KEY REQUIREMENTS



• U.S. Citizen.
• Suitable for Federal employment.
• Registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• This is not a bargaining unit position.
• Travel is required.
• Qualification requirements must be met by the closing of this announcement.

The individual selected for this position will:

• Serve as the webmaster/online content manager for NOAA.
• Will work daily with NOAA Communications staff in headquarters and those stationed in the line offices to design and alter elements of the NOAA homepage, write and edit Internet stories, and generate social media content for outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.
• Serve as the Internet content manager, and implements NOAA Communications Internet and social media information content standards.
• Duties are performed in collaboration with the Department of Commerce, Office of Public Affairs.

Qualification requirement in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification (OPM) Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on OPM's website at: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications

There are no minimum education requirements for this position. If substituting education for one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, you must meet the following requirements:

For GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

Degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks.

*You must provide all transcripts from all degrees received (unofficial copies are acceptable) by the closing date of this announcement. Individuals who are selected must be prepared to provide official transcripts. 

*If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 (GS-9 equivalent). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the Federal government.
Specialized experience is defined as: Experience as a webmaster/online content manager for a nationally recognized public or private sector science agency or environmental advocacy agency. Experience in front-end web design; and online technology functionality and trends. Experience in writing and editing that includes the development of online communications strategies from concept to final implementation for websites, blogs and social media outreach programs.

In addition to specialized experience, individuals must have IT related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below:

Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.

Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

NOTE: Your resume must clearly document specialized experience and support your responses to the vacancy questions.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze."  However, your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the self-assessment questions, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.  Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. 

The assessment tool will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

•    Skill in applying the principles, methods, practices and techniques of internet and social media communications.

•    Skill in using scripting languages to develop social media content.

•    Knowledge of internet policy and content standards to ensure compliance with all applicable internet policy and content standards.

•    Knowledge of online communications to create a coordinated communications plan.

For more information on category rating, please click here.

NOAA offers a comprehensive benefits package. Explore the benefits offered to most Federal employees at Benefits.

OTHER INFORMATION:

ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: ICTAP  
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
The following links provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities:
* VRA
* 30% or more disabled veteran
* Persons with disabilities
* ICTAP

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply Online button near the bottom of this screen and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply Online to continue. If you have problems completing your on-line application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by e-mail at mgshelp@monster.com or by phone at 866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. For instructions on submitting your application in another format, please contact the Specialist listed on the vacancy.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

A complete application consists of the following:

* Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must indicate your citizenship and if you are registered for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Your resume should also list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s).  
* Veterans' Preference documentation. Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: Veterans
* Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
* Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to Qualifications for more information.
Note: You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient. You must provide all the required documents by the closing date of the announcement or you may lose consideration for this vacancy.
* Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website Qualifications. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at USAJOBS and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:

1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;                                      

2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;

3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not referred to the Selecting Official); and

4. Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).