Trade Assistant/International Trade Specialist (Recent College Graduates)

Summary

This vacancy is to fill Trade Assistant and International Trade Specialist positions within the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Industry & Analysis. Under Public Law 115-232, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019, Section 1108, agencies may appoint eligible college graduates to competitive service positions without regard to rating, ranking, and veterans' preference provisions. If interested, you are encouraged to apply.

Duties

As an Trade Assistant/International Trade Specialist (Recent College Graduates), you will perform the following duties: Conducts research and analysis of trade data, economic conditions, industries, markets, and trade policies affecting U.S. industry. Develops reports, briefings, presentations, and other analytical products on international trade and industry issues. Supports trade promotion and policy initiatives addressing market access, trade barriers, exports, investment, and industry competitiveness. Advises and collaborates with internal and external stakeholders on international trade and industry issues. Represents the organization in meetings, conferences, and other engagements involving U.S. industry, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Position Titles: The position is titled Trade Assistant at the GS-5 level and International Trade Specialist at the GS-7 level and above. The GS-5 through GS-9 positions are developmental positions within the career ladder. The full-performance level of the career ladder is GS-13. Movement to higher grade levels is subject to applicable time-in-grade requirements, performance, and management discretion. The major duties described above, reflect work performed at the full-performance level. This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Trade Assistant/International Trade Specialist (Recent College Graduates) GS-1140-5/7/9, Full Performance Level (FPL) GS-13 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. This position requires a SECRET CLEARANCE. You must be able to obtain and maintain the required clearance. You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. A probationary period may be required. Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/). If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Bargaining Unit Position: No Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: will not be paid License required: No Drug Test Required: Yes, This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing thereafter. Qualifying Education Institution: Any of the educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

Qualifications and evaluation

Under the College Graduate Hiring Authority, rating, ranking, and veterans' preference do not apply; therefore, applicants will not be rated or ranked. Applicants will first respond to the minimum qualification questions in the assessment questionnaire. Applicants whose responses indicate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will be invited through the automated application process to complete the USA Hire assessment(s) associated with this announcement. Applicants whose responses indicate that they do not meet the minimum qualification requirements will not proceed to the USA Hire assessment(s). Applicants who complete the required USA Hire assessment(s) and are selected to proceed to the next step will have their resume, optional cover letter, and supporting documentation reviewed to verify qualifications and determine eligibility for selection consideration. Applicants who meet the applicable requirements will be referred for selection consideration in accordance with agency procedures. Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration. Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13033100

Education

COLLEGE GRADUATE HIRING AUTHORITY: This position is being filled under the College Graduate Hiring Authority established by 5 U.S.C. § 3115. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements of this authority. See the Required Documents section of this announcement for information regarding documentation required to establish education eligibility under the College Graduate Hiring Authority. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

Benefits

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. 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.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. Note: To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Required documents

A complete application consists of the following: Resume: Your resume should list your educational and work experience, including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment and the number of hours worked per week, if less than 40. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the qualifications/assessment questions. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and, if applicable, whether you are registered with the Selective Service System. Refer to the How You Will Be Evaluated section for information regarding the types of information not to include in your resume/application. Education Documentation: If you are qualifying based on education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the name of the accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter or semester hours earned. Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements; see the Special Instructions for Foreign Education below. College Graduate Hiring Authority Documentation: Applicants must provide documentation sufficient to establish education eligibility under the College Graduate Hiring Authority. See the Education section of this announcement for information regarding the eligibility requirements and the Special Instructions for Foreign Education below, as applicable. Political Appointees: If you are a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee, you must submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement providing the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee) Agency Beginning and ending dates of appointment You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient. Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.

Additional information

College Graduate Hiring Authority: This position is being filled under the College Graduate Hiring Authority established by 5 U.S.C. § 3115. Appointments under this authority are made without regard to veterans' preference and the provisions governing competitive examining procedures specified in the statute. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Reasonable Accommodations (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. 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.