TECH WRITER/EDITOR

Clarification from the agency

Status Candidates, Merit Promotion, Current Federal Employees, Former Federal Employees, Overseas Employees, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VRA , VEOA, 30% Disabled, Schedule A, Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, Land and Base Management, Peace Corps, Americorps, Vista For definitions of common terms found in this announcement: http://dhsconnect.dhs.gov/org/comp/mgmt/dhshr/hr/Documents/JOA_Common_Definitions.pdf

You will serve as a TECH WRITER/EDITOR and be responsible for Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The incwnbent provides technical support and course material for ATTC and the Training Division of Coast Guard Headquarters (CG-13). The position's primary purpose is to perform technical writing and editing duties -- neither are predominate.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

• Editing for publication, documents, specifications, manuals and such other written or visual material as may be required by the current Branch mission.
• Arranging, preparing, revising, and correcting such written material as may be generated by other personnel into the proper formats, correct grammatical context and prescribed visual form for publication.
• Setting the prescribed styles, format and procedures for the final appearance of all documents within the guidelines published by the Commandant or other such authority.
• Recommending such changes as may be appropriate to increase readability, understanding or clarity of documents.
• Continually reviewing and making recommendations to improve the overall publication process by more effective use of personnel, equipment, or procedures, with particular emphasis on automated procedures.
• Ensuring that documents when presented for printing contain the proper elements in the proper order oh the proper material within the proper format.
• Coordinating and track all course development activity to ensure timely and accurate course development production and printing.
• Coordinating, routing, and electronically tracking all course development change recommendations, ensuring accuracy and; completeness of all change packages. Maintaining paper original of all course development packages.
• Duties include general subject matter knowledge with commensurate ability to visualize expected results. Some projects may require site demonstrations or field-level explanations to properly capture the essence of the planned change.

Conditions of employment

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

Key Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• Under provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act, first time supervisors and/or managers will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation.
• This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• Time-in-Grade requirement must be met by the closing date of the vacancy.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

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 HR Office.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-09 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular basis.

• Resume reflects at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level preparing, revising, editing, or formatting technical, instructional, operational, or procedural documents for clarity, accuracy, readability, and compliance with established style requirements.
• Resume reflects experience developing, revising, or preparing technical manuals, training materials, courseware, specifications, or comparable products for publication, distribution, or use by a technical workforce.
• Resume reflects experience reviewing documents for completeness, consistency, grammar, organization, formatting, and adherence to applicable correspondence, publication, or organizational standards before final release or production.
• Resume reflects experience coordinating document-development activities, routing and tracking revisions or change recommendations, maintaining version-control or supporting records, and ensuring products are completed within established timelines.
• Resume reflects experience working with subject-matter experts, technicians, engineers, program personnel, contractors, or other stakeholders to gather facts, verify technical content, resolve discrepancies, and incorporate revisions into final documentation.

Technical Writing and Editing Series 1083

Individual Occupation Requirements

Education:
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Must have included a total of 15 semester hours in an appropriate scientific, technical, or social science field(s), and at least one course above the introductory level in the field(s) covered by the position. For technical manuals and specifications writers or editors, the equivalent of 15 semester hours may have been gained through vocational or educational training above the high school level at a public, private, or Armed Forces school.

OR

Experience:

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience that required substantial subject-matter or technical knowledge of the field. This experience must have demonstrated the ability to acquire and present technical information through independent reading, interviews with subject-matter specialists, observation of tests and experiments, interpretation of blueprints or diagrams, or other appropriate methods. Such experience may have been acquired as a writer or editor of technical reports, articles, manuals, or specifications.

NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or related applicable assessment) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training, along with any applicable assessments, will be rated. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. The necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities to perform this job are:

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Teamwork

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13095878

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation. CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles: CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position. If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. Individuals must be well-qualified by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website.

Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable.

Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education, & training. Include start & end dates (mm/yy to mm/yy) & number of hours per week worked/volunteered. For additional information on your resume, see How to Apply.

-Your responses to any applicable assessments.

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50(s) that verify your eligibility for consideration as a current or former federal applicant; &
• Your SF-50 must verify your highest competitive grade, time-in-grade, your current promotion potential or full performance level & proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. DO NOT submit an award SF-50 or pay/general adjustment SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility.
• For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. Recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50.

Are you qualifying based on education? If yes, transcripts are required. See Education for additional information on required documents.

Veterans' preference documentation (All DD-214s MUST be a signed, legible copy showing character of service and lost time, typically Member 4 or Service copy), SF-15 & VA letter, if applicable. NOTE: The revised Oct 2013 SF-15 is the latest copy & all others are not usable. Please see Feds Hire Vets for detail.

• Veterans claiming 5 point veterans' preference must submit DD214(s) as detailed above.
• 30% Disabled Veterans must submit their DD-214(s) as detailed above, & VA Disability Letter with percentage of disability OR documentation of disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces which reflects a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.
• Other 10 point Preference Eligibles must submit DD-214(s) as detailed above, & provide documentation of 10 point preference described on the back of the SF-15.
• If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD214 & is claiming eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating you will be discharged/released from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days from the date you submit your certification as part of your application for this announcement. See the "How to Apply" section of this announcement for information on specific requirements for VOW certifications.

Schedule A documentation, if applicable. Note: CG welcomes & encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Qualified applicants with disabilities may be eligible for special hire, non-competitive appointment under Sched A eligibility.

Military Spouses (if applicable) - You MUST submit verification of marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage) &: (1) a copy of your spouse's active military orders; OR (2) verification of your spouse's 100% service-connected disability (VA Letter &/or DD-214); OR (3) verification of the service member's death while on active duty (DD-1300/Death Certificate). You are not eligible if you were not married to the veteran at the time of death or have since remarried.

Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.

Other noncompetitive or special appointing authorities (e.g., Peace Corps, VISTA, Public Land Corp, Military Spouse, VRA, 30% Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas Employees, Foreign Service, etc.) must provide substantiating documentation as required.

Political Appointees: OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Sched A, Sched C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

CTAP & ICTAP applicants MUST submit documentation verifying your eligibility. This includes a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, most recent SF-50-Notification of Personnel Action noting your current position, grade level and duty location, & documentation from your agency showing your current promotion potential. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.

NOTE: Failure to provide required documents could result in elimination of consideration.

Next steps