Visitor Assistant Job in Washington DC, DC

Vacancy No. CVC-2025-054 Department Architect of the Capitol
Salary $45,146.00 to $58,686.00 Grade 05 to 05
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/1/2024 Close Date 1/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington DC, DC


Summary

This position is located in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), the gateway to the U.S. Capitol and Congress. Our staff welcome visitors from around the world for tours of the historic rooms of the Capitol, educational programs and congressional events. Our goal is to inform, involve and inspire every visitor. This goal is supported by 200 employees across five divisions: Visitor Services, Exhibits and Education, Retail, Communications and Marketing, and Planning, Operations and Evaluation.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all U.S. citizens.

Duties

The operational needs of the Capitol Visitor Center require that as a Visitor Assistant, you will need to work on Saturdays and holidays, and may be expected to work Sundays and/or evenings in support of special events. As a Visitor Assistant you will be required to walk, talk and stand for hours, up to an entire shift, as well as walk up and down steps. In addition, you will be required to lift items which may weigh up to 20 pounds, such as stanchions and boxes. While your work would be primarily indoors, you will need to work outdoors, in a variety of weather conditions, to facilitate visitors entering the buildings or to provide support for special events.

As a Visitor Assistant you will:

  • Provide visitor services assistance in support of tour operations in the CVC and the Capitol. You will gather the group to explain the procedures to be followed and any safety and conduct measures required; assist and provide order with managing extremely large groups with unfamiliar surroundings where there may be safety concerns. Collaborate with co-workers, specifically, visitor assistants and guides, on daily and routine tasks and adjusts, as necessary, to ensure visitor flow is maintained and tours and programs operate as scheduled. Use hand-held radios to talk with co-workers and/or supervisor regarding new information or assignments or if in need of additional personnel within the CVC.
  • Work with visitors in a variety of ways, in support of tours and programs (e.g., greeting visitors at tour and program staging areas, assisting with reservations, providing information on times and content, loading and unloading theaters, operating audio-visual equipment, collecting data, distributing listening devices, dividing larger groups into smaller groups per tour limitations, arranging for accessibility services). You will also have to consider safety and security factors when coordinating tour operations. And you will use the advance reservation automated system to verify reservations for visitors or tour groups.
  • Confirm or set up a new reservation with in-coming visitors in the automated reservation system and issues tickets.
  • Work with visitors to resolve late or early arrivals or adjustments to the reserved time. You may be required to lift twenty pound boxes of tickets restock printers for the automated reservation system.
  • Occasionally be required to provide brief, informal talks on the history presented in the Exhibition Hall and the CVC and inform visitors about the historical significance of exhibits and artifacts.
  • Receive guidance from the U.S. Capitol Police with regard to safety and security issues such as addressing prohibited items, directing crowds and assisting visitors in the event of an emergency in the CVC or Capitol, and maintaining personal safety. If any safety and security concerns should arise, you will report them to supervisors and US Capitol Police.
  • Be expected to work Saturdays and holidays, and may be expected to work Sundays and/or evenings in support of special events, due to the operational needs of the Visitor Center.

*** Please Note: This position is temporary in nature and will not exceed 13 months.  This is strictly a temporary appointment where there is no permanent need or permanent funding available for the work involved and that the temporary appointment is limited in duration. The duration of this temporary appointment may be shorter or longer, depending on the duration of the work or project. The temporary position may also be terminated at any time due to lack of work and/or lack of funds without any advance notice. As a non-permanent employee, you may also be separated for failure to meet management’s expectations, with no advance notice.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be able to pass a drug test and background check.
  • Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
  • You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below:

  • A citizen of the United States;
  • A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
  • A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible;
  • A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or
  • A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at https://www.opm.gov/qualifications.
 
Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
 
Candidates for the GS-05 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service.  Specialized experience for this position is defined as having experience:

  • Providing assistance to customers in a retail, hospitality, or museum environment;
  • Answering basic questions that arise from customers' inquiries; and
  • Ensuring the safety of customers, when necessary.

Education

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Experience requirements may be met by successful completion of a four year course of study leading to a bachelors' degree with major study in fields such as history, science, and/or public speaking, or that included or was supplemented by 24 semester/36 quarter hours in such subjects.

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.
 
The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.
 
The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
 
Moving expenses are not authorized.
 
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
 
Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

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.

A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc.

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.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. 

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

  • CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
  • PROBLEM SOLVING
  • ORAL COMMUNICATION


Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions.  Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.

Your resume should list your education, training and work experience including job titles, employment dates, duties and accomplishments.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC’s Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for the position, you will be asked to provide it during the interview or selection process. At that time, you may be asked to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, you may be asked to provide a copy of your diploma, college transcripts, or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires licensure or certification, you will be asked to provide proof at the time of selection.

If Veterans’ preference is claimed, you will be asked to submit proof (DD-214, and, if claiming a 10-point preference, a SF-15 and the proof required by that form).

Failure to provide the required documents will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

If you are a new user to the USAJOBS Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJOBS user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page.

NEED HELP?
If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times.

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS “Saved Documents” feature.

If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may call (202) 226-7000 for directions.

Agency contact information

LaDerica Bowden
Phone
202-226-7000
Fax
202-226-9755
Email
laderica.bowden@aoc.gov
Address
Architect of the Capitol
2nd and D Street, S.W.
Washington, District of Columbia 20515
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You will receive a notice generated by the USAJOBS System when you have successfully submitted your application. We will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.

You can check the status of your application by logging into http://www.usajobs.gov. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJOBS Account, editing your profile and changing the ‘Notification Settings’ to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two (2) weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.


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


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