Duties

About the Graduate Recruit Program

Initial appointments under the Graduate Recruit Program will be made for a period up to 120 days. Initial appointments are expected to convert to permanent, contingent upon the participant's successful performance, completion of all degree requirements, and availability of funding. Those students who return to school to complete their advanced degree program may be eligible for a permanent position once they obtain their degree.

About CRS

CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress, CRS experts assist at every stage of the legislative process-from the early considerations that precede bill drafting, through committee hearings and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted laws and various agency activities.

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective, and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.

DUTIES

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) seeks a Research Librarian for the Research & Library Services Section of its Domestic Social Policy Division. The section broadly supports the work of Congress in issue areas including income security, veterans' benefits, health care, education, labor, housing, child welfare, and nutrition assistance.

This Research Librarian position is expected to provide research and library services to CRS policy analysts and congressional clients, focusing on issues related to support for children and families, nutrition assistance programs, and healthcare.

Candidates earning a Master of Library Science (MLS) or equivalent degree and background working in a library, information center, or research organization are especially encouraged to apply.

The research librarian position carries promotion potential to the GS-13 level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Library employees must be fully vaccinated by Monday, January 3, 2022. New hires must be fully vaccinated by the date of their appointment.

Employees are considered fully vaccinated when it has been at least two weeks since they received the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna) or the single dose of a one-dose vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson/Janssen). At this time, booster shots are not necessary to be considered fully vaccinated.

New hires will be required to show proof of vaccination their first week of work.

Upon request, employees must provide proof of vaccination to the Health Services Division.

Consistent with applicable law, the Library will consider individual exceptions to the vaccination requirement based on an employee's medical condition or sincerely held religious belief. Employees with an approved exception will be subject to weekly testing and other COVID-19 safety protocols as directed, including, for example, wearing masks and social distancing.

Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

Qualifications

Who may be considered:

Graduate students and Library of Congress employees who meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

U.S. Citizenship

Current enrollment in or anticipated graduation from an appropriate, accredited advanced degree program. (Library of Congress employees who already possess a graduate degree may be considered for appointment under the CRS Graduate Recruit Program).

General education requirements for a GS-09 appointment (see below).

GS-09 Grade Level

Two years of progressively higher level appropriate graduate education leading to a master's degree, OR

Master's or equivalent graduate degree, OR

One year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level in the federal service or at a comparable level of difficulty outside the federal service.

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR LIBRARIAN POSITIONS

GS-09 Grade Level

Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education in library or information science, OR master's degree in library or information science or equivalent graduate degree related to the position, OR enrollment in a master of library or information science degree program or equivalent graduate degree program with one year of relevant work experience equivalent to the GS-07 level.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, AND ABILITY REQUIREMENTS

The critical knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs), gained through education, experience and/or training, needed to successfully perform the duties of the position:

GS-09 Grade Level

KSA #1: Prior Background and Experience / Ability to Apply Knowledge of Research Resources in Domestic Social Policy**

The ability to apply knowledge of research resources in domestic social policy such as databases, directories, statistical compilations, federal government agency websites, government documents, and legal documents. This includes the ability to select resources by weighing the relative value of the resources for research projects.

KSA #2: Ability to Conduct Information Research**

The ability to conduct information research projects. This includes: (1) identifying, proposing, developing, and executing specialized research projects; (2) collaborating and consulting with internal and external subject specialists to develop and improve the projects; (3) executing a research methodology, assessing the progress of research and developing and revising a methodology as needed; and (5) assuring a research methodology is transparent and results are accurate, objective, and responsive in preparation for movement of a product through a review process.

KSA #3: Ability to Communicate in Writing**

The ability to write a variety of documents (e.g. reports, memoranda, email responses) in anticipation of or in response to the needs of internal and external clients. This includes: (1) designing, writing, and editing products that described the findings of research projects and may contain abstracts, methodological descriptions, summaries, charts, graphs, and tables; (2) organizing the content of a product to serve the needs of a client; (3) co-authoring products in collaboration with colleagues; (4) incorporating comments by reviewers or stakeholders during a review process; and (5) updating products to maintain accuracy and currency.

Education

You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.

Foreign Education - Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) . Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of EEO/Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

A "Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.