LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE-Direct Hire Authority (DHA)

Summary

This position is located in Healthcare Service, Armed Forces Retirement Home, Gulfport, MS Nursing Service. The primary purpose of the position is to administer medications to groups of Residents and to accomplish specific nursing care and nursing team-leading duties as assigned by a professional registered nurse. This announcement is issued under the Direct-Hire authority to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need.

Duties

As a/an LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE-Direct Hire Authority (DHA), you will: Prioritize care activities for a group of Residents based on illness acuity or staff skill level. Provide Resident status information to interdisciplinary team members for use in care planning Provide Resident status information to interdisciplinary team members for use in care planning. Describe a Resident's physical appearance, emotional status, or interaction with staff or family in written notes.

Requirements

Key Requirements: Please refer to "Conditions of Employment." Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. The AFRH ethics program promotes the highest standards of ethical conduct for all employees. As a federal employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, and the U.S. criminal conflict of interest statutes. As an AFRH employee, you will also be subject to the AFRH Supplemental Ethics Regulations which restrict the extent to which a AFRH employee can engage in certain activities and hold certain investments. Depending on your position, you may also be required to file a public or confidential financial disclosure report which must be filed within 30 days of your appointment as an employee of AFRH. Upon your new appointment, you will receive guidance regarding your ethics obligations. You will also be required to attend a mandatory ethics training within 3 months of your appointment. Please contact the Agency Ethics Officer (Joseph Pollard) at (202) 541-7557, or joseph.pollard@afrh.gov if you should have any questions. Because the AFRH's mission requires uninterrupted, direct human support and medical care for its Residents, this position is considered essential for continuing AFRH operations. Therefore, the incumbent is expected to arrive for duty on time, as scheduled, and to complete the assigned tour during emergency situations such as hazardous weather.

Qualifications and evaluation

To be found minimally qualified, you must demonstrate proficiency in the competencies required for the position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Application questionnaire: Applicants must complete a questionnaire as part of the application process. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13098050. Applicants identifying as meeting minimum qualifications for the position will move on to the next phase of the assessment process. Online assessments: Applicants must complete the online USA Hire Assessments measuring critical general competencies required to perform the job. Examples used in the assessments include general scenarios addressing the underlying competencies required for this position. The USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Applicants who complete the online assessments and meet or exceed the cut score will move on to the next phase of the assessment process. Resume review: HR Specialists will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Resumes submitted for Federal positions may not exceed two pages. Be sure you address the specialized experience within the two-page resume limit. HR will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume). Applicants passing the resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Referral method: Your responses to the application questionnaire and online assessments, resume, and transcripts will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications (experience and/or education) listed in this announcement. If your responses are not supported by the documentation you submit, you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If it is determined that you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be referred to the selecting officials. Under provisions of the Direct Hire Authority: Category Rating, Rule of Many, and veterans' preference do not apply. All applicants who are determined to meet the minimum qualifications, as defined by this announcement, will be referred to the selecting officials for consideration.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience.

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes: Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards. Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year. Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire. A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums. A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions. Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits

How to apply

Please review the full announcement carefully. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires and assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents sections. 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: 1. Click the Apply Online button. 2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. 3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. 4. 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. 5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. 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. 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. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information) 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/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

Applicants must submit all required materials by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date (11/12/2026). Required documents include: A resume of no more than two pages which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If military or a civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications, and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font style such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, or Open San Source Sans Pro. The USAJOBS resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. A complete application questionnaire and online USA Hire Assessments. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Assessments, you can find the Reasonable Accommodation process here. Other supporting documents, if applicable: Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP)? If so, submit all of the following: A copy of your reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement; A copy of your separation SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', or most recent SF-50 if pending separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location; A copy of your latest performance appraisal, including your rating; and Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential, if applicable. Your Federal position at the time you were displaced must be within the local commuting area for a location that a hiring agency plans to fill from this announcement. The definition of local commuting area varies based on duty location and hiring agency policy. To receive priority consideration, you must also be found well-qualified, which means you score 85 or higher based on this announcement's assessment rating criteria. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, non-career SES, or Presidential appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides 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; and Beginning and end dates of appointment. VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: Veterans' Preference does not apply to the Direct Hire Authority however, you are still encouraged to submit your documentation. Please see applicant guide for required documentation. Candidates must be currently licensed to practice as practical or vocational nurses in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or must have applied for a license to practice. Applications of candidates possessing a license must be accompanied by (1) a certified or photostatic copy of the license, (2) a notarized statement attesting to the fact, or (3) a citation of the license number and State issuing it; and CPR certification. Non-licensed candidates who have completed their training may be appointed subject to obtaining the required license during the probationary period. Those not licensed must furnish (1) the date on which they applied for a license and (2) the jurisdiction involved. No person appointed pending licensure may be retained beyond the probationary period if licensure has not been attained. Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials. You must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION: We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This is a bargaining unit position. AFGE American Federation of Government Employees Local 1027 Veterans Preference does not apply to announcements posted under Direct Hire Authority. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding. A one year probationary period may be required. Must successfully complete a background investigation. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position. Pass a pre-employment physical examination. An OF-178, Certificate of Medical Examination will be required if selected for this position. DO NOT SUBMIT AT TIME OF APPLICATION. Selectees will be subject to the AFRH Tuberculosis Surveillance Program. This position requires that you obtain and maintain a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from, or in accordance with, the American Heart Association and American Red Cross. Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS. Wear required safety clothing and/or equipment required by the position. This may include safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, masks, etc. Shift Work: This facility operates on a 24 hour per day, three-shift basis. Assignment to a specific shift cannot be guaranteed. The successful applicant must be available to work on all three shifts on a rotational basis. 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