Plate Printer Apprentice Job

Vacancy No. 25-BEP-12746683-A Department Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Salary $33.36 to $54.55 Grade 1 to 1
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/30/2025 Close Date 7/14/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DCFort Worth, TX


Summary

This position is located at Bureau of Engraving and Printing, within the respective Plate Printing departments of the Eastern Currency Facility and Western Currency Facility. As a Plate Printer Apprentice, you will work as part of a printing press crew in a non-journeyperson status - demonstrating technical and mechanical vocational competencies and building upon skills to successfully perform the full scope of duties required of a Journeyperson Plate Printer.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All candidates who are: (1) Current Bureau of Engraving and Printing employees who are qualifying as Status Eligibles or currently serving on a permanent Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) (2) CTAP eligibles

Duties

The BEP is currently in the process of having a new facility built in Beltsville, MD and expect to move to the new facility within the next 5 years. If selected for the Washington DC location, you may be sent and/or reassigned to the new Beltsville facility. By applying to this position, you understand this potential requirement.

As a Plate Printer Apprentice, and upon successful completion of the training program, you will be able to perform the Full Potential Level (FPL) of a Journeyperson Plate Printer and able to complete the following duties with minimal supervision:

  • Make press ready to print in accordance with established procedures.
  • Install and position plates or cylinders; secure and check materials need such as denominated paper, inks, rigging boards, wiping rolls, etc., paying particular attention to those specialized materials needed for intaglio printing.
  • Lubricate press as necessary, load press, and make all adjustments of peripheral devices and attachments. Operate the press, stopping and starting it as necessary.
  • Continuously observe production of the press and make all single and multiple operating adjustments including the impression and plate mechanisms, wiping and polishing devices, ink fountains, feeder and delivery devices, etc.
  • Stop and secure the press at the end of the production run or shift and ensure the security of all stock. As required, make reports of press operation and production data.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must meet the Physical Requirements as outlined in the Additional Information section.
AND
You must show in your experience in online application that you possess the knowledge, skill and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Obtain and use a government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
  • Pass a pre-employment physical examination.
  • Wear required safety clothing and/or equipment required by the position. This may include safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, masks, etc.
  • Shift Work: This facility operates on a 24 hour per day, three-shift basis. Assignment to a specific shift cannot be guaranteed. The successful applicant must be available to work on all three shifts on a rotational basis.
  • Weekend work and overtime, if applicable, will be scheduled when needed based on production requirements as determined by Management.
Key Requirements:
  1. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  2. Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

You must meet the screen-out element, Ability to Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision, normally addressed at the beginning of the online questions.

To meet the screen-out element, applicants must have:
I have ability to perform common duties associated with intaglio printing. I can follow established procedures to perform my work under general supervision.

In addition, you must also obtain an average score of two (2) for the following elements for this position as addressed through the online question in order to be considered minimally qualified. Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Ability to Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (screen-out element), Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment, Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (other than blueprint reading), and Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic).

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Physical Requirements:
Work is performed in a standing position and considerable bending, stooping, crouching, climbing and stretching are required to operate the equipment and to make necessary adjustments. There is also moderate to heavy lifting of materials. Pushing and pulling requirements by use of a manual floor jack for moving loads up to and around the equipment.

Good eyesight is required as well as hand-eye coordination. Eyesight required is use of both eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors. Hearing required (aid permitted).

Manual dexterity is required for the operation and adjustment of equipment and for the hand operations associated with printing activities. Must be extremely alert and attentive to work and equipment operations to ensure accuracy, detect equipment malfunctions and defective products, to avoid spoilage, and to ensure adherence to all safety requirements.

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
  • The facility typically shuts down annually between Christmas and New Year's Day. As such, all BEP employees must take leave for workdays during the shutdown period.
  • This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).
  • SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for disqualification in the hiring process. The background investigation process conducted by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is very thorough. Therefore, it is imperative that applicants exercise candor and honesty when answering background questionnaires, especially as it relates to arrest, employment, education, finances, illegal drug use, and/or other criminal history. Falsification discovered in security documents or during the background investigation process may result in an immediate negative suitability determination or immediate revocation of your interim clearance (if applicable).

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.

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 application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Ability to Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (screen-out element), Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment, Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (other than blueprint reading), and Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic).

Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position.

A subject matter expert may be used in the evaluation. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) you must be assigned the top category or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package.

All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.

CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:- Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
- If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
- Federal employees must submit a copy of their latest SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" that reflects career or career-conditional tenure showing position title, series, grade and tenure (please do not submit an Award SF-50 as it does not provide the needed information) and, if different, an SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held or you may not be considered under the merit promotion process. https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/service/SF-50/

All applicants must also submit a Performance Appraisal: a copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If it is not dated within the last 18 months, or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application. Note that 'N/A' is not an acceptable answer. If you do not provide a copy of the performance appraisal, or a statement advising why it is unavailable, you will be removed from further consideration.

CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.

How to Apply

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

  • 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.
  • Follow the prompts to select your résume 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.
For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/

If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application.

No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

For additional information on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the ADA, please click on the links below: Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov.

To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12746683

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Address
Plate Printing Division DCF
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your résume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.

To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.


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