USDA Looking for Program Assistant (Farm Bill) at Lihue, HI Full Time

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

To Qualify For The GS-05 Level

Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service performing administrative duties in support of conservation, forestry or agriculture. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Processing, organizing and filing records for business program operations.
• Responding to questions on office programs policies, procedures and operations to employees and outside parties.
• Receiving and processing applications (including reviewing applications for completeness).
• Reviewing incoming/outgoing correspondence for format, grammar, and punctuation.
• Maintaining office filing system.
• Providing telephone and receptionist services.
• Scheduling meetings and providing other clerical and administrative support for an organization. OR

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience: Successfully completed 4 or more years of education above the high school level is creditable at GS-5 grade level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

To Qualify For The GS-06 Level

Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service performing complex administrative duties in support of conservation planning. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Designing or developing financial and transactional reports and correspondences for project management.
• Developing processes and procedures for administrative functions to provide consistency within the office and to outside parties.

Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-06 level.

To Qualify For The GS-07 Level

Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service providing technical and administrative support to contract services in support of conservation planning. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Utilizing a variety of electronic tools to input, organize and manipulate data.
• Communicating program information and verifying participant eligibility, creating and maintaining case files.
• Tracking contract status and following-up with participants to ensure deadlines are met.
• Reviewing contracts, payments and other technical documents for accuracy and compliance with policy.
• Working with staff and customers to resolve program issues and problems.

Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-07 level.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#GS-CLER

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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 . If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement.

Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

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

Additional Information

• For Hawaii employees, in addition to salary, compensation will also include a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of 8.90% (subject to change). COLA is not subject to Federal income tax and is not calculated as salary for retirement. For more information please visit OPM’s website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/.
• For Guam employees, in addition to salary, compensation will also include a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of 12.04% (subject to change). COLA is not subject to Federal income tax and is not calculated as salary for retirement. For more information please visit OPM’s website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
• Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
• Physical Demands: The work is sedentary but involves some light to moderate lifting and carrying. The incumbent is required to perform repetitive work involving the use of arms and hands. Use of a computer keyboard is required.
• Work Environment: The work is performed in an office setting which provides adequate light, heat and ventilation. Observance of normal office safety precautions is required.
• PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:
• If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.
• If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.
• This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8-hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
• Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.

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• Help Help 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 window Learn 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.