Program Specialist

Duties

• Assist Principal Investigators (PIs) by tracking project funds/labor, forecasting costs with sponsors, determining Work Item Codes (WICs), and aligning resources.
• Resolve WIC discrepancies and payroll system to safeguard division overhead.
• Process and audit travel orders/vouchers to prevent "burden rejects" and amend funding shortfalls.
• Define project scope, develop milestone schedules, track baselines, and maintain data reports to brief PIs on burn rates and financial health.
• Track project risks, assist with mitigation plans, and act as the primary contact to troubleshoot operational roadblocks.
• Connect multidisciplinary technical teams with administrative divisions, manage stakeholder communication, and prepares project briefs/documentation.
• Analyze and interpret changing legislation and regulations to provide authoritative advice to staff
• Prepares complex approval materials for foreign travel and conferences.
• Utilizes advanced office automation technology to design and streamline division operating procedures.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 10% of the time
• One year probationary period may be required

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 for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

• 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 education and/or 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 .

Qualification for Program Specialist, 301 Series:

General Experience: Three years progressively responsible experience, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level, which includes 1) analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; 2) plan and organize work; and 3) communicate effectively orally and in writing. This definition of general experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service DJ-01 (GS-04).

OR

Education: Four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 36. Then divide your total number of completed undergraduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 120. Add the two percentages.

This position is covered by the Science and Technology Laboratory Personnel Management Demonstration Project at the DJ-0301-02 (equivalent to GS 05-10).

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 or equivalent (DJ-01, GS 04).

This announcement MAY be used to fill like vacancies six months from the closing date.

In accordance with the Federal Register Vol. 63, No. 57, dates March 25, 1998, an employee of the Laboratory Demonstration project must have a current average performance score of 2.5 or above in order to be selected for promotion. All applicants currently employed under a Laboratory Demonstration Project must include their most recent performance appraisal score as part of their electronic resume. If you are a Lab Demo employee submitting your resume for the first time, or if you have previously submitted your resume without your most recent score, you must submit your resume now with the following statement to be included in the section on your training: Current Performance Rating.

All qualification requirements, including time after competitive appointment, must be met within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: .

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 information sheet.
• This is a Comptroller Career Program position aligned under the Human Capital & Resource Management Directorate (HC/RM).
• 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.
• Eligible for situation telework only, including emergency and OPM prescribed "Unscheduled Telework"
• Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.
• Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selected is eligible and recommended by management.
• This position is Non-Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests : If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: