Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Director, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA), Government Affairs Branch. The employee is responsible for assisting in the strategic planning and execution of government affairs strategy, as well as the facilitation, coordination, and communication of information to the Congress, state and local officials, and the public on a wide-range of issues related to Federal support for science and engineering research and education.

This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Individuals with disabilities
• Military spouses
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• Special authorities
  
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency

Current or former Federal employees with competitive status obtained through a permanent Federal competitive service appointment OR individuals with eligibility for noncompetitive special appointing authority OR ICTAP/CTAP eligibles OR veterans eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act. This position is open to the public under vacancy number OLPA-24-12381775.

Duties

As a Government Affairs Specialist, GS-0301-13 MP, you will perform the following duties:

• Assists in the strategic planning and execution of government affairs strategy, as well as the facilitation, coordination, and communication of information to the Congress, state and local officials, and the public.
• Assists in the development and implementation of aggressive outreach strategies.
• Reviews NSF and OLPA products for accuracy, adequacy and conformance with agency priorities, messages, policies and procedures.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, NSF staff, state and local officials, and representatives of the science and engineering research and education community.
• Utilizing comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of science, technology and educational issues, develops sources of information as well as identifies and performs analyses of issues pertinent to the agency.
• Identifies legislative and other issues important to NSF and the science and engineering research and education community.
• Analyzes and monitors progress of legislation with respect to its impact.
• Attends and prepares analyses of Congressional and legislative activity, state and local and other external activities pertaining to issues important to NSF and the science and engineering research and education community.
• Assists in the coordination and development of NSF positions and testimony on legislative issues and Congressional hearing important for science and technology.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

1. You must be a US citizen.
2. Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
3. Selectee may be required to serve a 1-year trial/probationary period.

Additional Requirements:

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade/equivalent.

You must meet eligibility & qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.

You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire & any external assessment that is included.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 Level in the federal government supporting the development and implementation of an organization's legislative strategy. Examples include: assisting in the strategic planning and execution of government affairs strategy; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staffs; analyzing science and technology policy for organizational impacts; develops and reviews outreach products for an organization.

In addition to meeting the specialized experience above. Applicant must also meet the following selective placement factor below:

I have experience with the Federal legislative process, and with planning and executing government affairs strategies in the areas of science and technology

Experience refers to paid/unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) & other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, & skills & can provide valuable training/experience that translates directly to paid work. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.

Additional information

Relocation Expenses will not be paid.

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by AFGE Local 3403.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to & including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment & referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)

ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "Very Good" on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources

Veteran's Preference:

If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the VA letter or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.

• 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.
  
  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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Organizational Awareness
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Technical Competence
• Writing

In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.

Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At NSF, this means a score of 90.0 or higher.

In the merit promotion selection process, formal performance appraisals may be considered if voluntarily submitted by the applicant.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12381776

• 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.
  
  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.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  All applicants should submit a resume/CV of their choice and may also submit a cover letter.
  
  • If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status.
  • If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
    
    • Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee.- SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement.- An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service.- Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
    • Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
    • DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, an SF15, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating (VA Letter) from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
    • Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
    • Other - Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. This includes:
      
      • Returned Peace Corp Volunteers
      • Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473)
      • Former Overseas Employees
      • Foreign Service Employees
      • Career Service Employees
      • Postal Rate Commission Employees
      • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees
      • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
  • If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
  
  All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH OR ANY OTHER PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
  
  
  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
  
  Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established at the OPM website following the instructions provided in order to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be re-directed to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
  
  • Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position will be able to apply until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
  • If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
  • As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
  • If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact on this job opportunity announcement.
  
  
  Agency contact information
  
  
  
  Staffing and Classification Branch
  
  Email
  
  erecruit@nsf.gov
  
  Address
  
  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
  
  2415 Eisenhower Ave
  
  Alexandria, VA 22314
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website
  
  Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

All applicants should submit a resume/CV of their choice and may also submit a cover letter.

• If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status.
• If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
  
  • Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee.- SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement.- An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service.- Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
  • Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
  • DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, an SF15, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating (VA Letter) from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
  • Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
  • Other - Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. This includes:
    
    • Returned Peace Corp Volunteers
    • Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473)
    • Former Overseas Employees
    • Foreign Service Employees
    • Career Service Employees
    • Postal Rate Commission Employees
    • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees
    • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
• If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.

All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.

IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH OR ANY OTHER PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.


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

Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established at the OPM website following the instructions provided in order to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be re-directed to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.

• Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position will be able to apply until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
• If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
• As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
• If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact on this job opportunity announcement.

Agency contact information



Staffing and Classification Branch

Email

erecruit@nsf.gov

Address

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

2415 Eisenhower Ave

Alexandria, VA 22314

US

Next steps

You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website

Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request