Duties

As a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits), you will perform the following duties:

• Provide guidance in administering a variety of benefits and retirements programs, such as health and life insurance, dental and vision insurance, Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Long Term Care Insurance and Flexible Spending accounts.
• Apply knowledge of retirement and insurance laws, policies and regulations to interpret routine and complex issues such as the Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Correction Act entitlements. Perform research and interpretation of legal regulatory guidance as it relates to insurance and retirement programs.
• Provide individual and group retirement awareness training and counsel potential retirees on all aspects of the retirement process to include calculations.
• Provide consultative services and in-depth guidance, both orally and in writing, to leadership, internal and external customers, employees, Human Resources (HRs) staff, and survivors regarding all aspects of the federal employee benefits program.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZA-3is equivalent to the GS-11/12.
Salary Range:

Boulder, CO: $80,665-$125,685
Silver Spring, MD: $82,764-$128,956
Norfolk, VA: $81,963-$127,707
Seattle, WA: $81,242-$126,585

• A one year probationary period may be required.

• This position is not in the bargaining unit.

• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• • 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

     

    Review our benefits

    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.

  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
    
    A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume
    
    You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume must include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if federal); description of duties or work performed; education; starting and ending dates (month and year); and hours worked per week and/or full-time or part-time. If identifying as part-time you must state the number of hours per week. (NOTE: A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, but for a specific number of hours (usually 16-32 hours per administrative work week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.)
    
    Veterans' Preference Eligibles
    
    If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.
    
    If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
    
    If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.
    
    Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
    
    Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
    
    If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:

    • copy of the agency notice;
    • your most recent Performance Rating; and
    • your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

    If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.

     

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • How to Apply

     

    This position is also announced under vacancy number OHCS-WRD-25-12573541-MAP, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.
    
    Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS by 11:59pm Eastern Time(ET) (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.

    Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:

    1)Click the blue "Apply Online" button.

    2)If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.

    3)As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.

    4)Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.

    5)Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.

    6)Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.

    7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.

     

    Agency contact information

    Applicant Inquiries

    Email

    noaa.applicantinquiries@noaa.gov

    Address

    NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
    1315 East West Hwy
    SSMC4
    Silver Spring, MD 20910
    US

    Next steps

     

    This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits) ZA-0201-3 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g.: within the same geographic locations, same grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).
    
    You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:

    • Application Received

    • Application being assess for qualification;

    • Referred or Not Referred; and

    • Selected or Not Selected.

    By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
    
    You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.)

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents