Duties

Duties and responsibilities vary and may increase according to the grade level and series of the position. See specifics for the occupation and grade for which you are applying on the following CDC link: Direct Hiring Authority | Working at CDC | Careers at CDC

**This public notice will be used to fill the positions listed below at multiple grade levels and locations.

Visual Information Specialist: Grades GS-7 through GS-15**

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) process enhancement to use Shared Certificates throughout the Agency, some of the requirements below may differ:

US Citizenship is required.
Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service ( ).
May be subject to a Background/Security Investigation. Security clearance level may differ from the position announced when certificates are shared .
CDC participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program ( E-Verify ). If selected, CDC will determine your employment eligibility using your social security number.
Direct Deposit is required.
One-year probationary period may be required.
This position may be subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Due to positions being filled at multiple grade levels and locations, you may be subject to initial and random drug testing.
Positions may be Supervisory.
Some positions will be filled as permanent or term appointments.
This position may be subject to the OGE Financial Disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). CDC inspires public confidence in its trust responsibilities and mission by maintaining high ethical principles. If selected, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. If identified, this will be an annual requirement.
In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. This position may require a Drug Test and be subject to Random Drug Testing. The position may require the submission of a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. If required to submit to urinalysis, the appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative test result.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

GS-7:
- At least 1 year of graduate-level education in commercial art, fine arts, art history, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, photography, visual communication, or other related field OR
- Superior Academic Achievement (see education section) OR
- 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5 OR
- A combination of education and experience
GS-9:
- At least 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in commercial art, fine arts, art history, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, photography, visual communication, or other related field OR
- 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-7 OR
- A combination of education and experience
GS-11:
- At least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in commercial art, fine arts, art history, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, photography, visual communication, or other related field OR
- 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-9 OR
- A combination of education and experience
GS-12 & above:
- At least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level

Education

A copy of your transcripts or equivalent documentation is required for positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page .

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For more information, visit .

Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2years of the curriculum.
Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies . Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.

Additional information

Locality pay will be adjusted to reflect location after selection. If selected, you will be required to sign a Statement of Understanding (SOU) for negotiable location requirements. Find more information on locality and pay scales . Salary may be adjusted to include a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of 1.69% for Anchorage, Alaska, 8.90% for Honolulu, Hawaii, and 2.63% for Puerto Rico.

This position is being filled through Direct Hire Authority for these occupations and is open to U.S. Citizens. Vacancies will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority. Veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the direct-hire authority.

For more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire Authority, please visit:

Positions may be available in multiple locations across the United States, or eligible for telework opportunities, based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Workplace Flexibilities Policy.

Telework: This position has been designated as telework eligible and:

May include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These options may be requested once you have become an employee and you will be required to sign a Workplace Flexibilities Agreement that details remote or telework working conditions and expectations in accordance with the CDC Workplace Flexibilities Policy
For more information visit:

Incentives:

Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.
Annual Leave for non-federal service may be authorized.
Travel, transportation, and moving expenses may be paid.
PCS Expenses may be authorized, subject to the terms of the Joint Travel Regulation.

Benefits

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 window Learn 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

**Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

The utilization of shared certificates for additional selections within the same geographical area can be made from multiple Centers of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

This is a highly competitive vacancy with a limited number of openings available. When a need exists, applications will be reviewed to determine if you meet the job requirements. Applications will be rated based on the information provided in the resume and responses to any vacancy questions to determine level of knowledge, skill and ability related to the job requirements. If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager.

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.

Promotion potential: Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your meeting qualifications and time-in-grade requirements, demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and administrative approval. Promotion to the next grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.

Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

To apply for this position, you MUST submit a complete Application Package which includes the following. Note: All documents must be in English.

1. Resume - Must reflect name, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates (month/year) of employment and duties performed.

Current/former Federal employee:

Must reflect pay plan, series and grade, i.e., GS-0301-09.

Dos and Don'ts:

Cover Letter is optional.

2. Transcripts: You may submit an unofficial transcript. An official transcript from an accredited educational institution is required if you are selected.

3. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/ Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP):

Supporting documentation i.e., Reduction in Force (RIF) notice or Certificate of Expected Separation (CES), AND most recent:
Current annual performance appraisal
SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action)

4. Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

For Résumé and Application Tips visit:

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until 09/30/2024.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/30/2024 of this announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account ( ), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: .If you are unable to apply online:

Applicants external to CDC - Contact the CDC Helpdesk by phone (770) 488-1725 or email HRCS@CDC.GOV .
Applicants internal to CDC - Contact the OHR Service Desk .

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online. Applying online, through your USAJOBS account, will expedite the application process and allow you to check your application. If you utilize the Alternate Application method, your USAJOBS account will not display this application or status updates related to this application.

To view the questionnaire, click on the following link:

Agency contact information

CDC HELPDESK

Phone

(770) 488-1725

Email

HRCS@CDC.GOV

Address

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Direct Hire Authority
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, researches emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats.

Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Reasonable accommodation policy
Financial suitability
Selective Service
New employee probationary period
Signature and false statements
Privacy Act
Social security number request