Program Support Assistant (Office Automation)

Summary

These positions are located within the United States Dairy Forage Research Center for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Madison, WI, Marshfield, WI & Prairie Du Sac, WI. In these positions, you will serve as a personal assistant to the Research Leader (RL) and other professional staff, coordinating a wide variety of administrative and clerical tasks in support of the unit's mission.

Duties

• Participate in program planning support work such as research project coordination, travel documentation, budget coordination, tracking agreements, and procurement of supplies/equipment.
• Provide human resources administration, training, and advisory services to the RL and professional staff on all program administrative procedures, ensuring compliance with regulations.
• Serve as the primary administrative business process point of contact for the unit.
• Develop and implement new systems or administrative processes to meet unit needs.
• Schedule conferences and meetings which include arranging logistics, preparing agendas, and notifying participants.
• Serve as principal timekeeper for assigned location and provide technical pay and leave advice on routine matters.
• Use a variety of graphics, spreadsheets, and database software packages (e.g., Quattro Pro, Excel, etc.) to obtain statistical data from published reports and manipulate data to produce tables and charts for program management and administrative use.

Requirements

You must be a US Citizen or US National. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. USDA-ARS scientists work on a wide range of agricultural issues. The agency's research aims to find practical solutions to agricultural problems, often translating scientific findings into tools and technologies that can be used by farmers, ranchers, and food producers. The National Farm Security Action Plan elevates American agriculture as a key element of our nation's national security. This position supports and/or assists the research that is being conducted by USDA-ARS scientists and is considered to be sensitive as the duties require protection of private, controlled unclassified, or proprietary information with a moderate impact degree.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. GS-06 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes at least one year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-05 in the federal service which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is performing administrative and clerical office tasks and procedures; reviewing documentation or materials for grammar, format, and completeness; and coordinating travel arrangements. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes at least one year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-06 in the federal service which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is advising staff on program administrative procedures ensuring compliance with regulations; participating in program planning support work such as research project coordination or budget coordination; purchasing and procuring supplies and equipment; and preparing travel requests and vouchers for foreign or domestic travel. Applicants must be able to type at least 40 words per minute. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

Required documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages. If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation. If claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted. If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FedsHireVets. Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.