Public Affairs Specialist

Summary

About the Position:

This position is part of the Reemployed Annuitants Cadre, in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). On an as-needed basis, employees occupying these positions provide emergency support to disaster-stricken areas throughout the United States.

This is a temporary appointment not to exceed 1-year. At management's discretion, the appointment may be extended for up to a maximum of 3-years or converted to a term appointment for up to a maximum of 6-years.

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Duties

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Manage and update the USACE public web domain to ensure accurate and timely information is available to the public.
Develop and edit communication materials for public release, ensuring compliance with agency guidelines.
Coordinate and inspect emergency contract operations during disaster response, ensuring quality and compliance.
Prepare and submit damage survey and situation reports to support disaster recovery and leadership briefings.
Evaluate community opinions and feedback through electronic media to inform public affairs strategies.
Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
This is an Intermittent position. You may be scheduled from 0 to 30 hours per week based on need.
Employees occupying these positions will provide emergency support to disaster-stricken areas throughout the US.
Employees must be prepared to live and work in extremely austere conditions.
Work schedule will initially be arduous, with extensive overtime. Sleeping arrangements may be limited to using a sleeping bag or in the vehicle used to move from location to location.
Work may entail extended work shift of 12-16 hours a day.
Generally, indoor work location has power, water, heating, and air conditioning, although outages should be expected. Lack of sleep may occur due to long work hours and uncomfortable living conditions.
Employee will report symptoms of stress and fatigue to the on-site supervisor. Living conditions range from having all basic amenities; light, power, water, refrigeration, to not having one or more of these amenities.
Employees who need to store refrigerated medication shall prior to departure from the primary duty station, inform the local EOC so availability of refrigeration at the work site can be determined.
Environmental conditions at work locations may range from excessive heat and humidity to extreme cold and rainy.
Some locations require that the employee be able to maintain stable mobility in sandy and unstable terrain.
Although some work is sedentary, work conditions such as ergonomic issues related to lifting and carrying, seating, or video display terminals; repetitive motion injury from using computers, and the like may be expected.
Qualifications

Who May Apply:

Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Specialized Experience: O ne year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service which includes: 1. Planning and executing public affairs activities, including managing an agency's public web domain and disseminating accurate information to select audiences regarding official policies, programs, and services; 2. Developing and editing communication materials for public distribution, including ensuring content is appropriate for release in accordance with applicable guidelines and regulations; 3. Conducting surveillance over emergency contract mission operations in disaster response environments, including inspecting construction workmanship and tracking contract task order data; 4. Preparing damage survey reports and situation reports in support of disaster response and recovery operations, including gathering data, developing cost estimates, and assembling briefing materials for leadership.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-11).

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience aloneno substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
Direct deposit of pay is required.
Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
This is a(n) Career Program 22 position.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.