USAJOBS - Job Announcement

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This live hiring in person event fair will be open only on September 12th, 2023. Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before arriving. The Bureau of Consular Affairs, Seattle Passport Agency (CA/PPT/SE), serves U.S. citizens intending international travel through passport issuance, while protecting the integrity of the U.S. passport as proof of U.S. citizenship at home and around the world.

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Job closed

Open & closing dates

09/01/2023 to 09/12/2023

This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary

$51,934 - $67,514 per year
Pay scale & grade

GS 07
Location

Many vacancies in the following location:
- Seattle, WA Many vacancies
Remote job

No
Telework eligible

No
Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed

No
Appointment type

Recent Graduates - Permanent
Work schedule

Multiple Schedules - Full-Time Schedules: (Between the hours of 6:45am to 5:00pm)
Service

Excepted
Promotion potential

07
Job family (Series)

0967 Passport And Visa Examining
Supervisory status

No
Security clearance

Secret
Drug test

Yes
Announcement number

HRSC/PATH-2023-0065
Control number

746365400

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As a Passport Specialist, you will:

Receive, examine, and adjudicate applications for the issuance, amendment, and replacement of passports forwarded by acceptance agents or presented by applicants or applicant representatives.
Examine evidence of citizenship submitted with applications to determine and judge authenticity and adequacy in relation to laws, regulation, and procedures associated with the issuance of passports.
Maintain awareness of the possibility of fraudulent documentation or claims of identity and develop or resolve such cases.
Perform other duties as assigned.

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Conditions of Employment

Must be at least 16 years of age by the closing date of the announcement.
Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
U.S. Citizenship is required.
Secret clearance is required.

Positions will be filled under the Pathways Recent Graduates Program. Recent Graduates who have completed a qualifying degree or certificate program within the previous two years may apply (Veterans precluded by their military service obligation, will have up to six years). *See provision in Qualification section below. Upon successful completion of the program requirements, the incumbent may be converted to a term, career or career-conditional position with promotion potential to the GS-11.

What to Bring: Resume, Transcripts with degree conferral (graduation) date, Veteran Documents (if applicable) such as a DD-214, and 1 form of government issued photo ID (Drivers License, Passport, Birth Certificate).

What to Expect: Review of documentation for qualifications, on-site interviews and on-site security clearance screening.

Qualifications

Positions will be filled under the Pathways Recent Graduates Program. Recent Graduates who have completed a qualifying degree or certificate program within the previous two years may apply (Veterans precluded by their military service obligation, will have up to six years). *See provision in Qualification section below. Upon successful completion of the program requirements, the incumbent may be converted to a term, career or career-conditional position with promotion potential to the GS-11.

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. Education may only be substituted in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to be credited towards qualifications.

To qualify for this Passport Specialist under the Pathways Program you must have recently graduated within the previous two years (Veterans precluded by their military service obligation will have up to six years). You MUST include transcripts that show a graduation date (Conferred Date) within the last two years. Including current transcripts that do not show a graduation date within the last two years will not meet the requirement

Certificate Requirements:

Undergraduate Certificates must contain a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours.
Graduate certificates must contain a minimum of 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours.
For study at a business or technical school, 36 weeks of study (20+ classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year above high school.

The Department of State no longer accepts certificates that are credited with Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

In addition to the recent graduation within the previous two years, you must also possess the following:

GS-07: At least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in the Federal service, that included examining, adjudicating, or authorizing applications i.e. claims; identifying gaps or inconsistencies in fraudulent applications or counterfeit documents; and presenting information regarding applications; or have at least one full year of graduate level education in law or a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work; or I meet the requirements under the superior academic achievement provision; or I have a combination of education and specialized experience. Applicants must possess a percentage of the required specialized experience and a percentage of the required graduate level education such that, when the percentages of the required graduate level education and specialized experience are added together, they equal 100%. (You MUST submit transcripts or proof of education to support your claim)

TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. They must also show award and/or conferred dates. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.

Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials.

If you are qualifying based on education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript with your application, and if selected, an official college transcript will be required to verify education prior to employment.

General Schedule Qualification Policies

This section contains the policies, instructions, and guidance used in evaluating and determining the eligibility of applicants for Federal employment.

Education

Applicants must have graduated within the last two years. (BRING YOUR TRANSCRIPTS)

Additional information

Pathways Program Information: For additional information regarding Pathways, please click the following link:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/students-recent-graduates/

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER - Your Social Security Number is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you.

SELECTIVE SERVICE - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify at the time of appointment that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION - This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Office of Employee Relations, Disability/Reasonable Accommodations Division, at (202) 261-8163 or oaa@state.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) – U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

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 windowLearn more about federal benefits.

The Department of State provides an array of benefits, financial incentives, and family friendly programs to its employees (e.g., health, life and long-term care insurance, counseling, employee consultation and referral services, retirement benefits, leave programs, child care centers, Student Loan Repayment Program, flexible work hours, Transit Subsidy Program, paid federal holidays, etc.). For additional information on DOS benefits click here.

Employees hired under the Pathways Programs on appointments for 90 days or more are eligible to earn annual and sick leave.

As a Department of State employee, program participants are eligible to receive a transit subsidy each month to compensate for travel to and from work via certain types of public transportation.

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.

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

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection procedures. Based on your responses to the job-specific self-assessment questions, eligible candidates are placed for selection consideration into one of three pre-defined quality categories as described below:

Highly-qualified Category - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications for the position, candidates must fully demonstrate proficiency in all major aspects of the position.

Well Qualified Category - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all of the major aspects of the position.

Qualified Category - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of knowledge, skill and ability of the position.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

   ** Knowledge of the statutes, rules, and regulations

   ** Ability to identify inconsistencies in information/applications.

   ** Ability to work with people from different cultures/countries.

   ** Ability to communicate in writing.

   ** Ability to communicate orally.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click
here.

Application of Veterans Preference: The Category Rating Method does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each pre-defined quality category. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent (i.e., CPS and CP) must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any required supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

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.

The Department of State provides an array of benefits, financial incentives, and family friendly programs to its employees (e.g., health, life and long-term care insurance, counseling, employee consultation and referral services, retirement benefits, leave programs, child care centers, Student Loan Repayment Program, flexible work hours, Transit Subsidy Program, paid federal holidays, etc.). For additional information on DOS benefits click here.

Employees hired under the Pathways Programs on appointments for 90 days or more are eligible to earn annual and sick leave.

As a Department of State employee, program participants are eligible to receive a transit subsidy each month to compensate for travel to and from work via certain types of public transportation.

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.

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.

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.

2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department’s automated system “Gateway to State”.

3. Transcripts - if you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. NOTE: Qualifying Transcript(s)** (showing graduation within the past two years)

4. Veterans Preference - If claiming veteran’s preference, you must indicate the type of veteran's preference you are claiming on your resume.

For 5-point veteran’s preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferable) which must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. If you are currently on active duty, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm your current or expected discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not receive credit for the claimed active duty military service.

For 10-point veteran's preference, in addition to the DD-214 or certification, you must also submit a current version of the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), dated October 2013, and any documentation required by this form to support your claim. Previous editions of the SF-15 will not be accepted. If we cannot verify your 10-point preference status, you will receive 5-point preference if veterans' preference requirements have been met. For further information regarding Veterans, click here.

For Sole Survivorship preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 is preferable) or another form of official documentation which shows your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.

To gain access to your DD214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html

5. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you MUST submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application.

All supporting documentation, applicable to you, must be attached to your online application via upload or by fax using the cover sheet and phone number generated in the application.

If the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility or you fail to submit any of the required documents, it will disqualify you from being considered for this job opportunity.

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.

The following instructions outline our application process for this announcement. You must complete this application process and submit a copy of all required documents in-person by 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) on September 12th, 2023. Applying in-person is required.

Step 1: Complete the application package as listed in the required document section of this notice. Incomplete applications will not be considered, so please ensure all required documents (listed below) are included.

Step 2: The U.S. Department of State's Seattle Passport Agency will be conducting a 1 Day Pathways Program In-Person Hiring Event Fair on September 12th, 2023. The Hiring Fair will seek to fill vacant passport specialist positions within the Seattle Passport Agency for Recent Graduates (Graduated from college within last 2 years). Upon successful completion of the program requirements, the incumbent may be converted to a term, career or career-conditional position with promotion potential to the GS-11. Applications for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program can be submitted in person from 8:00am-5:00pm (PST) at Federal Center South 4735 East Marginal Way S. Seattle, Washington 98134.

Agency contact information

Pathways

Phone: 000-000-0000
Fax: 000-000-0000
Email: Pathways@state.gov
Address: U.S. Department of State
1999 Dyess Ave.
(Charleston Reg. Ctr.)
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Your application package will be reviewed to verify that you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements for the position. If determined you are qualified and eligible you may be invited to attend an in-person interview. In-person interviews will be conducted on September 12th, 2023. Additional interviews may be held later that week if needed.

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

Help

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.

2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department’s automated system “Gateway to State”.

3. Transcripts - if you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. NOTE: Qualifying Transcript(s)** (showing graduation within the past two years)

4. Veterans Preference - If claiming veteran’s preference, you must indicate the type of veteran's preference you are claiming on your resume.

For 5-point veteran’s preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferable) which must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. If you are currently on active duty, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm your current or expected discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not receive credit for the claimed active duty military service.

For 10-point veteran's preference, in addition to the DD-214 or certification, you must also submit a current version of the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), dated October 2013, and any documentation required by this form to support your claim. Previous editions of the SF-15 will not be accepted. If we cannot verify your 10-point preference status, you will receive 5-point preference if veterans' preference requirements have been met. For further information regarding Veterans, click here.

For Sole Survivorship preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 is preferable) or another form of official documentation which shows your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.

To gain access to your DD214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html

5. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you MUST submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application.

All supporting documentation, applicable to you, must be attached to your online application via upload or by fax using the cover sheet and phone number generated in the application.

If the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility or you fail to submit any of the required documents, it will disqualify you from being considered for this job opportunity.

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.

Help

The following instructions outline our application process for this announcement. You must complete this application process and submit a copy of all required documents in-person by 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) on September 12th, 2023. Applying in-person is required.

Step 1: Complete the application package as listed in the required document section of this notice. Incomplete applications will not be considered, so please ensure all required documents (listed below) are included.

Step 2: The U.S. Department of State's Seattle Passport Agency will be conducting a 1 Day Pathways Program In-Person Hiring Event Fair on September 12th, 2023. The Hiring Fair will seek to fill vacant passport specialist positions within the Seattle Passport Agency for Recent Graduates (Graduated from college within last 2 years). Upon successful completion of the program requirements, the incumbent may be converted to a term, career or career-conditional position with promotion potential to the GS-11. Applications for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program can be submitted in person from 8:00am-5:00pm (PST) at Federal Center South 4735 East Marginal Way S. Seattle, Washington 98134.

Agency contact information

Pathways

Phone: 000-000-0000
Fax: 000-000-0000
Email: Pathways@state.gov
Address: U.S. Department of State
1999 Dyess Ave.
(Charleston Reg. Ctr.)
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Your application package will be reviewed to verify that you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements for the position. If determined you are qualified and eligible you may be invited to attend an in-person interview. In-person interviews will be conducted on September 12th, 2023. Additional interviews may be held later that week if needed.

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

Pathways Program (Recent Graduate) Live Hiring Fair Notice

Summary

Overview

Open & closing dates

Salary

Pay scale & grade

Location

Remote job

Telework eligible

Travel Required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type

Work schedule

Service

Promotion potential

Job family (Series)

Supervisory status

Security clearance

Drug test

Announcement number

Control number

This job is open to

Duties

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

Education

Additional information

Benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

Benefits

Required Documents

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

How to Apply

Agency contact information

Next steps

Fair and Transparent

Required Documents

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

How to Apply

Agency contact information

Next steps

Fair & Transparent