Human Resources Assistant

Summary

This position is for one of the various teams within the U.S. Forest Service Human Resources Management.

This position performs technical work and provides advice and assistance on basic questions in support of Human Resources Specialists for one or more specialized functional areas.

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Duties

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• Duties listed are at the full performance level.
• Utilize office software such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, email and internet browsers to perform work assignments.
• Resolve problems associated with assigned duties.
• Research regulations and directives to recurring human resource questions.
• Provide routine human resources assistance directly to external customers.
• Verify data for inaccuracies and against business rules.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may 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. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Note on Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-05: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as one (1) or more of the following : Performed clerical support work and handling sensitive personnel information in human resources, medical, legal, regulatory, or retail customer focused operations; and/or Answered inquiries; and/or Entered data into automated information systems; and/or Reviewed information requests to ensure all required information has been provided.

-OR-

A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of successfully completed education above high school;

-OR-

A combination of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester / 90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

For the GS-06: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as two (2) or more of the following : Provided technical advice on human resources and personnel request; and/or Assisted with a variety of duties within human resources; and/or Provided guidance to customers and colleagues on assigned routine human resource request; and/or Performed any of a variety of clerical/technical support in areas such as: personnel processing, administering employee payroll, classifications, employee benefits, worker's compensation, employee training and development, personnel security & performance management, recruiting & hiring, or providing human resources customer service to employees.

-OR-

One (1) full year (18 semester / 27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level education if the coursework is directly related to the work of the position (human resources, business admin, public admin, communications, education, information technology, human relations, or social sciences).

-OR-

A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

See Qualifications section for education that may be qualifying for the specified grade level.

Additional information

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed.

Promotion Potential will vary based on position filled and will be either at the GS-5 or GS-6 grade level.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available on the OPM Website.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing may be available.

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.

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.