Job Requirements
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Secret Polygraph Unspecified
Mid Level Career (5+ yrs experience)
$143,913 - $197,200
Job Description
About the Position: This position is located at the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Center Headquarters (ATEC HQ), with a duty location of Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. (merit)
Summary
About the Position: This position is located at the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Center Headquarters (ATEC HQ), with a duty location of Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. (merit)
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Open 10/22/2026 to 10/30/2026
Location
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
1 vacancy
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational Only - as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 4
Promotion potential
None
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel up to 15% of the time for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
SDSE-27-13095965-MP
Control number
889593500
This job is open to
Help
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Land and base management
Current or former employees of a base management agency.
Veterans
Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference
Military spouses
Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.
Clarification from the agency
See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.
Duties
Help
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
Qualifications
Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities
In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Developing strategic communication materials for internal and external audiences; and 2) Advising organizational leaders on the potential effects of legislative, organizational, or political issues on the organization's mission and public perception; and 3) Developing official organizational responses to media inquiries in coordination with subject-matter experts. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (NH-03/GS-13).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
Additional information
Expand Hide additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
Review our 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.
As part of the assessment process, your resume will be evaluated using a competency-based method. This structured evaluation measures your qualifications, experience, and skills against the core competencies required for the position. Final scores will determine whether you are referred to the Hiring Manager for further consideration.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
You may claim Military Spouse preference.
Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.
You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.
DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.
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.
Review our 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
Required Documents
Help
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
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
Help
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on10/30/2026 to receive consideration.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Agency contact information
Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
SE-W3Q2AA US ARMY TEST EVALUATION CMD HQ
DO NOT MAIL
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005
US
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and qual
Summary
About the Position: This position is located at the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Center Headquarters (ATEC HQ), with a duty location of Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. (merit)
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Open 10/22/2026 to 10/30/2026
Location
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
1 vacancy
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational Only - as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 4
Promotion potential
None
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel up to 15% of the time for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
SDSE-27-13095965-MP
Control number
889593500
This job is open to
Help
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Land and base management
Current or former employees of a base management agency.
Veterans
Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference
Military spouses
Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.
Clarification from the agency
See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.
Duties
Help
- Develops and implements comprehensive strategic communication plans and media products to promote organizational goals to diverse audiences.
- Advises senior leaders and briefs stakeholders on complex, sensitive, and potentially controversial legislative, public affairs, and strategic engagement matters.
- Manages congressional inquiries and analyzes proposed legislation to advise senior leaders on potential mission impacts and sensitivities.
- Provides authoritative advisory services on the broader implications of communication strategies and develops proactive outreach to key stakeholders.
- Plans and executes multi-faceted outreach events, special visits, and official functions involving senior officials, international partners, and media representatives.
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
- Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
- This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required.
- Appointment to this position is subject to a one year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirements as described in 5 CFR Part 11. While probationary the incumbent can be terminated with limited appeal rights.
- This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of up to 15% of the time.
Qualifications
Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities
- Current Employees of the U.S. Army Test & Evaluation Command with personal competitive status.
- Current Civilian Employees of the Command
- Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
- Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
- Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
- Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
- Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
- Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
- Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
- Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998
In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Developing strategic communication materials for internal and external audiences; and 2) Advising organizational leaders on the potential effects of legislative, organizational, or political issues on the organization's mission and public perception; and 3) Developing official organizational responses to media inquiries in coordination with subject-matter experts. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (NH-03/GS-13).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
- Oral Communication
- Political Savvy
- Project Management
- Strategic Thinking
- Writing
Additional information
- Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
- You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
- This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
- Direct deposit of pay is required.
- Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
- If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
- This is a Public Affairs and Communications Media Career Program position aligned under the Public Affair, Inspector General, Legal, Learning, Archives, and Relations/Communications (PILLAR) Career Management Directorate.
- Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
- Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
- Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
- The NH-04 band is equal to the GS-14 step 01 through GS-15 step 10. This position is subject to the NH-04 Professional/ Evaluator/ Tester/ Analyst equivalent control point of the ATEC Control Point Policy at $188,167 per year (Includes locality pay).
- U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) provides direct support to Transformation and Training Command and relevant, timely information to senior Army leaders to make future force decisions enabling Multi-Domain Operations through rigorous developmental testing and independent operational tests and evaluations.
Expand Hide additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
Review our 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.
As part of the assessment process, your resume will be evaluated using a competency-based method. This structured evaluation measures your qualifications, experience, and skills against the core competencies required for the position. Final scores will determine whether you are referred to the Hiring Manager for further consideration.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
You may claim Military Spouse preference.
Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.
You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.
DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.
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.
Review our 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
Required Documents
Help
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
- Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
- For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
- Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
- If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
- For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
- Cover Letter, optional
- Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
- Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
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
Help
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on10/30/2026 to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13095965).
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
- You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
- It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
- Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Agency contact information
Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
SE-W3Q2AA US ARMY TEST EVALUATION CMD HQ
DO NOT MAIL
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005
US
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and qual
group id: DOA