Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations & Performance)

Job Details

Position Overview

Duties

As a HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE RELATIONS & PERFORMANCE) GS-0201-13 your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

• Serves as technical expert on performance and conduct-based actions and related employee
  relations program policies and practices. Responds to program issues where there is the potential
  for serious impact on the OIG's mission. Assesses the impact of new practices and/or the pursuit of
  certain actions that could have a perceived impact on the OIG or the Federal government. Develops
  solutions to extremely complicated, complex or non-standard problems that may have the potential to
  impact numerous employees and/or major OIG programs;
• Prepares reports and makes recommendations and decisions that involve precedent-setting cases
  that may affect the policies and programs of outside organizations. Conciliates remedies in cases
  that are likely to result in precedent decisions. Prepares comprehensive investigation reports that
  summarize investigative activities;
• Serves as advisor and consultant on performance management issues. Provides managers with
  interpretation of the agency's performance management procedures, practices, policies, and
  guidelines. Counsels managers on performance situations, including cases with the potential to
  generate administrative or negotiated agreement grievances, EEO complaints, performance-based
  adverse actions, etc.;
• Plans, coordinates and conducts special studies of employee relations policies, issues, and
  practices, including performance evaluation ratings, awards and adverse actions;
• Researches case law to ensure that actions are appropriate and legally defensible. Devises
  organizational case strategies, prepares and/or reviews documentation of adverse action cases and presents and defends
  the agency's technical position before third parties;
• Provides expert level advice in the area of performance management. Serves as a trouble-shooter,
  providing authoritative advice and guidance on problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted
  methods; recommendations and decisions are characterized by breadth and importance;
• Provides key consultative performance management advice and services to managers, supervisors,
  senior level officials, and employees involving the full spectrum of human resources policies,
  programs, processes, and procedures;
• Reviews and advises management on performance plans and provides technical information on
  performance management systems. Interprets agency policies and provides advice on other human
  resources issues that align with performance management; and
• Provides expert advice on policy, directives, and guidelines on a full range of matters pertinent
  to performance management and/or performance management. Recognizes recurrence of similar
  unprecedented and highly controversial problems. Develops or proposes new or revised agency
  approach. Anticipates problems that management may encounter, and accomplishes preventive human
  resources management projects to best serve management's goals.
  

Qualifications & Requirements

All applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.

You may qualify for the GS-13 grade level, if you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the federal sector, or the equivalent in the private sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position your specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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, knowledge and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position within thirty (30) days of the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Résumé and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period

Evaluations

All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in three phases to determine how you move forward in the hiring process.

Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed.

Applicants passing "Phase I" will move on to the "Phase II" of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents). Applicants who do not respond to the application questions may be rated ineligible.

Applicants passing "Phase II" of the assessment process will be invited to participate in a structured interview, as part of "Phase III". A SME panel will conduct the structured interview and assign a score for each of the required competencies listed below, based on your responses to the interview questions.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

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

If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments by the selecting official (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).

NOTE: If you exaggerate or falsify your experience, education and/or your responses to questions, your ratings are subject to change, or you may be removed from employment consideration.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Offices within the OIG community who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate, you are on, you will be notified.

Required Documents

Documents to be submitted online:

1. Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. 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, and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
• Most recent SF-50 (Showing Within Grade Increase or Promotion)
• Most recent Performance Evaluation/Appraisal
• Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g., DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station; and most recent performance appraisal.)

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/25/2026 or when the 75th application is received, whichever occurs first, to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
• Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact EPA OIG Recruiting at [email protected] to obtain an alternative application.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job.

The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA's Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process:

• If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you.
• If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official's office. If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA's National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at [email protected].
• If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you.
• Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.