Secretary (Steno/OA)

Department of the Air Force › Air Force Materiel Command (174 current openings)

Who may apply

Limited to the following applicant groups:

Federal employees - Competitive service
Federal employees - Excepted service
Internal to an agency
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Land and base management
Veterans
Individuals with disabilities
Military spouses
Family of overseas employees

Scott AFB, Illinois

Full-time Security Clearance: Other

Application Deadline:

2026-08-27

Posted:

2026-08-14

About 1 week left

Apply on usajobs.gov

Salary: $41,769 – $67,264 per year (NK-2)

Salary context

Based on 43 annual-salary jobs in the same occupational series. This role pays around the middle of similar positions.

Job Details

Position Overview

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the principal office assistant performing various clerical and administrative duties in support of the organization, performing office automation support using multiple automated programs and software such as databases, spreadsheets, and graphics in support of the clerical and administrative work

Duties

Prepares a wide variety of recurring and some nonrecurring correspondence, reports, and other documents and reviews and finalizes correspondence/documents prepared by others in handwritten or electronic drafts.
Reviews and processes incoming and outgoing correspondence, materials, publications, regulations, and directives
Receives telephone calls, greets visitors, and ascertains the nature of the calls or visits.
Maintains supervisor's calendar, coordinates meeting arrangements, and schedules meetings and/or conferences.
Performs other clerical and administrative work in support of the office/organization

Qualifications & Requirements

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-04/NK-01, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes: working with rules, procedures, operations, functions, and commitments applied to secretarial and clerical assignments to perform the procedural and administrative work of the office, such as screening calls and visitors, maintaining supervisors calendar, preparing, reviewing and editing documents, locating and assembling information for various reports, maintaining files/records, and making and preparing travel arrangements. Use of stenography to take and transcribe dictation.

NOTE: Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement.
OR
EDUCATION: 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree NOTE: You must submit a copy of official college transcripts

OR
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Less than the full amount of specialized experience described in the job opportunity announcement; however, completion of education leading towards a Bachelor's Degree. Therefore, having a combination of experience and education. NOTE: You must submit a copy of official transcripts.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

Knowledge of extensive rules, procedures, operations, functions, and commitments applied to secretarial and clerical assignments to perform the procedural and administrative work of the office, such as screening calls and visitors, maintaining supervisor's calendar, preparing, reviewing and editing documents, locating and assembling information for various reports, maintaining files/records, and making and preparing travel arrangements.
Knowledge of correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and format to accurately prepare and edit written correspondence and reports.
Knowledge of various office automation software programs, tools, and techniques to support office operations and produce a variety of documents such as letters, reports, spreadsheets, databases, and graphs.
Skill in typing; a qualified typist is required.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., 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 that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcripts with the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

********************ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICES MEMBERS********************

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD-Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Active duty members applying for a civil service position without submitting a valid certification memo or DD-Form 214 with their application will render the member ineligible for the position. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:

Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
Branch of Armed Forces
Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
Expected character of service (honorable or general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander.

Note: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form-214 must be submitted upon receipt

Conditions of Employment

Must complete initial online questionnaire and additional assessment(s)
U.S. Citizenship is required
Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
Selectee is expected to be granted with and/or maintain the appropriate security clearance required for the position.
This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
This position may require drug testing; the candidate may be subject to passing a drug test upon selection
Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays
Shift work and emergency overtime may be required
Employee must maintain current certifications
Disclosure of Political Appointments
All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.
Relocation Incentive may be authorized for this position
Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Recruitment incentives may/may not be authorized
This position may require travel.
For more information on AcqDemo please go to DoD AcqDemo Homepage http://acqdemo.hci.mil/ and Fact She http://acqdemo.hci.mil/faq.html.
Applicants must have skills as a qualified typist, a minimum of 40 WPM proficiency. Applicant must upload an authorized proficiency certificate or self-certify proficiency in the assessment tool.
NOTE: You will be considered INELIGIBLE if no information is provided concerning typing speed.

Evaluations

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Reasoning
Interaction
Judgment
Reading

The USA Hire Assessments includes 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.

BASIS OF RATING: Your application will be rated under the Cut Point procedures based on the extent to which the quality, depth, and complexity of your experience and education relate to the qualification requirements. Additional points are not added for Veteran's Preference; however, Veteran's Preference is considered where applicable.

Best Qualified Group: Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements.
Fully Qualified Group: Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements.
Basically Qualified Group: Candidates in this category meet the minimum education and/or experience requirements.

The resume/documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

APPRAISALS/AWARDS: Hiring Managers use objective methods and consider previous performance appraisals and awards in the selection process. Current Federal Civilian employees should list any relevant performance related rating and/or awards in your resume.

BASIS OF RATING: The assessments for this job will also measure

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) as listed under Qualifications

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.

Online Application: Questionnaire
Resume: Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable. Additional information on resume requirements can be located under "How To Apply".
Transcripts/Registration/License: If qualifying based on education/position requires education, you must submit copies of your transcripts and if required for the position, submit an active, current registration/license.
Veterans: If claiming VEOA, VRA or 30% Disabled Veteran - Submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD-Form 214, which must include the character of service (i.e., with an honorable or general discharge). This will be annotated in block 24 on member copy 2, 4, or 7 of the DD-Form 214. If claiming 30% Disabled Veteran, you must also submit a VA Letter or a disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces. NOTE: All veterans claiming 10-point preference must also submit a SF-15.
Current or Former Federal Civilian Employees (includes current Air Force employees): You must submit a legible copy of a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. The SF-50, block 24 must contain "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a "1". Employees eligible under an OPM approved interchange agreement, block 34 may contain a "1" or "2".
Promotion Consideration: If you wish to be considered as a promotion candidate and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one-year time-in-grade requirements. You will need to provide additional SF-50s which clearly demonstrate you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).
If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here

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 here.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before starting the application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/27/2026

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13035759

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp.

Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here.
For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume.
Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy.
Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume.

2. A complete Application Questionnaire
3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.
4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS:
Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.
Awards for Current Federal Civilian Employees - List any awards received within the last 3 years on the resume.
Note: Applicant must not submit award Notification of Personnel Actions (SF50s).

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant. Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application.Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.

Source: Data sourced from USAJOBS