Food and Drug Administration Logo
Position Title
Government Information Specialist
Agency
Food and Drug Administration
Announcement Number
FDA-00-25-MP-12637424-mb Opens in new window
Open Period
Friday, December 13, 2024 to Friday, December 20, 2024
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a current employee of any agency within the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) who has been notified that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by reduction-in-force (RIF)? If the duty station of your job you're separating from is in the same local commuting area as this vacancy, is at or below the grade level of this vacancy, and has the same (or lower) promotion potential as this vacancy, you may be entitled to selection priority under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP).
You must submit the documentation identified for I/CTAP under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.



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PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS VERY CAREFULLY. YOUR RESPONSES WILL AFFECT YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS POSITION!
This advertisement is in accordance with merit promotion procedures. This means that only specific groups of applicants are eligible for consideration (as identified in the "This job is open to" section of the JOA). The following questions will determine if you are within any of these specific groups eligible for consideration under this advertisement. You will only be considered for each eligibility which you respond "Yes" to.
NOTE: There is an exception, as noted below, for status candidates who do not select the correct type of consideration for referral purposes (i.e., competitive vs. non-competitive).

If you respond "Yes" to an eligibility and do not provide the required documentation, you will not be considered under the eligibility. If you respond "No" to all eligibility options in this list, your application will not be considered under this advertisement.

For more information about each eligibility, please review the following article on USAJOBS, "Which jobs am I eligible to apply for?"
If you still have questions about this advertisement or your potential eligibility, please e-mail quickquestions@fda.gov or call 888-478-4340.
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3. Are you a current or former Federal employee of another agency (not the HHS) who has been notified that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by reduction-in-force (RIF)?  If the duty station of your job you're separating from is in the same local commuting area as this vacancy, is at or below the grade level of this vacancy, and has the same (or lower) promotion potential as this vacancy, you may be entitled to selection priority under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)..
You must submit the documentation identified for I/CTAP under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.
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4. Are you a current Federal employee on (or former Federal employee who held) a permanent appointment in the competitive service and your position is at a lower grade than the position being advertised, and you have never held a position at the grade or with the same (or higher) promotion potential of the position being advertised? If you answer "Yes' to this question, you must submit your most recent SF-50 as described under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement. Your SF-50 must reflect career or career-conditional tenure (Block 24 is 1 or 2) and the position is in the competitive service (Block 34 is 1).

NOTE: This question is used to determine if you can apply as a status candidate under merit promotion procedures. It is also used to determine how status candidates will be considered (competitively vs. noncompetitively). If you are an eligible and qualified status candidate and the review of your application shows you have already competed for the grade of this position, your response will be changed to ensure proper consideration procedures are followed.
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5. Are you a current Federal employee on a permanent appointment in the competitive service and your position is at the same (or higher) grade level with the same (or higher) promotion potential as the position being advertised; or you are a current or former Federal employee who previously held such a position? If you answer "Yes' to this question, you must submit your most recent SF-50 as described under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement. Your SF-50 must reflect career or career-conditional tenure (Block 24 is 1 or 2) and the position is in the competitive service (Block 34 is 1).

NOTE: This question is used to determine if you can apply as a status candidate under merit promotion procedures. It is also used to determine how status candidates will be considered (competitively vs. noncompetitively). If you are an eligible and qualified status candidate and the review of your application shows you have never held or competed for the grade of this position (or a higher grade), your response will be changed to ensure proper consideration procedures are followed.
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6. Do you wish to be considered under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act? If you are a current or former Federal employee of a land management agency who held a time-limited (term or temporary) appointment for more than 24 months and received an acceptable performance rating throughout the employment, you may be eligible under this Act. If you answer "Yes' to this question, you must submit your most recent SF-50 and performance appraisal as described under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.
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7.
Do you wish to be considered under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)? If you are a preference eligible (including those with derived preference such as spouses and parents of a veteran) OR a veteran separated from the armed forces after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions, you may be eligible under VEOA. You must submit the applicable veterans' preference documentation identified under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.

NOTE FOR CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ONLY: If you are a current Federal employee, you may be considered under VEOA, however, you must meet time-in-grade requirements and must submit an appropriate SF-50 as indicated under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.
 
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8. Do you wish to be considered under the authority to appoint certain military spouses? If you are eligible under this appointing authority as a military spouse, you may be eligible for a non-competitive appointment. Please read the military spouse information to ensure you are eligible and provide the necessary documentation. Required documentation is also identified under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.


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9. Do you wish to be considered as an overseas family member? If you are living overseas with a family member, worked at least 52 weeks in an appropriated funds position under a local hire appointment, and are returning to the United States, you may be eligible to be considered for a non-competitive appointment. You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, performance appraisal, and Permanent Change in Station (PCS) orders. (limit characters)
10. Do you wish to be considered under an Interchange Agreement? If you are a current excepted service employee of an agency with a valid interchange agreement with the Office of Personnel Management or an employee of an agency not regulated by title 5 United States Code (U.S.C.), you may be eligible to apply for this position which is in the competitive service.
Below are examples of agencies with an interchange agreement:
  • Tennessee Valley Authority
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • Federal Aviation Administration 

Below are examples of agencies not regulated by title 5 U.S.C.:
  • Postal Career Service and Postal Regulatory Commission Employees
  • Government Accountability Office Employees
  • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees

You must submit a copy of your most recent  SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action reflecting your employment status, appointment type, tenure, position information, and full biographic data.

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11. Do you wish to be considered as a former Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA  member? If you completed your years of service (at least two years for Peace Corps and one year for AmeriCorps) within the last year, you may be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

You must submit your Certification of Volunteer Service.
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12. Do you wish to be considered under another Special Authority? If so, you may be eligible for a non-competitive appointment. To be eligible you must:
  1. Be a former employee of the Canal Zone Merit System or Panama Canal Employment System; or
  2. Be a former employee who served in the Office of the President or Vice-President or on the White House Staff; or
  3. Be a former incumbent of a position brought into the competitive service; or
  4. Be a disabled veteran who has completed a training course under Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code; or
  5. Be a former ACTION volunteer; or
  6. Be a current or former Foreign Service officer or employee; or
  7. Be an employee of the Panama Canal Commission located in the United States; and
  8. Submit the required supporting documentation. 
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13. Do you wish to be considered under the 30% or more disabled veteran appointing authority? If so, you may be eligible to be considered for a noncompetitive, temporary or term appointment.  Under this eligibility, you may be converted to a permanent position, but conversion is not guaranteed. You must submit the applicable veterans' preference documentation identified under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement. (limit characters)
14. Do you wish to be considered under a Schedule A appointment for individuals with disabilities? If you are an individual with a documented intellectual, severe physical, or psychiatric disability, you may be eligible. You must submit the applicable Schedule A (individuals with disabilities) documentation identified under the Required Documents section of the job advertisement.

Schedule A (individuals with disabilities) appointments are in the excepted service; you may be converted to the competitive service after completing 2 years of satisfactory service.

NOTE FOR CURRENT COMPETITIVE SERVICE EMPLOYEES: If you are a current Federal employee in the competitive service who is eligible under Schedule A (individuals with disabilities), if appointed under this authority you will no longer be a competitive service employee and will have to sign the FDA's Statement of Understanding When Voluntarily Leaving the Competitive Service to Enter the Excepted Service.
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15. Are you a current Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps Officer? Not all positions are appropriate for the Commissioned Corps and it is at the supervisor's discretion to fill a position through the Corps.
To be eligible, you must:
1. Be a current PHS Commissioned Corps Officer; and
2. Submit a copy of your most recent PHS personnel orders or letter from the Public Health Service verifying you are currently in, or have been accepted to, the Commissioned Corps.
See the PHS Commissioned Corps website for more information.
Based on the above, are you eligible and would you like to be considered for a Commissioned Corps appointment?
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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.
  • 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).
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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:

  1. The full legal name of the relative.
  2. The relative's relationship to you (from the list above).
  3. If known, the relative's employing organization and position.
IF NO: Please type "No" in the box below.
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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!
  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. I understand that any information I provide may be investigated.
  4. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
Do you accept the conditions above?
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4. If you are a male at least 18 years of age, born after December 31, 1959, have you registered with the Selective Service System?


(Note: If you currently do not have an approved exemption or Status Information Letter you must request one from the Selective Service System. A copy of your proof of registration or the exemption/Status Information Letter must be provided prior to appointment.)
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5. If you are a male at least 18 years of age, born after December 31, 1959 AND you have NOT registered with the Selective Service System, do you have an approved exemption or Status Information Letter from the Selective Service System?


(Note: If you currently do not have an approved exemption or Status Information Letter you must request one from the Selective Service System. A copy of your proof of registration or the exemption/Status Information Letter must be provided prior to appointment.)
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Assessment 1
1. From the choices below, please select the one response which best describes your experience and meets the Minimum Qualification Requirement for a Government Information Specialist, GS-0306-12.
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For each task in the following group, choose the statement from the list below that best describes your experience and/or training. Please select only one letter for each item. A- I have not had education, training or experience in performing this task. B- I have had education or training in performing the 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 them in doing this task because of my expertise.
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Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
2. Provide guidance to staff on the Freedom of Information (FOIA) tracking systems.
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3. Participate in projects which require the utilization of computer databases and/or commercial and specialized software to compile data. (limit characters)
4. Make recommendations to improve and streamline FOIA and Privacy Act (PA) procedures. (limit characters)
5. Meet with agency officials and legal counsel to determine the potential impact of FOIA activities on program operations. (limit characters)
6. Draft outgoing responses which require coordination with other parties to ensure complete coverage of all issues and comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations and policies. (limit characters)
7. Conduct extensive record searches to make disclosure determinations. (limit characters)
8. Assist in presenting training material to staff. (limit characters)
9. Meet with managers and/or staff at all levels to resolve questions on administrative, regulatory and/or policy issues. (limit characters)
10. Serve as a point-of-contact to provide guidance, instruction and/or specific information from internal and/or external sources. (limit characters)
11. Create and prepare procedural documents for distribution to staff and management.
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12. Assist in preparing reports, summaries, and/or presentations for distribution to the supervisor and/or management staff. (limit characters)
13. Contribute to the development and preparation of training material for staff within an organization.
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