Social Worker

Summary

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky Mountain Region in Billings, Montana. To assist the Regional Social Worker in providing training, program management/monitoring and budget overview of child and family services through contracts and grants.

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Duties

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As Social Worker, GS-0185, your typical work assignments may include, but not limited to:

• Plan, develop, and monitor child protection, child welfare, AOTR (638 Contract/Program oversight), ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act), and IIM (Individual Indian Money) activities to eligible Indians who reside within the jurisdiction of the Region served by the BIA, state, other Federal entities, and other BIA contractors.
• Serve as the liaison between the Regional Office, Indian Tribes, and BIA Agencies in matters related to child protection, child welfare, child and family services, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), 638 contract/program oversight, and IIM (Individual Indian Money) accounts.
• Serve as a technical expert on Human Services and Social Service contracts.

Requirements

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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.
• NOTE: THE PAY FLEXIBILITIES OF A RELOCATION BONUS OR STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT MAY BE AUTHORIZED, PENDING AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND MANAGEMENT APPROVAL.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Positions, GS-0185: Social Work Series).

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Degree: Social Work. Must fulfill all of the requirements for the master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Master's degree with practicum: Applicants who complete all of the requirements for a master's degree in social work that included a practicum are eligible for GS-9.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: In addition to meeting the basic entry level qualification requirements, applicants must have the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

GS-09: In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, I have at least 1 year of full-time specialized experience or the equivalent, comparable to at least the GS-7 in the Federal Service (obtained in either the public or private sector). This experience must include 2 of the 3 activities: 1.) applying professional knowledge of the principles and practices of social work; 2.) recommending direct services to individuals, families, and groups; 3.) educating or assisting with instruction, training, consultation or advice on social work related questions and services. (Your resume must support this experience).

OR EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

GS-11: In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, I have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

Examples of specialized experience include: supporting a senior level Social Worker in the planning and development of child and family services, covering areas such as family and emergency assistance and residential placements; conducting onsite evaluations of agency programs and service delivery, ensuring compliance with professional and regulatory standards; providing professional evaluations of social service policies in line with best practices and offering consultation to various stakeholders; and preparing technical evaluations and cost analyses for contracts and grants, while upholding social work standards.

GS-12: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.

Examples of specialized experience include: Assisting with development aimed at child welfare and family services; providing training, technical assistance, direct service, and oversight to social service programs who provide Social Service activities in the areas of child welfare, child protection services, IIM, domestic violence, meth initiatives, emergency shelter, and Welfare Assistance; providing training, technical assistance, direct service, and oversight to programs that deal with receiving child neglect, sexual abuse, and physical abuse complaints and conducting investigations through home visitation and personal interviews with child/parents; working as a case manager on a child protection team; recruiting foster parents and developing, evaluating, training and recommending approval based on Tribal/State standards; providing counseling to unmarried parent(s) and providing family welfare services; establishing therapeutic relationships with at-risk youth, while accepting hostility and taking a non-judgmental approach to client activity.

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate level education and appropriate specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements of this position.

Graduate Education: Graduate education must be related to the occupation and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

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

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2026 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for Billings, Montana. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is GS-12. 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.

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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.

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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.