Clarification from the agency

Internal agency employees; including agency temporary employees and eligible agency Experts Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

The Program Specialist (Legal Eligibility) performs the following major duties:

• Process and adjudicate background investigations using established standards and ensure confidentiality throughout.
• Review applicant documents to determine legal eligibility and suitability for Peace Corps service.
• Research and address moderately complex policy-related questions; refer complex or sensitive issues to the supervisor.
• Interpret and apply relevant regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Determine appropriate actions for resolving customer service issues and identify when matters should be addressed by other staff.
• Maintain accurate records and manage files in accordance with records management guidelines.

Conditions of employment

Applicants selected for this position are subject to the following Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service (see www.sss.gov).
• Prior to employment, Peace Corps will review records for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former employees, as required by statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b.
• You must submit a signed statement acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps Conditions of Employment before your first day.
• You must obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• This position is designated for drug testing under the Drug-Free Workplace Program. You must pass a pre-employment drug test. After hire, you will be subject to random drug testing.
• Occasional travel may be required for this position.
• The initial appointment to this position cannot exceed five years.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements prior to the closing date of this announcement, 05/27/2026. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience demonstrated in your resume, including volunteer work. Qualification claims are subject to verification. This vacancy is being announced at one (1) grade level.

Specialized Experience at the FP-5 (GS-9) Level: To qualify for this position at the FP-5 grade level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-6 or GS-8. This experience must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the role. Specialized experience includes: Reviewing and assessing applicant legal history to determine eligibility or suitability based on established regulations and criteria; Processing and adjudicating background investigations, including making determinations on cases with minor or moderate complexity; Interpreting and applying policies, regulations, and procedural guidelines to provide guidance and make informed eligibility decisions; Analyzing case information and resolving routine legal or administrative issues, including written responses and recommendations.

~AND~

A Master's or equivalent graduate degree

~OR~

2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree

~OR~

L.L.B. or J.D., if related.

A combination of education and experience.

~AND~

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Current or former Federal employees, including Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable Time-in-Grade requirements to be eligible for this position. For positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) level, you must have completed at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying.

All current or former Federal employees, including internal employees, must provide a copy of their SF-50(s), "Notification of Personnel Action," to demonstrate that you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. For more information, refer to the "Required Documents" section below.

Please note:

• If you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience, please review the "Education" section of this announcement.
• Experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience requirements must be clearly documented in your resume. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Please review the "Required Documents" section of this announcement for further information on resume requirements.
• Specialized experience may be gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer service (e.g., National Service programs such as Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, or other organizations such as professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, or social groups).
• One year of experience refers to full-time work. Part-time work will be credited on a prorated basis.
• For more details on qualification requirements, refer to the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions, available on the OPM web site.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications are reviewed after the announcement closes. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or missing information may affect our ability to verify your eligibility or qualifications. We use a multi-step application review process:

1. Eligibility

We review your resume and supporting documents to confirm you meet the eligibility requirements of the position, including Time-in-Grade requirements.

You will be rated ineligible if:

• You are outside of the area of consideration (i.e., who may apply). Refer to the "This job is open to" section for more information about the area of consideration. Refer to the "Required Documents" section for more information about the documentation required to verify your eligibility to apply.
• You do not meet the Time-in-Grade requirement. Refer to the "Qualifications" section for more information about Time-in-Grade. Refer to the "Required Documents" section for more information about the documentation required to verify Time-in-Grade.

2. Minimum Qualifications, Rating and Ranking

After we determine you meet the eligibility requirements, we assess your experience by comparing your resume to the specialized experience required for the grade level(s) to which you applied. A "final score cut point" may be used when reviewing applications. We also review other qualification factors, such as Selective Placement Factors and education requirements.

You will be disqualified if:

• Your resume does not demonstrate that you possess the minimum qualifications. Refer to the "Specialized Experience" listed in the "Qualifications" section for more information about the minimum qualifications.
• Your resume does not demonstrate that you meet applicable Selective Placement Factors. If a Selective Placement Factor is required to qualify for this job announcement, more information about Selective Placement Factors is listed in the "Qualifications" section.
• You do not meet the applicable education requirements or did not submit supporting documentation to verify that you meet the requirements. If specific education is required to qualify for this job announcement, more information about the education requirements can be found in the "Qualifications" and "Education" sections.
• You inflate or falsify qualifications, education, or experience on your resume.

3. Referral and Selection

Highly qualified applicants are referred to the selecting official. The selecting official may:

• Conduct a structured interview.
• Check your references.
• Request a writing sample or conduct an additional job-related assessment.

You may preview the questionnaire for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12958647

Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which establish your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide any of these items, your application will be marked as incomplete, and you will be disqualified from further consideration.

All required documents listed below, as applicable to you, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement, 05/27/2026.

1) Resume - All applicants must submit a detailed resume that includes all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid), job titles, and duties performed:

• You must limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine eligibility and qualifications.
• The resume must be uploaded under the "Resume" document type in the application system.
• You may submit only one resume. If multiple resumes are submitted, only the latest submission in the "Resume" document type will be reviewed.

The following information must be included for each position listed in your resume:

• Name of the employer
• Official position title
• Start and end dates of employment (including month, day, and year)
• If you are a current federal employee or former federal employee, you must include your pay plan, series, and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09)
• A detailed list of duties and accomplishments

Resumes that do not contain the required details may be considered incomplete and could result in disqualification from further consideration.

TIP: To ensure your resume includes all required information, use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS.

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, you will be disqualified from further consideration.

2) Proof of Eligibility to Apply - Your application must include documentation that demonstrates you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the hiring authorities listed in the "Who May Apply" section of this announcement to receive further consideration. Proof of eligibility includes:

SF-50(s) - If you are a current or former federal employee (including Peace Corps employees), you must submit a legible copy of a recent SF-50.

• Time-in-grade documentation - If you are applying for a higher grade level and your most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you meet the one-year Time-in-Grade requirement. You must provide an SF-50 that clearly shows you meet this requirement, such as a:
  • Within-grade increase at the highest grade held
  • Promotion with an effective date more than one year old
  • SF-50(s) showing the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old
• Award SF-50s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for verifying Time-in-Grade.
• More than one SF-50 may be submitted to demonstrate that you meet the Time-in-Grade requirement.

Transcript(s) - If you are using education to substitute for some or all of the Specialized Experience requirement, or if there is a basic education requirement for this position, you must submit an official or unofficial transcript with your application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the initial application. Official transcripts may be requested if you are selected for the position. Please review the "Education" section of this announcement for additional details.

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