Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Employee Relations Branch (ERB), Division of Human Resource Management (HRM), Office of Information and Resource Management (OIRM), National Science Foundation. The ERB provides human resources management advisory, consultation and processing services to the NSF Employee Relations Program, Performance Management Program, and Employee Benefits Program.

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Responsibilities

The National Science Foundation is seeking a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations), with knowledge of advanced HR laws, regulations, principles, precedents, and policy to provide expert advisory and consultative service to NSF management in program areas such as disciplinary and performance-based and other adverse actions, appeals, administrative grievances, leave regulations and administration, standards of conduct, counseling and referral services, employee assistance programs and issues, violence in the workplace, health services, performance management, employee recognition, work-related injuries or illnesses, personnel security, retirement, and employee benefits. Specific duties may include the following:.

• Preparing reports bulletins, circulars, instructions, and guidelines.
• Providing advice, technical assistance, and policy guidance to NSF management on complex disciplinary, adverse and performance-based actions.
• Advising on the merit and requirements for successfully initiating and effecting conduct and performance-based actions.
• Providing interpretation of regulatory and other requirements governing employee discipline, adverse actions, grievances, appeals, and other employee relations matters.
• Participating in Branch efforts involving the design, conduct and reporting of specific Employee Relations Program administration reviews and evaluations.
• Participating in the planning, development, and implementation of an employee relations training program.
• Performs full functions of NSF's leave administration and awards.
• Providing advice, counseling, and policy guidance to NSF employees concerning their responsibilities, rights, procedures and time frames under various avenues of dispute resolution.
• Providing HR advice and assistance to the proponents of programs for alcohol and drug abuse, workforce violence, and standards of ethical conduct.
• Providing assistance in establishing, maintaining, and monitoring an effective performance management program designed to plan, monitor, develop, rate, and reward employee performance.
• Planning and carrying out special projects and studies to identify and resolve problems related to HR program activities.
• Providing performance, performance award, and other HR statistics, statistical analyses, and reports.

Competencies:

• Integrity/Honesty
• Customer Service
• Attention to Detail
• Writing
• Information Management
• Employee Relations

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Background investigation.
• Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
• US citizenship.

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

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

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.

You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire.

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

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-11 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is experience assisting higher graded HR specialists in operational assignments such as working disciplinary actions and administrative investigations; processed unemployment claims, independently processed suspension actions, removal actions, and award actions; maintenance of employee's official personnel files; consulted with employees and managers in matters related to conduct, performance, and leave management to include the voluntary leave transfer program and the family medical leave act.

OR A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.

OR A combination of post high school education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

To qualify at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is experience completing operational assignments such as working disciplinary actions and administrative investigations; processed unemployment claims, working on suspension actions, removal actions, and award actions; consulted with employees and managers in matters related to conduct, performance, and leave management.

To qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is experience independently completing operational assignments such as working disciplinary actions and administrative investigations; processed unemployment claims, working on suspension actions, removal actions, and award actions; acts as a expert consultant to advise employees and managers in matters related to conduct, performance, and leave management.

Education

Education may be substituted for experience as described in "Qualifications" for the GS-11. Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at the GS-12 and GS-13 level.

Additional information

Relocation Expenses Reimbursed will not be paid.

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 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.

For additional information on the NSF eRecruit system, please visit our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide .

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

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire. 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, due weight will be given to incentive awards and performance appraisals.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

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:

1. 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).

2. Performance appraisals and awards. If you do not possess or are unable to submit a performance appraisal at the time of application submission, further requests will be made during the interview and selection process.

3. DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.

4. Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.

5. 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. If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority not listed below, please email eRecruit@nsf.gov or reach out to the point of contact listed on the vacancy announcement.

• Pathways Interns who have completed their educational program, and are eligible for conversion.
• 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.

If using education as a substitution for experience, you must submit proof of meeting the education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you should submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.

We also ask that you complete and submit the Applicant Survey . This will help NSF to ensure that our recruiting efforts are attracting a diverse candidate pool; it will be used for statistical purposes only.

All faxing/uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
If you are faxing your information, please use extreme care in dialing the fax number to assure we receive your information. You will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your faxed/uploaded document(s).

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.