- Position Title
- Public Affairs Specialist
- Agency
- Food and Drug Administration
- Announcement Number
- FDA-OC-19-DE-10485887 Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Friday, August 9, 2019 to Friday, August 16, 2019
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans' Preference?
2.
Do you wish to be considered under a CTAP (Career Transition Assistance Plan) eligibility?
You may qualify for CTAP eligibility if all of the statements apply to you:
To verify your eligibility for CTAP:
You must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must also submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest SF-50: Notification of Personnel Action showing position, tenure code, grade & step, and full name/DOB/SSN.
You may qualify for CTAP eligibility if all of the statements apply to you:
- You are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy.
- You have been (or will be) involuntarily separated from the agency advertising this position, due to a reduction-in-force.
- You are applying to a position that is at (or below) the grade level of the position separated from.
- You are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position separated from.
- Your last performance rating of record is at least "fully successful" or equivalent.
To verify your eligibility for CTAP:
You must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must also submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest SF-50: Notification of Personnel Action showing position, tenure code, grade & step, and full name/DOB/SSN.
3.
Do you wish to be considered under the ICTAP (Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan) eligibility?
You may qualify for ICTAP if all of the following statements apply to you:
To verify your eligibility for ICTAP:
You must submit a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must also submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest SF-50: Notification of Personnel Action, showing the agency, position held, tenure and appointment codes, and full biographical information (name, DOB, and SSN).
You may qualify for ICTAP if all of the following statements apply to you:
- You are located in the same local commuting area of the position being advertised.
- You were (or will be) separated from a position at an agency outside of the FDA due to a reduction-in-force.
- You are applying to a position that is at (or below) the grade level of the position from which you have been (or will be) separated.
- You are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you have been (or will be) separated.
- Your last performance rating of record is at least "fully successful" or equivalent.
To verify your eligibility for ICTAP:
You must submit a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must also submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest SF-50: Notification of Personnel Action, showing the agency, position held, tenure and appointment codes, and full biographical information (name, DOB, and SSN).
Preferences
1.
In the last five years, based on the closing date of this announcement, have you served or are you currently serving as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee?
You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed.
You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed.
- A political appointee is an appointment made by the President without confirmation by the Senate (5 CFR 213.3102(c)) OR an assistant position to a top-level federal official if filled by a person designated by the President as a White House Fellow (5 CFR 213.3102(z)).
- A Schedule C appointee occupies a position excepted from the competitive service by the President, or by the Director of OPM, because of the confidential or policy-determining nature of the position duties (5 CFR 213.3301 and 5 CFR 213.3302).
- A Non-career SES appointee is approved by the White House and serves at the pleasure of the appointing official without time limitations (5 CFR 317 Subpart F).
2.
===== Acknowledgement of Restrictions on the Employment of Relatives by Public Officials =====
5 U.S. Code, § 3110 lays out specific and important restrictions on the employment of relatives within an agency.
A public official of a government agency may not appoint, promote, or otherwise advocate for the employment, advancement, or promotion of relatives within the agency for which the public official is employed or has control over.
Employees hired in violation of 5 U.S. Code, § 3110 will not be entitled to any pay for their period of employment, and any pay already received before the violation becomes known, will be considered as a debt to the government on the part of the employed individual.
For the purpose of this question, a "relative" is defined as: father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half sister.
QUESTION:
After having read the definition of "relative" as stated above, does the Food and Drug Administration employ any of your relatives?
IF YES: You must provide the following information, for each relative employed by the FDA:
- The full legal name of the relative.
- The relative's relationship to you (from the list above).
- If known, the relative's employing organization and position.
3.
Your responses to the all questions, and any information or documentation which you provide as part of your application, will be thoroughly reviewed for accuracy and truthfulness. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy. If you fail to answer this question, your application will not be considered. Knowingly providing false information in your application (or submitted documentation) is a crime!
- I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in my application is true, correct, and provided in good faith.
- I understand that if I intentionally make a false statement, or commit deception or fraud in my application, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 USC, Sec 1001); my eligibility may be canceled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 CFR, Part 731).
- I understand that any information I provide may be investigated.
- I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
Assessment 1
We will evaluate your resume and responses to this Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification and must be supported by your resume and supporting documents.
1.
From the descriptions below, select the response which best describes your experience and meets the minimum qualification requirements for the position of Public Affairs Specialist, GS-1035-14.
2.
If you selected "A" to question 1 above, list the following information to support your self-rating. Please include the following: (1) company/organization name; (2) corresponding position title; (3) dates of employment (month/year to month/year); and (4) number of hours worked per week, if the position is part-time.
Applicants must submit a writing sample. The sample should include the date the material was finalized or published. The writing sample will be evaluated on the following criteria: 1) Is the sample written in plain language? 2) Is the sample written in a journalistic style? 3) Does the content in the sample describe public health and scientific topics?
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
3.
Is your writing sample included in your application package?
The following criteria will be used to evaluate your level of knowledge, skill, and/or ability in certain areas required for this position. For each item, choose the statement from the list below (A-E) that best reflects your level of experience and/or training in that area.
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
4.
Maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
5.
Facilitate news media interviews with senior officials and news media representatives.
6.
Respond to inquiries from media and stakeholder organizations promptly, regarding sensitive and/or controversial issues.
7.
Coordinate all press materials to assure all follow standard operating procedures.
8.
Advise interview subjects on news media interviews and other news media engagement opportunities.
9.
Arrange a variety of news events to include but not limited to media briefings, media availabilities, interviews, etc.
10.
Keep management and colleagues abreast of significant developments.
11.
Build relationships with media representatives and other public affairs personnel to facilitate understanding of the organization's mission and programs.
12.
Consult with photographers, illustrators, and audio-visual personnel to use photographs, illustrations, animation, and video and/or sound files to help explain complex scientific concepts covered in written material.
13.
Collaborate with colleagues and experts to develop communication tools on public health or scientific topics.
14.
Coordinate closely with others to encourage cross pollination of ideas and approaches.
15.
Write and edit materials about complicated public health and scientific subjects directed towards lay audiences.
16.
Consider the target audience when developing written communication materials.
17.
Translate complex medical/scientific data, studies, and information into messages that are accurate and understandable to nonscientific audiences.
18.
Utilize new media/social networking tools and platforms when communicating to lay audiences.
19.
Conduct analysis when developing communication tools on public health and scientific subjects directed towards lay audiences.
20.
Develop recommendations to improve the internal operation and enhance the overall public affairs program.
21.
Evaluate communication challenges to make recommendations for corrective action.
22.
Devise improvements or solutions to communication challenges and take appropriate corrective action.
23.
Advise high-level officials on news media interviews surrounding major communication challenges.