Human Resources Specialist (Employee & Labor Relations)

Job Details

Position Overview

Duties

• Serve as an advisor to provide guidance to both management and employees as a technical resource on performance and conduct-based actions.
• Provide advice and guidance to employees on organizational employee relation programs and policies.
• Advise supervisors and managers on employee discipline, adverse actions, performance, complaints/grievances, appeals, attendance and leave issues, employee conduct, as well as general concerns about employee-supervisor relations.
• Develop training and informational material on employee relation policy and programs.
• Develop and administer training on performance management and employee relation policy and programs.
• Serve as a management team member to provide strategic labor relations advisory services on organization-wide strategic plans and complex organizational issues.

Qualifications & Requirements

In order to qualify for the Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations) at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following qualification requirements:
Have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M., if related.
OR
Demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: Serving as a technical resource on organizational employee relations programs, policies, and practices; provide guidance on policies related to conduct, performance and leave administration; communicating agency-wide labor relations policies and procedures to management and staff; assisting in evaluating and publicizing employee relations programs.
OR
Have a combination of post baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

In order to qualify for the Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations) at the GS-12 level:
You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: Serving as a technical resource on employee relations program policies and practices; Responding to complaints, grievances, and appeals which may overlap with EEO and Labor Relations issues; conducting employee relations training and informational programs; reviewing and advising on changes to federal regulations and their impact to current employee relations programs and policies.

In order to qualify for the Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations) at the GS-13 level:
You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: Providing employee relations advice and guidance to management and employees and serving as a technical resource on employee relations program policies and practices; develop and conduct employee relations training and informational programs; respond to program issues in which there is potential for serious impact; provide strategic labor relations advisory services on organization-wide strategic plans and complex organizational issues.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer.

Education

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
• Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements within thirty (30) calendar days of the closing date of this announcement, including time in grade.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Based on your appointment, a one or two-year trial/probationary period may be required. A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period.

Evaluations

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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.

Required Documents

1. Job title
2. Employer name
3. Employment dates (MM/DD/YYYY)
4. Hours worked per week (full-time assumed; part-time prorated)
5. Detailed duties, accomplishments, skills, responsibilities, and supervisory details (if applicable)
6. Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)

• SF-50 - A copy of your most recent competitive career or career conditional SF-50 that shows the effective date of your latest position and the full performance level. You may obtain a copy of your SF-50 from your eOPF.
• Veteran Documentation: (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.). Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation if you are a 10-point preference eligible. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you have derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point preference eligibles, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
• Schedule A (Disability Appointment): Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead. Please note the Schedule A hiring authority neither guarantees employment, nor gives an individual preference in the hiring process.
• Visit our sites on Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) for more information and required documentation.

How to Apply

This announcement accepts applications during the open period of 08/17/2026 through 08/21/2026; unless the applicant cut-off (200 applications) is reached. This announcement will close at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 08/21/2026, or on the day the 200th application is received, whichever comes first. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the closing day of the announcement to receive consideration. Early submission of your application is highly encouraged.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete and submit all required questionnaires, assessments, and 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 Apply Online button.

2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.

3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Veteran, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.

4. Complete the application questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13031605

5. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.

6. 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.

7. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.

8. 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.

9. Set aside about 2 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.

10. 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.

11. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the application questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.

We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at [email protected].