Activity (WMA). The incumbent will be responsible for the management and daily operations of the Defense Information School military library, which provides professional training and education to the DoW's public affairs and visual information communicators.

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

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Clarification from the agency

Current permanent DoW employees. VEOA eligible veterans, 30% or more, People with Disabilities Schedule A (PWD), Non-Competitive (Reassignment, CLG, Re-Promotion), Transfer Competitive & Non-Competitive, ICTAP (Must be in Commuting Area), Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoW Retained Grade Preference (RGP) PPP, DoW Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible, PPP Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement, PPP, DoW Military Spouse Preference (MSP).

Duties

As a Librarian at the GS-1410-12 some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Directs the overall operations and activities of a professional military library, including establishing policies and updating information guides.
  • Determines library goals and objectives to support school-wide strategic plans and organizational lines of effort.
  • Provides proactive reference services and media literacy training to students, faculty, and staff.
  • Maintains professional partnerships with the Library of Congress, DoD MWR Libraries, and other professional associations.
  • Exercises internal management controls and conducts periodic inventories to ensure accountability for physical and digital holdings.
  • Works with information technology experts to translate library requirements into modern automated systems or cloud-based solutions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Work Schedule: Full Time
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Set Schedule
  • Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Not Required
  • Telework Eligibility: This position is situational telework eligible
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a non-sensitive security clearance.
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug screening test, and periodic drug screenings thereafter, if required.
  • The work demands can be performed while sitting, movement is required to reshelve materials, assist patrons, or process shipments of books and other print materials or digital media.
  • This position requires periods of standing, walking, bending, and the ability to carry objects weighing up to 20 lbs.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service:

  • Overseeing library operations by managing annual spend plans, executing the budget, and serving as the subject matter expert for library automated systems and cloud-based solutions.
  • Building, maintaining, and verifying specialized print and electronic collections that directly align with academic and instructional courses.
  • Delivering proactive reference support, media literacy instruction, and specialized training to help users navigate complex digital resources.

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.

In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1410 series.

If you are using your education to meet the IOR: You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1400/librarian-series-1410/

Basic Requirements:

All librarians must meet the requirements for professional education in library science or possess equivalent experience and education as shown for GS-7; however, as a standard practice applicants enter at grade GS-9 on the basis of a master's degree in library science.

Since many libraries are highly specialized, some librarian positions require a knowledge of a specialized subject or field of endeavor. Also, since materials in libraries are often in foreign languages, some librarians must have a proficient knowledge of one or more foreign languages. For such positions, applicants must meet requirements that are directly related to the subject matter or language of the specialization. These requirements are in addition to the basic professional library science requirements that apply to all positions. However, these requirements may be included in or supplemental to those specified for all positions. The following specializations are authorized: biological, medical, social or physical sciences, education, fine arts, business and industry, humanities, law, music, engineering, and the Germanic, Slavic, Oriental, Semitic, or Romance languages.

For positions at GS-9 and above:
Experience must have demonstrated the ability to perform, supervise, or direct one or more of the functional areas of work covered by this series; to understand the concepts, theories, new developments, and co-relationship of information in related fields; and to maintain up-to-date information on the state of the art. For positions where foreign language proficiency is needed, applicants must be able to read and/or translate material in the appropriate specialized subject-matter field.

For Librarian (appropriate specialization): Applicants must also possess specialized knowledge of a subject-matter field and/or proficiency in one or more foreign languages directly related to the position(s) being filled. When such knowledge is required for the position, an applicant's education or experience must have included or been supplemented by the requirements specified in one of the paragraphs below:

a. A full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university that meets all academic requirements for a bachelor's degree that included at least 24 semester hours in the specialized field for which the applicant is being considered, e.g., physical science, biological science, social science; or that included any combination of subjects with at least 15 semester hours in a major subject (such as physics or chemistry) that is especially applicable to the position for which the applicant is being considered;

or

b. Completion of at least 24 semester hours of legal study in an accredited law school for positions primarily concerned with providing library services in law or legislative reference;

or

c. Four years of pertinent experience of such nature and level to provide a knowledge of the basic principles, theories, practices, techniques, terminology and expressions of the appropriate discipline or subject-matter field; an understanding of the standard methods, procedures, and techniques of research and analysis in the subject-matter field; ability to acquire additional information about the field and related fields; and some knowledge of literature resources in the field.

Such experience should be equivalent to that which would have been acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university with major study in appropriate subjects, or combination of subjects, as specified in (a) above; or legal training as specified in (b) above;

or

d. Any time equivalent combination of experience as described in (c) with education as described in (a) or (b) above;

or

e. Demonstrated ability as shown by education or experience to read or translate information from one or more foreign languages into English.

*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position if you are using education to meet the requirements listed above.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

NOTE: All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

Foreign education may be qualifying if a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses.

Unofficial transcripts from U.S. Department of Education accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions listing your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned are acceptable for the application process. If selected, official transcripts are required before a firm job offer is made. A photocopy of your degree/diploma is not acceptable.

When relying on foreign education, submit transcripts and a copy of the equivalency evaluation results letter with a course-by-course listing. Documents must be in English or include an English translation. The hiring employer for this position does not evaluate degrees from foreign colleges or universities. For further information, visit: Foreign Education

Additional information

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:
Persons with Disabilities - Schedule A
Special Hiring Authority for Veterans
Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
Other Special Appointment Authorities - Subpart F
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/register/)

The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.

NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.

Selective Service Requirement: Please visit http://www.sss.gov for more information.

For more information, please visit

https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d

Other Notes:

Re-employed Annuitant: This position Does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF?ver=LQ7feWw-8-5DI2tceUpmgA%3d%3d

This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment.

You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position.

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

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.

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.

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Competencies:

  • Administration and Management
  • Information Management
  • Information Technology Program Management


Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria AND 2) be rated well-qualified for the position AND 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified means you possess the type and quality of experience that exceeds the position's minimum qualifications.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the (RGP) eligibility. If you are claiming RGP and are determined to be Well Qualified for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant.

Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible (PPP DoD MRNG):In order to receive this preference, you must choose the (PPP DoD MRNG) eligibility, and fill out and submit the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist and copies of the appropriate documentation.

Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) (PPP MSP): In order to receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the(MSP) (PPP MSP) eligibility. If you are claiming MSP (PPP MSP) and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE 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.

The following documents are REQUIRED


1. Resume:

  • IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
  • Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. Transcripts:
  • This position has a degree or education requirement so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript
  • College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.
3. SF50
  • All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG).
4. Veteran's Documents:
  • If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.

PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf

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 apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12973938.

Review the General Application Information and Definitions at:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d

As required by 5 C.F.R. § 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. § 1194).

Agency contact information

WMA Servicing Team
Phone
614-693-6200
Fax
215-516-6069
Email
DHRC-DDMAHR@dla.mil
Address
War Media Activity
6700 Taylor Ave
Ft. Meade, MD 20755
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application. A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter. All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Defense Media Activity

This position is located in the Office of the Provost, Defense Information School (DINFOS), War Media Activity (WMA) under the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD (PA)). The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the Chief Librarian of the SSG Paul D. Savanuck Memorial Library, a professional military library that supports the students, faculty and staff to carry out their mission of training military communicators.

Agency contact information

WMA Servicing Team
Phone
614-693-6200
Fax
215-516-6069
Email
DHRC-DDMAHR@dla.mil
Address
War Media Activity
6700 Taylor Ave
Ft. Meade, MD 20755
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Defense Media Activity, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.dma.mil