USA Staffing

Position Title: Program Specialist
Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service
Announcement Number: MP-12212850-24-SC Opens in new window
Open Period: Tuesday, November 21, 2023 to Tuesday, November 28, 2023

For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. Your answers will be used to determine your eligibility to apply to this job opportunity announcement. You will be considered under the eligibility option(s) to which you answer YES. Select YES to all eligibility options for which you want to be considered. If you respond NO to meeting the criteria for all the eligibilities, you will not be considered for the position(s) under this announcement.

NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.

Are you a current USDA employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee, in which received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF)? If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you 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.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

A. Yes

B. No

2. Are you a current or former permanent Farm Service Agency County employee?

A. Yes

B. No

3. Have you registered for reemployment consideration AND meet one of the below:

• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating?
OR
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?

A. Yes

B. No

4. Are you a current USDA employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment?

A. Yes

B. No

5. Are you a USDA employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment AND you have held or currently hold a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised?

A. Yes

B. No

1. Are you a retiree receiving a civilian Federal or FSA County Annuity?

A. Yes

B. No

2. Have you ever received a voluntary separation incentive payment (VSIP or buyout) to leave the Federal civilian service or FSA County position?

A. Yes

B. No

3. Are you a current or former: Political appointee, Presidential appointee, and/or non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointee?

A. Yes

B. No

1. Has your work schedule been full-time, i.e., 35-40 hours per week, for every position listed on your resume or OF-612?

If yes, please type Yes.
If no, please type No and include the following in your response for all positions held: position title, employer, dates employed (MM/DD/YY), work schedule (i.e., Full-Time (FT), Part-Time (PT), etc.), and hours/week. Please list in order with current/most recent position first.
Failure to provide all requested information may prevent us from giving credit for experience.

2. I understand for information on the status of my application and the outcome of the application process, I (the applicant) must inquire through USAJOBS. No separate notification will be sent to me. To view the status of my application and the outcome of the application process, I must go to the USAJOBS website and log into My Account. Once in My Account, I must enter the "Application Status" section of the website.

A. Yes

B. No

3. I understand submission of supporting documentation, e.g., transcripts, DD 214, 50B, performance appraisal may be required for this position. I also understand that my application will not be considered if the required supporting documentation is not submitted or is not submitted in accordance with the time frames indicated in the announcement.

A. Yes

B. No

4. I understand that any correspondence necessary will be conducted via e-mail and sent to the e-mail address I provided in this application process. I must keep this e-mail address current.

A. Yes

B. No

5. I understand that if I am a current or former federal employee, I must submit an SF-50 showing my career/career-conditional status AND a performance appraisal dated within 18 months or as statement detailing the reason for not submitting the appraisal as part of the application package.

A. Yes

B. No

6. If you are, or ever were, a federal civilian employee in a permanent position in the competitive service, what is the highest grade level you held, excluding temporary promotions? (Please include the pay plan, e.g. GS-7, WG-10, or NA for not applicable). (limit 250 characters)

7. If you are, or ever were, a federal civilian employee, please indicate the start date and end dates of the highest graded permanent positions you held, excluding temporary promotions (e.g. MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, MM/YYYY to present, or NA for not applicable). (limit 250 characters)

8. Do you possess a current driver's license from one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or territories or possessions of the United States?

If you respond yes to this question and you are interviewed, you must be prepared to present your driver's license as confirmation.

A. Yes

B. No

9. Once a selection is made for this position, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be share shared with other hiring managers in the agency who have similar vacancies. Please opt in below if you're willing to have your name, application material, and assessment results share to be considered for additional, similar positions. There is no guarantee of for further consideration.

A. Opt-in: Please share my name, application material, and assessment results with additional hiring managers within the agency for similar positions

B. Opt-out: I only want to be considered for positions associated with this specific application

1. GS-9 - Choose one answer that best describes your education and experience.

A. I possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service performing work related to the duties of the position described in the vacancy announcement.

B. I have successfully completed at least two full years of graduate level education (36 semester hours, 54 quarter hours or equivalent) OR Masters degree OR LL.B. OR J.D.in a field of study directly related to the work of this position as described in the vacancy announcement.

C. I possess a combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first year of graduate study that together meet the requirements for this position.

D. I do not meet any of the requirements as described.

2. Check all of the following software categories in which you are able to independently create and modify products and use the software as a tool in performing the tasks required of this position.

A. Word Processing ( e.g. Word)

B. Spreadsheets (e.g. Excel, Quattro Pro)

C. Databases (e.g. Access)

D. Graphics / Presentation Tools (e.g. Power Point)

E. Adobe Acrobat PDF files

F. Query tools and languages

G. Project Management tools

H. Statistical/Quantitative Analysis tools (e.g., SAS, SPSS)

I. Web browsers/search engines

J. Document Control Software (e.g., Lotus Notes)

K. Collaboration Tools (e.g., SharePoint, Google Docs)

L. None of the above

Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.

3. Entering and extracting data from automated tracking systems (e.g. databases, spreadsheets, etc.) that are used by higher level officials within the organization.

A. I have not had education, training, or experience in performing this task.

B. I have had education or training in how to perform this task, but have not yet performed it on the job.

C. I have performed this task on the job. My work on this task was monitored closely by a supervisor or senior employee to ensure compliance with proper procedures.

D. I have performed this task as a regular part of a job. I have performed it independently and normally without review by a supervisor or senior employee.

E. I am considered an expert in performing this task. I have supervised performance of this task or am normally the person who is consulted by other workers to assist or train them in doing this task because of my expertise.

4. I am proficient at performing the following functions concerning the use and/or management of a relational database:

A. Using macros and/or queries

B. Developing macros and/or queries

C. Entering data into the database

D. Retrieving data from the database

E. Monitoring data to assure accuracy and completeness

F. Correcting inaccurate data entries

G. Developing rules and/or guidelines for data entry

H. Developing processes for identifying inaccurate data entries

I. None of the above

5. I am proficient in creating/using the following Excel Spreadsheet functions:

A. Importing Data

B. Concatenate Data

C. Using Data Analysis ToolPak

D. Regression Analysis

E. Pivot Tables

F. Pivot Charts

G. Creating Macros

H. None of the above

6. I am proficient at performing the following functions using computers and/or computer software:

A. Inputting spreadsheet data

B. Editing spreadsheet data

C. Retrieving spreadsheet data

D. Inputting database data

E. Editing database data

F. Retrieving database data

G. None of the above

Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.

7. Using presentation software (Power Point, Corel Presentations) to develop visual aids.

A. I have not had education, training, or experience in performing this task.

B. I have had education or training in how to perform this task, but have not yet performed it on the job.

C. I have performed this task on the job. My work on this task was monitored closely by a supervisor or senior employee to ensure compliance with proper procedures.

D. I have performed this task as a regular part of a job. I have performed it independently and normally without review by a supervisor or senior employee.

8. Which of the following database management support duties have you performed as a regular part of jobs you have held?

A. Generating specialized database queries for database users

B. Providing database summaries for administrative staff review

C. Reviewing database at an established frequency to identify possible data in error

D. Corresponding with employees who entered data in question to ensure data is accurate

E. Communicating database problems to senior level database managers to facilitate problem resolution

F. Assisting senior level database managers in beta testing newly developed database functions

G. Ensuring data entered into database by others is consistent with hardcopy data documents

H. None of the above

9. Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Submitting false information or attempts to falsify information may be grounds for disqualifying you or for terminating you after you have been hired. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.

A. Yes, I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by me with my application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that I have truthfully and accurately represented my work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, certifications, accomplishments, etc.). I understand that the information provided is subject to investigation. I understand that misrepresenting my experience or education, or providing false, fraudulent or inaccurate information in or with my application may be grounds for not hiring me or for terminating me after I begin work. I also understand that false or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).

B. No, I do not certify and I understand that by responding “no” to this certification that I will not receive consideration for this position.

Your session will expire due to inactivity in 60 seconds.

Unsaved data may be lost if you allow this session to expire.

Warning! The announcement has now closed.

Failure to continue will prevent you from completing and submitting the application.

Click the Stay Connected button below to continue your session.

Terms & Conditions

Your Session is About to Expire!