Public Affairs Specialist (Digital Communications) Job in Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

Vacancy No. SDSE-26-12994128-MP Department U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
Salary $102,415.00 to $158,322.00 Grade 3 to 3
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/30/2026 Close Date 7/2/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD


Public Affairs Specialist (Digital Communications)

Department of the Army
U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
HQ-ATEC

Summary

About the Position: This position is located at the HQ-ATEC Communications Office with a duty location of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. (merit)

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.

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

  • Create digital content for social media platforms to support communication strategies.
  • Develop visual information products, such as graphics and photographs, for use in multimedia activities.
  • Apply public affairs regulations/guidance to ensure communication products meet organizational standards.
  • Provide guidance to content providers on social media best practices to ensure adherence to policy.
  • Advise senior leaders on public affairs issues to support engagement with key stakeholders.
  • Conduct briefings for internal/external audiences to explain organizational objectives.
  • Write media such as news releases, articles, and talking points to inform internal and external audiences about the organization's mission.
  • Edit informational materials for areas such as clarity, accuracy, and adherence to style guidelines.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required.
  • This position requires travel away from the normal duty station (up to 5% of the time).

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Current Employees of the U.S. Army Test & Evaluation Command, HQ-ATEC with personal competitive status.
  • Current Civilian Employees of the Organization



Consideration will also be given to current Army employees with personal competitive status.

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Create informational materials, such as articles or social media posts, for an organization's communications program; 2) Apply established communication principles to engage with public audiences; and 3) Utilize digital tools to produce content for an organization's online platforms. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower level/grade position in the federal service (NH-02/GS-11).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Oral Communication
  • Public Affairs Policies and Procedures
  • Technical Competence
  • Written Communication

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a(n) Professional Services Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
  • The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command has various incentives that may be available for highly qualified candidates. These include Recruitment Incentives, Relocation Incentives, Student Loan Repayment, Credit for Leave Accrual, and Permanent Change of Station Allowance.
  • The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) is participating in an alternate personnel system known as the Acquisition Demonstration Project (AcqDemo). Among other features, the Demonstration Project replaced GS grade levels with occupational families and pay bands. The band NH-03 is equal to the former GS-12 Step 01 through GS-13 step 10. ATEC uses salary control points to allow for differentiation in the level of positions within the same broadband. Therefore, the salary for this position will be set no higher than $133,794.00 including locality.

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.

As part of the assessment process, your resume will be evaluated using a competency-based method. This structured evaluation measures your qualifications, experience, and skills against the core competencies required for the position. Final scores will determine whether you are referred to the Hiring Manager for further consideration.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

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). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your 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.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on07/02/2026 to receive consideration.

  • 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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12994128).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
  • 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. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
SE-W3Q2AA US ARMY TEST EVALUATION CMD HQ
DO NOT MAIL
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

What is the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC)?

ATEC is the Army's independent test and evaluation organization. We are a team of Civilian and Military personnel working together to provide America's Military with the best equipment to win and return home safely. At ATEC, we have a saying: If a Soldier rides, wears, shoots, or deploys it, we test it. ATEC is at the forefront of testing and evaluating technologies of the future from autonomous aerial/ground vehicles to hypersonic weapons. Each day, top scientists and engineers test and evaluate cutting-edge equipment. Our workforce is highly technical and skilled, comprised of more than 8,500 military, civilian, and contract personnel. Engineers, scientists, technicians, researchers, and evaluators work with innovative, advanced technologies in 24 testing and research locations across the U.S. States and around the world.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
SE-W3Q2AA US ARMY TEST EVALUATION CMD HQ
DO NOT MAIL
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005
US

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Learn more about what it's like to work at U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.atecciviliancareers.com