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Position Title
Human Resources Specialist (Information Systems)
Agency
Customs and Border Protection
Announcement Number
HRM-SMP-12138697-SKA Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 to Tuesday, October 3, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
The following set of questions focus on how you are eligible to apply for this announcement. Eligibilities are known as the specific hiring authorities that allow you to be considered for this announcement. Applicants will only be considered for eligibilities for which they claim during the online application and provide documentation displaying their eligibility for the hiring authority. Please see the required documents section of this announcement for documentation information. For more information regarding what hiring authorities you may be eligible for, please see the following link https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/

Note, the Promotion Potential question applies to current or former Federal employees only. If you are not a current or former Federal employee, select No. Selecting No or answering this question incorrectly will not remove you from consideration. However, if you only claim the promotion potential eligibility, you will not receive further consideration for this position.
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1. Are you a current federal employee who has received notice that you will be displaced from the Department of Homeland Security? If yes, confirm:
  • You occupy a position located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND
  • You are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND
  • You are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND
  • Your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility, such as:
  • Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice, AND
  • Copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Resource Center.
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2.

The following question applies to a current permanent federal employee in the competitive service.  If you are not a current permanent federal employee in the competitive service, select No.   

Are you a current federal civilian employee with the Federal government in a permanent competitive service position? 

To verify your eligibility as indicated above, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action(s), Standard Form(s) 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form(s) reflecting your current permanent position in the competitive service 

  • Tenure (Box 24): Career or career-conditional (1 or 2)  
  • Position Occupied (Box 34): Competitive service (1)  

NOTE:  If you are a current federal employee in an expected service position or other than permanent competitive service position then you are not eligible under this current federal employee eligibility.  If you have prior permanent competitive service with the federal government, you may be eligible as a reinstatement applicant if the announcement is open to former federal employees. 

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3.

The following question applies to former permanent federal employees in the competitive service, or federal employees who are currently in an excepted service position or other than permanent competitive service position but who previously held a permanent competitive service position. Details and Temporary Promotions are not considered permanent positions.  

Are you a current or former federal civilian employee with the Federal government that meets one of the following criteria? 

  • Is currently employed with the Federal government in an excepted service position, or other than permanent competitive service position; who was previously employed with the Federal government with career status in a competitive service appointment; OR 
  • Is currently employed with the Federal government in an excepted service position, or other than permanent competitive service position, who was previously employed with the Federal government with career-conditional status in a competitive service appointment and has had no more than a total of 3 years of separation from their previous career conditional appointment or are Veterans' Preference eligible.  
  • Was previously employed with the Federal government with career status in a competitive service appointment, OR 
  • Was previously employed with the Federal government with a career-conditional status in a competitive service appointment and has had no more than a total of 3 years of separation from their previous career conditional appointment or are Veterans' Preference eligible. 

To verify your eligibility as indicated above, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action(s), Standard Form(s) 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form(s) reflecting your former permanent position in the competitive service: 

  • Tenure (Box 24): Career or career-conditional (1 or 2)  
  • Position Occupied (Box 34): Competitive service (1)  

For more information, review the USAJOBS Resource Center and OPM Hiring Information

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4. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency? If yes, confirm:
  • You occupy (or have been separated from) a position located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND
  • You are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND
  • Your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of ICTAP eligibility, such as:
  • Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice, AND
  • Copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Resource Center.
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5. Are you a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions AND you:
  • served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (NOTE: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility); OR,
  • are entitled to veterans' preference?

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of service which includes character of service. For information on how to request your veterans documentation please contact the Veterans Affairs Benefits and Services at 1-800-827-1000  or online via https://iris.custhelp.va.gov/app/ask/
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6.

This question applies to current or former Federal employees. If you are not a current or former Federal employee, select No. Applicants who do not answer this question correctly are not removed from consideration.  However, if you claim only the promotion potential eligibility, you will not receive further consideration for this position.   

Promotion potential (also referred to as full performance level - FPL) means the highest level/grade that can be achieved in the career ladder progression of the position that is held on a permanent basis. Details and Temporary Promotions are not considered permanent positions. The examples provided below and are not all inclusive but are provided for informational purposes only.  

Examples:   

  • You currently hold a GS-09 position with promotion potential to the GS-12.  The progression is GS-09, GS-11, and GS-12.  You hold a position with the promotion potential of a GS-12. 
  • Your current position is a GS-12. You are temporarily promoted to a GS-13 position. The temporary promotion is not a permanent position, and your promotion potential is your current position of GS-12. 
  • Your current position is a GS-12. You previously held a GS-13 position on a permanent basis.  GS-13 would be considered the highest promotion potential you have held.  
  • You formerly held a GS-13 position on a permanent basis with promotion potential to the GS-13 and have been separated less than 52 weeks. GS-13 would be considered the highest promotion potential you have held. 
  • You were a former Federal employee and have been separated for over 52 weeks, you may be considered for a promotion potential above what you previously held without competition if it is determined you meet the specialized or general experience.  
To verify your eligibility as a current or former Federal civilian employee with promotion potential, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action(s), Standard Form(s) 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form(s) that reflect:   
  • Tenure (Box 24): Career or career-conditional (1 or 2); AND
  • Position Occupied (Box 34): Competitive service (1); OR
  • Position Occupied (Box 34): Excepted service (2); when in another merit system which OPM has an interchange; AND
  • Promotion Potential equivalent to or higher than the grade level being announced; AND if applicable,

If you are a former Federal employee, and have been separated from Federal service for over 52 weeks, it is recommended that you submit your most recent career or career-conditional position rating of record (performance appraisal) along with your SF-50 that reflects: 

  • Rate of record (performance appraisal) of at least fully successful (or equivalent) 

Are you one of the following below?
  • A current or former Federal employee who has held a permanent position in the Federal competitive service (or in a merit system with which OPM has an interchange agreement) with the promotion potential or equivalent of the position noted in the announcement, OR
  • A former Federal employee who has been separated more than 52 weeks who has previously held a permanent position in the Federal competitive service (or in a merit system with which OPM has an interchange agreement) as noted in the announcement? (Applicants who were previously employed with the Federal government and did not previously hold the promotion potential of the position announced may be referred for selection without competition under our agency promotion procedures if it has been longer than 52-weeks since previous Federal employment, provide your rating of record (performance appraisal) of at least fully successful (or equivalent) and you are considered qualified). 
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Preferences
1. There is a time-in-grade (TIG) requirement for promotion into this position for any individual who holds or within the previous 52 weeks held a General Schedule (GS) position under nontemporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch. Have you completed 52 weeks in a position at or above the GS-13 grade level?

If you are a current federal employee or former federal employee within the past 52 weeks, submit one or more SF-50s that support your selected response below showing you meet or are exempt from time-in-grade requirements.
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2. Are you a current political Schedule A or Schedule C Executive Branch employee or a former political Schedule A or Schedule C Executive Branch employee who held the position within the last five years applying to a competitive or non-political excepted service position under Title 5 of the United States Code or are you a current non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) Executive Branch employee or a former non-career SES Executive Branch employee who held the position within the last five years applying to a competitive or non-political excepted service position under Title 5 of the United States Code?

To verify, please submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) or other relevant documentation reflecting your status as a Political Appointee.
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3. There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years, before completing an application for CBP employment.

If you do not meet the residency requirement as stated above and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency wavier by meeting one or more of the following conditions:
  • Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
  • A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
  • Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
  • Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Exceptions may be granted to applicants if they can provide complete state-side coverage information required to make a suitability determination. Examples of state-side coverage information include: the state-side address of the company headquarters where the applicant's personnel file is located, the state-side address of the Professor in charge of the applicant's "Study Abroad" program, and/or the state-side addresses of anyone who worked or studied with the applicant while overseas. If selected for a position, you must provide documentation to support a request for an exception.

Do you meet the residency requirement?
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4. Are you receiving a retirement annuity from OPM based on retiring from the Federal government? If you select yes and you are selected for this position, your salary will be off-set by the amount of your retirement annuity.

To verify, please submit a copy of your retirement SF-50 with your application package.
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5. If you are a CBP employee, please enter your CBP email address in this format without any extra spaces or characters: john.a.smith@cbp.dhs.gov. If you are not a CBP employee, enter N/A. (limit characters)
6. If you are a CBP Employee, please enter your Hash ID without any additional spaces, punctuation, or letters. Example: CIC1K4L. If you are not a CBP employee, enter NA. (limit characters)
7. I have read and understand the following statement: You will be considered for the highest grade level for which you qualify for. Eligibility will be verified based on your resume and transcripts. You must have gained the work experience by the closing date of this announcement. Full-time work experience is 35 or more hours worked per week and must be clearly stated on your resume. Qualifications based on work experience will be determined by what is listed on your resume. Work experience refers to both paid and unpaid experience, such as volunteer work.

Your resume must include the following:
  • Be in English
  • Include full legal name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Complete work history (which includes job titles)
  • Detailed description of your duties (including tasks performed)
  • The dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY)
  • Hours worked per week for any position you worked that was not full time (less than 35 hours per week)
For Federal employment experience, your resume must also include:
  • Series
  • Grade level(s)
  • Salary
*Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords.

Do you agree to provide a resume that contains the necessary requirements listed in the instructions above?
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8. This vacancy has a local commuting area requirement, as defined below (This restriction does not apply to VEOA eligibles):
  • The area surrounding the duty station by which people reasonably travel back and forth from home to work; Or
  • The employee's permanent duty station is located within the reasonable travel area surrounding the duty station of this vacancy; Or if applicable
  • For employees who are detailed or temporarily promoted (for less than 1 year) to another duty location, the permanent duty location is considered to be the duty location of record for commuting area purposes.
  • For employees who are detailed or temporarily promoted (for more than 1 year) to another duty location, the detailed or temporary duty location is considered to be the duty location of record for commuting area purposes.
Do you meet the local commuting area requirement?
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9. Which of the following best describes your experience to qualify for the GS-14 grade level? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
The following questions will be used to rate applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements.
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1. Indicate the extent of your experience providing technical guidance and direction to the daily operation and maintenance of a human resource data system. (limit characters)
2. Explaining a wide range of Human Resources policies, practices, and/or procedures, ensuring accuracy and reliability of information. (limit characters)
3. Indicate the extent of your experience providing technical guidance on the use of a human resource data system. (limit characters)
4. Select all of the following that reflect your experience maintaining strong working relationships with the organizations that you service: (limit characters)
5. I have experience preparing senior briefings, presentations and/or reports to leadership that may be controversial or sensitive. (limit characters)
6. In developing and/or analyzing data of a management, administrative, or program nature, I have performed the following tasks: (limit characters)
7. Analyzing data processed via automated human resources systems in order to recommend process improvements.
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8. In gathering and analyzing facts, determining the accuracy of the data, defining the problem and identifying solutions, I have performed the following tasks:
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9. Identifying new reports based on changes to system specifications or system requirements.
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10. Select all of the responses that support your experience with Information Management:
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11. Verifying the integrity of reported data and supporting information systems.
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12. Developing automated systems approaches for presenting HR reports and graphics to management
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