• Serves as a reviewer at international conferences, assuming full responsibility for all texts translated into the French language, ranging over a wide spectrum of specialized subjects.
• Translates, between French and English, a wide variety of documents, including diplomatic correspondence, treaties, laws, court records, presentations, and technical and financial reports.
• Reviews and edits translations prepared by staff and contractor colleagues and provides feedback on proposed changes.
• Compares between the English and French language texts of treaties and international agreements and drafts memos citing substantive and non-substantive discrepancies between the two.
• Finalizes translations using a variety of electronic formats, including word processing, briefing slides, spreadsheets, web-based applications, or Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/
• This position requires the applicant to pass a Language Proficiency Test.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. 

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

Experience in translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and the other language; or a combination of work (that required English and the other language) and training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute, or comparable training.

IN ADDITION, this position requires the following additional specialized experience:

• Experience translating from English into French and French into English, a wide variety of documents, types, and subjects, in a variety of formats, for example, diplomatic correspondence, laws, memoranda, speeches, position papers, training materials, presentations, and technical and financial reports. 
• Experience reviewing translations to ensure accuracy, completeness, correct grammar and spelling, consistency, proper formatting, and appropriate terminology and register.
• Experience researching terminology and subject matter encountered in translation assignments, using online resources, dictionaries, glossaries and references, as well as terminology databases and consultations with subject matter experts.
• Experience using computer assisted technology tools such as SDL/Trados Studio Freelance or Professional, MemoQ, WordFast, Déjà Vu, OmegaT or equivalent.

THE FOLLOWING SELECTIVE FACTOR IS REQUIRED:

Must have experience in translation of French into English.

The following are examples of work in the required language that may have provided the required abilities: translator; interpreter; librarian or information specialist required to make abstracts, screen, index, and scan material; intelligence; writer or editor; international organizational work, such as the Peace Corps, World Bank, United Nations, business, or other organizations; or professor, teacher, or instructor work at the high school or college level that required use of the foreign language.

**ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE TESTED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROFICIENCY ON A PASS/FAIL BASIS PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT.**

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.

How you will be evaluated

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

The evaluation process consists of the Monster Competency Based Assessments and a crediting plan for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100.  A resume review by subject matter experts (SMEs) will be conducted for the top qualified candidates based on the combined total score.  Resumes longer than 2 pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. Responses to questions that are not fully supported by your resume may result in a rating adjustment.  

You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):  

Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management. 

Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Non-supervisory) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments.

Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: 

• Knowledge of source language (French), with particular attention to the written language.
• Ability to apply the principles, techniques, and practices of translating through a self-tailored translation methodology to produce a finished translation.
• Skill at comparing English and foreign-language versions of treaties and international agreements and at drafting a memo citing substantive and non-substantive difference between the two.
• Ability to self-review own translations to ensure quality and adherence to instructions.
• Knowledge in producing both brief and in-depth target-language summaries of source-languages texts
• Skill at reviewing translations prepared by staff and contract colleagues, and in providing them with positive and negative feedback.

Resume review:  SMEs will review your resume to determine your qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Your resume should demonstrate how you meet all aspects of the specialized experience statement. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened.).  If meeting basic qualifications through education only or a combination of education and experience, applicants will not be referred to the SME panel but will be reviewed by the HR Specialist for referral. 

This announcement used the set 10 of highest-ranked eligibles. All candidates tied at the cut score will be referred based on method under 5 CFR §332.402 to refer candidates to the selecting official for further consideration and possible interview. We will provide the selecting official a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least 3 candidates per vacancy. If fewer than 3 eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we may expand the referral in accordance with the pre-determined agency and OPM policy. 

In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application may result in your removal from consideration. 

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume limited to two pages showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.

2. Transcripts, if applicable and you are qualifying based on education.  See the Qualification and Education sections of this announcement for more information. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. 

3.  Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable:

• To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
• To claim 10-point preference, submit all required documentation outlined on the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.).  If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference.
• To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim.
• To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
• For all preference claims:
  • DD-214 Member 4 copies are preferred and must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals.
  • If you are currently on active duty and applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement.
• For more veterans’ preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

4.  ICTAP/CTAP documentation, if applicable (e.g., reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, RIF separation SF-50 personnel action (ICTAP only, if available), most recent SF-50 (CTAP or ICTAP), certification of expected separation, etc.).  In addition, submit a copy of your current (or last) performance rating of record which must be at least fully successful or equivalent and submit all required documents listed above that apply to you (e.g., resume, transcripts, SF-50, etc.). 

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