Pathways Recent Graduates - International Trade Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. ITA-OCFAO-DE-25-12658938 Department Commerce, International Trade Administration
Salary $69,923.00 to $109,975.00 Grade 9 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/7/2025 Close Date 1/14/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, is seeking innovative, results-oriented individuals to join our Pathways Recent Graduate Program. This vacancy is to fill several Pathways Recent Graduate - International Trade Specialist positions.

  • The announcement will close at 11:59 p.m., EST, after 175 applications have been received or on the closing date (whichever occurs first).

Duties

As a Pathways Recent Graduate - International Trade Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Assist in the coordination of trade programs and events.
  • Research, analyze and interpret empirical trade and economic data and information.
  • Summarize International business and/or trade data and information.
  • Participate in meetings or conferences.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Pathways Recent Graduates - International Trade Specialist GS-1140-9/11, full performance level, GS-13, positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Note: The Department's Recent Graduates Program is a 1-year program in accordance with Title 5, CFR § 362.301. However, subject to approval, a two-year program may be deemed allowable for occupations that require a longer and more structured training program. Recent Graduate may not be converted to a permanent position unless the Recent Graduate fully completes the designated 1 or 2-year program.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Applicants must have completed, within the previous two-years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.

Exceptions are made for 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 period described above. 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.

This position is being recruited with an opportunity for non-competitive conversion eligibility to a permanent OR term position upon completion of all Recent Graduate program requirements. Conversion is not mandatory nor guaranteed (see Other Information).

  • 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: Yes
  • 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
  • Trial Period/Probationary Period (Excepted Service Appointment "A Trial Period may be required")
  • This position is being recruited with an opportunity for non-competitive conversion eligibility to a permanent position upon completion of all Recent Graduate program requirements. Conversion is not mandatory nor guaranteed (see Other Information).

Qualifications

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible for appointment under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program you must meet one of these eligibility requirements:

  1. Completion of a degree or certificate from a qualifying education institution within the previous 2 years or you are within 9 months of graduating; or completion of a qualifying career or technical education program (e.g., Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, Climate Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps).
  2. Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty; however, eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which the degree, certificate or qualifying career or technical education program was obtained. The date of release or discharge from active duty should be later than the date the degree or certificate was obtained.

Qualification Requirements:

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-9 Level:

You must have one year of specialized equivalent to the next lower grade level (the GS-7) in the Federal service performing the following:

  • Researching data, and analyzing findings.
  • Compiling datasets and preparing reports.
  • Tracking the progress of documents and/or action items and performing follow-up to ensure completion of work assignments.
-Or-

A Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master's degree OR LL.B or J.D., if related to the following: 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-

A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience to meet the total qualification requirement.

To qualify at the GS-11 Level:

You must have one year of specialized equivalent to the next lower grade level (the GS-9) in the Federal service performing the following:
  • Researching trade or economic data, analyzing findings and making recommendations.
  • Coordinating the assembly of complex datasets in the production of reports and/or findings.
  • Tracking the progress of documents and/or action items and performing follow-up to ensure completion.

-Or-

A 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.

-Or-

A combination of related graduate level education and specialized experience to meet the total qualification requirement.

Note: Applicants who are up to 9 months (maximum) away from completing any of the above academic requirements or from receiving a certificate from a qualifying program, will be considered. Applicant's MUST provide transcripts or legible course listing or documentation that shows the expected academic or certificate completion date.

Education

See Qualifications Above.

Additional information

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that do not fall under competitive examining procedures; however, they may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

  1. Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA)
  2. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
  3. 30% or more disabled veterans
  4. Persons with disabilities
  5. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
  6. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)

ICTAP and CTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

PROGRAM COMPLETION AND CONVERSION: Upon completion of the minimum 1-year career development program, Program participants may, at agency discretion, be non-competitively converted without a break in service, to a career or career conditional appointment. There is no guarantee for conversion.

To be eligible for conversion, Recent Graduates must:

  • Successfully complete the one year developmental period identified.
  • Demonstrate successful job performance.
  • Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.
  • Complete 40 hours of formal interactive training within developmental period.
  • Sign a Pathways Programs Participant Agreement upon appointment.
  • Meet established goals outlined in the Recent Graduate's Individual Development Plan (IDP).
  • Recommended by supervisor/manager for conversion to permanent OR term position.

Additional Pathways Programs information can be found at:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Overview

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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy 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) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories. The categories are "gold", "silver" and "bronze". However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • International Business Knowledge
  • Research and Analytical Skills
  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
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/12658938

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.
  • College Transcript: Applicants must submit a copy of their college transcript that lists college courses, course title, and number of credit hours. If you have a future graduation date, you must provide a letter from the school registrar's office that includes the name of the student/applicant, the name of the school, and verification of your anticipated graduation date. The transcripts or letter must indicate that the degree has been conferred. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process, but an official certified copy must be received before you can report to duty.
  • Certificate: If applying based on completion of a qualifying career or technical education program (i.e. Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, Climate Corps, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps), you must provide documentation, such as a certificate of completion, the name of the career or technical education program, and the date the career or technical education program was completed. If the program was completed through AmeriCorps or a similar organization, include official documentation of showing dates of service,
  • If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service or other valid proof of eligibility (i.e., statement of service that shows service dates AND character of service). If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.opm.gov/staffingPortal/Vetguide.asp#VeteransEmploymentAct1998.
  • Active Duty Service Members. You must submit a statement of discharge/certification of release or an official written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days from the date the announcement closes. Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm the discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not be considered for this job opportunity under Veteran Preference procedures. To gain access to your DD-214 online please visit http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
  • 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, 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.
  • 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.

Agency contact information

Deborah Melton
Address
International Trade Administration
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US
Learn more about this agency

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:

  1. Application Received or Application Incomplete
  2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
  3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
  4. 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.).


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


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