Social Service Representative

Summary This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Superintendent, Fort Peck Agency in Poplar, Montana. Employee will provide social, protective and financial services to children/adults in need. This is a Bargaining Unit position, for more information see USAJobs What are bargaining units? NOTE: MANAGEMENT IS WILLING TO CONSIDER OFFERING ANY INCENTIVE, I.E., RECRUITMENT BONUS/LOAN REPAYMENT. SERVICE AGREEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR APPROVED INCENTIVES. Learn more about this agency Duties Help As Social Service Representative, GS-0187, your typical work assignments may include, but not limited to: Make decisions of a non-professional nature in service delivery to referrals of child endangerment and child protection. Conduct interviews, assessments and make home visits and collateral contacts as needed. Assists with filing of Temporary Protection Orders, provides information about court process and hearings. Coordinate with law enforcement, the court, shelter providers and other human service agencies for client needs. Participates in planning and is actively involved in community education activities for Domestic Violence prevention Requirements Help Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship Required As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency. Incumbent is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 4 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607. Qualifications This is an Open Until Filled announcement. This announcement is intended as a mechanism of providing consideration for the greatest number of potential candidates. Candidates with a complete application will be considered for all vacancies that occur for a 3-month period or the closing date of this announcement, whichever comes first. Positions may be filled at ANY of the grade levels indicated in this announcement, with or without promotion potential as vacancies occur. Applicants should specify the lowest grade (GS-level) that they will accept. Your resume and any documents submitted will be retained for three months and may be used at any time during this period. After 3 months, you must reapply to this announcement in order to be considered. Grade(05): Undergraduate Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree, in an accredited college or university, is qualifying for GS-5 level positions. OR General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Three years of general experience, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4, is qualifying for GS-5 level positions. General experience is work in a social services activity or other organization that required the ability to conduct interviews; to collect and analyze pertinent facts; to provide needed information, advice, and practical assistance; and to prepare clear concise personal histories and factual reports. Grade(06): 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Specialized Experience GS-06: Specialized experience demonstrates the applicants' experience and ability in investigating domestic, economic, and social circumstances of applicants and recipients of general assistance, child welfare, and family services; general knowledge of programs and resources within the BIA and other federal, state, and local agencies dealing with welfare or social services; specific knowledge of programs and policies within the branch of social services. Grade(07): Graduate Education: Major study social sciences. One full academic year of graduate study is qualifying for GS-7. Graduate education is not creditable for positions above the GS-7 level. OR Specialized Experience GS-07 : Specialized experience demonstrates the applicants' experience and ability to Independently and without specific instruction assume responsibility for interviewing clients to determine eligibility as well as the amount of need; approval or disproval of general assistant applications; determine the mode of delivery of assistance; general knowledge of programs and resources within the BIA and other federal, state, and local agencies dealing with welfare or social services; specific knowledge of programs and policies within the branch of social services; general knowledge of basic concepts and standards of social work practices. Grade (08): 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression is qualifying for positions above the GS-5 level. Specialized experience is experience in a program of direct social welfare services that required the application of program policy and operations knowledge in providing social welfare services and/or assisting social workers. NOTE: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are also qualifying for grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date. Education If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION Additional information The full performance level of this position is GS-8. Promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. A career ladder promotion is at the discretion of management, and in no way guaranteed. The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your [probationary period -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information visit: SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY: Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: Vets Info Guide: Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.