Program Specialist

This non-supervisory position primarily supports special information technology needs in the National Health Physics Program (NHPP). The position also assists with specific administrative needs. This position is assigned to the NHPP Director's Office, located at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center, North Little Rock, Arkansas.Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/13/2023.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to 5 of the 7 following examples:

• Maintain and improve web presences; troubleshooting, recovering, adjusting, modifying, and improving IT systems in order to provide advice and assistance to staff.
• Maintaining and updating system files necessary to control all aspects of system operations and access.
• Preparing documents using office software.
• Planning and delivering of IT services, including configuration, troubleshooting, and/or training.
• Planning meeting using office automation programs.
• Purchasing items and reconciling purchases as a government purchase card holder.
• Preparing travel estimates and entering travel authorizations and expense vouchers into VA's web-based government travel system (e.g., Concur)

OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. Must possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related. (Transcript required)
OR,
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 1 year of graduate school. (Transcripts required)
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Knowledge of Informatics
Interpersonal Skills
Self-Management
Teamwork
Problem Solving
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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Physical Requirements: Physical demand is normal for the type of work described. Most of the work is sedentary in an office setting where only light physical exertion is required. Required work may include moderate physical effort over a brief period such as lifting, bending, crouching, or kneeling.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.Education: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Employment Type: FULL_TIME