Summary
This position is established to provide the full range of human resources management services in the areas of recruitment, placement, merit promotion, employee development, and a variety of employee services functions for all Academy divisions, departments, and offices.
Duties
The Human Resources Specialist: Performs full-cycle recruitment and placement for competitive and excepted service positions (GS, WG, and Administratively Determined), including conducting job analyses, developing assessment tools, preparing job opportunity announcements, applying qualification standards, issuing certificates, setting pay, and extending job offers in accordance with federal regulations. Provides expert advisory services to management officials on recruitment strategies, hiring authorities, merit promotion procedures, veterans' preference, and complex staffing issues to ensure legally sound and mission-aligned hiring decisions. Interprets and applies federal civilian personnel laws, OPM regulations, and agency policies to review and process personnel actions such as promotions, reassignments, within-grade increases, pay adjustments, and data element changes, ensuring proper coding and compliance. Researches and resolves complex staffing and compensation issues, collaborating with HR leadership and stakeholders to develop recommendations and ensure consistency in policy interpretation and application. Monitors recruitment metrics and workforce trends, identifies staffing gaps, and recommends process improvements and strategic recruitment solutions to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and overall program performance. The ideal candidate for this position is a knowledgeable Human Resources professional with experience independently managing full-cycle federal recruitment and placement actions for competitive and excepted service positions, including GS, WG, and Administratively Determined positions. They possess demonstrated expertise in conducting job analyses, developing assessments, applying qualification standards, adjudicating veterans' preference, setting pay, and ensuring compliance with merit system principles, OPM regulations, and agency policy. The candidate provides sound advisory services to managers on recruitment strategies and complex staffing issues, exercises strong analytical judgment in reviewing personnel actions for legal sufficiency and proper coding, and delivers timely, customer-focused HR support aligned with organizational mission needs.
Requirements
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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 the 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. SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
How you will be evaluated
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, as HR evaluates applications strictly on the facts provided and will not make assumptions. To receive full credit, your narrative responses must be written in paragraph format and explicitly match your resume. Begin each response by listing the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY), full- or part-time status, average weekly hours, and federal series/grade (if applicable). Within the body of the paragraph, clearly describe your specific duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes. HR will cross-check these details against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every claim and timeframe, the experience will not be considered for credit, which may result in an ineligible determination. All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process. Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed. Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). You may preview questions for this vacancy.