Program Support Assistant (OA)
Agricultural Research Service · Department of Agriculture
This job in plain English
This is a full-time administrative support job with the Agricultural Research Service in Grand Forks, ND, and Brookings, SD. You would handle budgets, travel, procurement, personnel paperwork, and research records for a research unit. The job is telework eligible, may involve occasional travel, and the position is union represented.
Can you apply?
Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen: this job is open to everyone.
- Displaced federal employeesFederal employees who lost or are losing their job through a reduction in force (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
- Open to everyoneAny U.S. citizen or national can apply. Some jobs also accept non-citizens; the announcement says so.
Other groups listed above may get extra consideration, for example veterans' preference.
The job is open to the public, but you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national. Federal employees eligible under CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP get selection priority, and veterans may get veterans' preference.
What you would do
- Process travel, budget, procurement, and personnel actions in automated systems.
- Prepare travel authorizations and vouchers using travel management systems.
- Serve as principal timekeeper, reviewing employee time and attendance logs for accuracy.
- Coordinate research documentation and maintain project files electronically.
- Notify researchers of documentation deadlines and required submissions.
Do you qualify for GS-6 to GS-7?
With experience: For GS-6, you need one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-5, such as routine program and administrative support, preparing travel or project paperwork, or processing financial, procurement, or personnel actions. For GS-7, you need one year comparable to GS-6, working independently on complex support tasks such as coordinating research projects, checking financial or personnel data, and managing documents that require applying judgment. You must also be able to type 40 words per minute.
With education: This job does not have an education requirement.
How to apply well
What to send:
- Resume with personal information, education, and work experience showing dates, hours per week, job titles, series, and grade, no more than 2 pages
- DD-214 if you claim veterans' preference
- Proof of entitlement and optional SF-15 if you claim 10-point veterans' preference
- Proof of eligibility, SF-50s, and latest performance appraisal if you apply under CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP
How you will be rated: You will complete an application questionnaire and submit your documents, and you may also take USA Hire online assessments that measure competencies such as attention to detail, customer service, and integrity, and you must meet a cut score. Applicants are placed in Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified categories, and veterans with preference get priority within those categories. Overstating your experience or cheating on an assessment can get you removed from consideration.
Tips for this job:
- Your resume must list hours per week and exact dates for each job, or it may be incomplete.
- Keep your resume to 2 pages or less, because longer resumes are removed from consideration.
- Complete the USA Hire assessments before the deadline, and request any accommodation before you start.
Good to know before you apply
Schedule: Full-time
Incentives and relocation: A recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized, and the hiring official makes the final decision. The announcement says relocation expenses are not reimbursed.
Conditions of employment:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
- Background investigation and/or fingerprint check must be satisfactory
- Direct deposit of federal pay required
- Must pass E-Verify employment check
- 1-year probationary period
- Continuous automated record checks after selection
- Must be able to type 40 words per minute
We wrote this summary automatically from the official announcement. The announcement on USAJOBS is the only one that counts: read it before you apply.
Job details
- Salary
- $45,409 – $65,599 per year
- Pay scale and grade
- GS-6 to GS-7 · General Schedule
- Locations
-
- Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Brookings, South Dakota
- Appointment
- Permanent
- Work schedule
- Full-time
- Service
- Competitive
- Openings
- 2
- Security clearance
- Other
- Travel
- Occasional travel
- Drug test
- Not required
- Supervisory
- No
- Occupation
- Miscellaneous Clerk And Assistant (0303)
- Announcement
- ARS-S27Y-13101094-SJR
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