Program Support Assistant

Summary

This position is located within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The location of this position will be determined upon selection. In this position, you will serve as a personal assistant to the Research Leader and other professional staff providing various secretarial, administrative, and program support duties, allowing them to focus on the organization's primary mission.

Duties

• Participates in program planning support work such as research project coordination, travel documentation, budget coordination/tracking, agreements, and purchasing/procurement of supplies and equipment, and human resources administration.
• Serves as the primary administrative business process point of contact for the Unit.
• Performs various tasks using on-line systems.
• Prepares graphics, photos/slides, creates tables and graphs based on statistical data for Research Leader and professional staff.
• Coordinates the processing of manuscripts and reports for public information; edits material for correct structure, clarity and arrangement of format for scientific journals and other media.
• Develops and implements new systems or administrative processes to meet Unit needs.
• May serve on special committees or special projects.

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. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 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 experience preparing or reviewing financial documents; using computer programs to prepare and review written documents; and providing information on policies, procedures, or guidelines. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 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 experience preparing or tracking financial forms or reports; maintaining detailed records or files for an office environment; coordinating all aspects of travel for staff or supervisors; and ensuring compliance with regulations for all program administrative procedures. Applicants must be able to type 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 vacancy does not have an education requirement.