Administrative Operations Assistant (AOA) vacancy

Apply online for the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center administrative support position at USAJOBS (vacancy number: USGS-PATH-22-11591184-DE-MW). The Administrative Operations Assistant (AOA) vacancy announcement will be posted as a Pathways Recent Grad position. Applications will be accepted starting August 23, 2022. The announcement will be open for five (5) days or until the first 100 applications are received.

Please note: we expect the position to be highly competitive and to receive a large number of applications, so we encourage applicants to apply the day the position opens.

The vacancy will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day the application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. 

The Pathways Recent Graduate position requires applicants to provide unofficial transcripts showing a degree has been awarded within the last 2 years of the closing date of the announcement and a detailed resume summarizing job qualifications and relevant skills. Refer to USAJOBS Help Center | What should I include in my federal resume? We will continue to update this page with information, including direct links to the vacancy as soon as it is available.

• USAJOBS Job links and announcement numbers will be posted here when available.

Information Session

For additional information about the position and for tips and tricks on navigating the application process, please follow the NCASC newsletter or attend the informational session on August 18, 2022, 5 pm - 6 pm ET. 

You can find the PowerPoint slides from the information session here. 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Transparency

EEO Policy Statement: 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 factors.

DEIA Statement: The USGS places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

New Hire Position

The new AOA position is opening in the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center (the hiring manager is Janet Cushing; jcushing@usgs.gov). The position will work on the Administrative Support team. Learn more about how the mission of the NCASC here: Climate Adaptation Science Centers | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov). The team provides the fundamental administrative support that is critical to the functioning of the entire CASC network. The location of the duty station for the employee is negotiable upon selection of a candidate and is remote-work friendly.  The major duties of these position include:

• Travel Support: Preparation and review of domestic, international, and invitational Travel Authorizations and Travel Vouchers; assisting staff with travel reservations and navigating federal travel regulations
• Time and Attendance: Review and validation of payroll timesheets so employees get paid
• Procurement: Make purchases of equipment, supplies, and conference registrations using the Government Purchase Card; assisting staff on understanding procurement policies and regulations
• Records Management: Implementation of Department of the Interior Records Management policies for administrative and scientific records

Location

The location of the duty station for the employee is negotiable upon selection of a candidate.

The Process

We’re here to answer any questions you have about what we do and how to navigate the application process. HR’s application window will be tight— which is why we’re letting you know now. The vacancy announcement for the Pathways vacancy will open on or around August 23^th and will be open for a maximum of five (5) days. The vacancies are limited to the first 100 applications received. The vacancy will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day the application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Eastern Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.

Calculating the value of the job

General Schedule Grades – The pay and responsibilities of this Federal job is defined by general schedule (GS) Grades, which are roughly equivalent to the levels concept used elsewhere. The Pathways Recent Grad AOA position will be advertised at the GS-6 level. 

Pay – Salary bands are started at the Nation-wide GS Base Pay Scale and then adjusted for location. To find what salary band you’d be looking at, search “GS 2022 Salary Table + {{ Your location }}" and look at Grade 6. The “steps” in each grade are intermediate performance-based pay increases between grades.

Benefits – This position include health and life insurance, 5% retirement match, 11 federal holidays, 13 sick days + 13 vacation days per year, paid parental leave, and accrual of federal service to count towards a pension (typically an additive 1% of the average of your highest 3 years of salary for each year of service). See USGS human resources pay and benefits page here for more details.

Intangibles - If the mission of public service towards advancing climate adaptation science and data delivery resonates with you, there will be no shortage of energy and motivation available when working with great colleagues on these challenges. Likewise, a flexible schedule and emphasis on work life balance are important components to work at the USGS.

Applying for the job

Creating a USA Jobs account - The federal vacancy announcement will be posted on usajobs.gov. If you are interested in applying to the position, get ahead by creating an account on USAJOBS. Having an active account will allow you to set up job filters and get a jump start on getting your application materials together.

Materials – You’ll need a resume and educational transcripts (unofficial are OK) with confirmation that your degree has been completed are also required.

Application Window – The vacancy has an application limit for the first 100 applications received for the one position. The application window will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached OR on the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement if the application limit is not reached.

Timeline – After the application window closes, Human Resources (HR) will review the applications to determine eligibility and qualifications.  This determination will be made based on your resume and supporting documentation, i.e transcripts. HR then sends the list of highly qualified candidates to the hiring manager for consideration. The hiring manager will set up interviews, check references and make selections. HR will then move forward with extending a verbal tentative offer of employment. The process can be lengthy to from the date the verbal offer is made to the date a firm offer letter of employment and reporting instructions are provided. There are several steps in the process that require coordination. At any time during the process, you can reach out to the HR representative listed on the vacancy announcement with any questions.

Common Questions

Q: Is this open to non-U.S. citizens?

A: You must be a U.S. citizen or national (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) to work for the Federal Government, but there are some exceptions. More information here: https://usajobs.gov/help/working-in-government/non-citizens/

Q: Should I use my resume or the USAJOBS template?

• A: Either is fine. Whichever format you choose, we recommend taking time to explicitly spell out how your experience meets the qualification requirements for the job series and GS level. When describing your experience, your resume should include the start and end dates (including the month and year), the number of hours you worked per week, and a description of how your skills and experiences meet the qualifications and requirements. USAJOBS Help Center | What should I include in my federal resume?

Additional Questions?

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you have, we are here to help! Contact the hiring manager, Janet Cushing (she/her), at jcushing@usgs.gov or, for questions about USAJOBS and the application process, contact Pathways@usgs.gov.