Investigator • Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency • September 30, 2021 or 200 applicants
This is a job completing background checks, basically. There are three openings in Great Lakes, IL. I’m posting it partly because I think this kind of ad gets run periodically and it might be interesting for some people.
Under the general direction of a Supervisory Agent in Charge, the incumbent conducts and completes wide variety of types of investigations primarily involving Federal personnel security operations. This is a training level position and assignments are routine, but as knowledge of the work is gained, investigative assignments with increasing amount of independence will be given. . . .
As an INVESTIGATOR you will be responsible for the following duties:
Assist with conducting Federal Personnel Background Investigations, many of which are sensitive or controversial, where allegations, hearsay information, or other vague or intangible information of an adverse nature exist.
Evaluate individual's trustworthiness for access to classified information, placement in a sensitive position, retention in the military services, or placement in Federal employment.
Assist with collecting and developing information from a variety of sources.
Prepare reports of investigation in accordance with DOD guidelines and instructions.
You can qualify with a BA, but the give the skills they’re looking for, so take a look at that part of the posting. There doesn’t seem to be a questionnaire.
COVID-19 Appointments • USAID • October 1, 2021
Okay, this is a posting for several different kinds of temporary (extendable) positions, including: Clearance Coordinator, Program Assistant, Program Advisor (Rapid Response), Program Analyst, Communications Advisor, and others. I would take a look at the position descriptions.
The application process for this position is different than for others - you should submit a résumé and cover letter, rather than a résumé and questionnaire.
It still says you need one year of experience at the next lowest level to qualify, so if you see a position you like I would try and find other listings for it at GS-10.
Visual Information Specialist • Forest Service (USDA) • October 4, 2021
This job is in Madison, WI, which could be fun. Here are some of the responsibilities:
Plans and completes visual information projects, primarily in the form of printed publications and visual presentation aimed at communicating a wide variety of information about scientific concepts. . . .
Provides advice on the technical advantages and disadvantages of various formats, styles, media and methods of reproduction, and types of presentations, suggesting those that will best meet the client's informational objectives.
Researches source material, such as reports, plans, and publications, in order to determine the best presentation of material. . . .
Maintains a comprehensive database of visual information, including in-house generated computer graphics, and subject matter information. The database is used as a library of materials that can be accessed through computer interfaces.
There are . . . a LOT of ways to qualify for this position; to be creditable, you will need some experience doing:
Using standatd [sic] desktop publishing (InDesign) and graphic design (Photo Shop, Illustrator, etc.) software and techniques to design and produce page layouts of technical and non-technical communication products such as pamphlets, brochures, and newsletters, from web and print publications.
Producing visual materials which include publications with illustrations, maps, charts, diagrams, graphs, and covers;
Advising customers on cost, visual effectiveness, and appropriate media for projects
They are also interested in people with doctorates in “commercial art, fine arts, art history, industrial design, architecture, drafting, graphic design, photography, visual communication, or other fields related to the position.” You should look at the posting to see if your experience maps onto any of the different qualifications. Here’s the questionnaire.
Supervisory Library Technician • Library of Congress • October 4, 2021
There's another posting for the same job here. They are also hiring a plain old Library Technician, deadline October 5 2021.
If you are currently a library tech or librarian and want to keep doing that, there is another posting, at a higher grade level, you can check out (although I imagine you’ve already created your own USAJOBS alert . . .). But I’m focusing on this one since it has a slightly lower bar to entry:
Supervises a group of employees performing work up to the GS-08 level. Provides administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit. Performs the administrative and human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised. In collaboration with the Head, Collections Maintenance and Stack Management Section establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff members, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers' performance: demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques.
The KSAs/qualifications are:
Ability to supervise a diverse workforce.**
Ability to use integrated library system (ILS), other computerized search tools and databases.**
Ability to identify and retrieve material from collections.**
Knowledge of library cataloging rules, practices, and/or procedures.
Ability to interact and meet with others.
Ability to analyze problems and develop solutions to plan and carry out library programs.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to provide training.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Double asterisks are the essential ones. Here’s the questionnaire, where you will talk about the things that got you those double asterisks.
Public Affairs Specialist (Digital Communications) • AmeriCorps • October 4, 2021
This job description reminded me of the work some people do within disciplinary organizations:
The Public Affairs Specialist (Digital Communications) is responsible for performing a variety of assignments to facilitate the workflow of the media team and the Office of External Affairs (OEA). The incumbent will primarily support the development and implementation of multi-platform digital campaigns, media outreach, and daily operations for the team.
There is a longer, more comprehensive list of duties. The qualifications are:
1) establishing and maintaining effective working relationships at multiple levels within an organization in order to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address organizational programs; 2) preparing written or multimedia materials to promote the organization's mission; and 3) designing and tailoring messaging strategies to the general public and special target audiences that involved a degree of complexity.
One can also qualify through a graduate degree, provided it will let you tick the necessary boxes on the questionnaire. The questionnaire for this position really illuminated the job for me, so you might want to look there first. There KSAs are: Analytical Skill, Communications and Media, Customer Service, Interpersonal Relations, Oral Communication, and Written Communication.
Librarian (Medical) • Veterans Health Administration • October 6, 2021
This position is in Gainesville, FL, along with the University of Florida.
Major Duties:
Participates in interdisciplinary hospital-wide committees such as Research, IRB, Evidence-Based Practice, Professional Development, taskforces or system-wide initiatives;
Develops and maintains a clinical librarian program by participating in Morning Reports, huddles, rounds, and continuously engages with trainees and clinical staff;
Serves as primary contact for the NF/SG VHS Healthpads (ipads and mobile technology) program via the VHA Mobile Health Program; offering technological assistance to staff; . . .
To qualify, you need one year of a library degree or
A total of at least five (5) years of a combination of college-level education, training, and experience.
AND one year of specialized experience
Specialized experience must have demonstrated the ability to perform, supervise, or direct one or more of the functional areas of work covered by this series; to understand the concepts, theories, new developments, and co-relationship of information in related fields; and to maintain up-to-date information on the state of the art. Additional experience includes utilizing professional knowledge of principles and practices of major library functions (e.g., collection development, electronic database management, reference, serials management, interlibrary loan, cataloging, library automation) to solve problems which can be resolved using established methods or precedents. Experience with interlibrary (e.g. document delivery) systems such as Docline and/or OCLC; participated in interdisciplinary hospital-wide committees such as Research, IRB, Evidence-Based Practice, Professional Development, taskforces or system-wide initiatives; and assisted with maintenance of at least one of the following: SharePoint, Intranet, and Libguides (website).
Or a PhD that gets you that stuff. The KSAs are Communications and Technical Competence, which is listed twice. Here’s the questionnaire.
Librarian (Rare Materials Section) • Library of Congress • October 6, 2021
Okay! Here is a job for people with a lot of experience in European archives!
Catalogs a variety of materials in an automated cataloging environment where the bibliographic characteristics of the material are relatively easy to determine and cataloging decisions are made within established standards. . . .
The description is long and granular. The KSAs are:
Ability to communicate in German, Latin, English and one or more other European languages.**
Knowledge of library acquisitions and/or cataloging rules, practices, and procedures.**
Ability to use integrated library systems, applications, or other information technologies.**
Ability to organize, analyze, and interpret data related to acquiring and/or cataloging library materials.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to interact collaboratively with others to provide consultation and liaison services.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
I don’t think there are like, that many people in the world that satisfy the language requirement, though the wording on the questionnaire is a little confusing. It may be worth taking a look and contacting the HR person for clarification.
Legislative Research Assistant • Legislative Information Services (LOC) • October 8, 2021
Alright, nerds who have read policy documents:
The Legislative Research Assistant supports legislative analysts by locating, interpreting, and presenting legislative information orally or in writing to legislative analysts and reviewers; conducting and presenting research findings relating to the legislative history of a bill by reviewing applicable documents, including committee hearing testimony, Congressional Record excerpts, sponsor press releases, and media coverage; reviewing authoritative sources to identify legislative data, such as subject areas, policy terms, bill relationships, and titles; and entering that data into the system for subsequent entry into Congress.gov. . . .
The qualifications are:
Ability to interpret legislative text and information**
Ability to attend to detail**
Ability to utilize computer/information technology**
Ability to interact collaboratively with others.
Ability to adapt.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
As usual with LOC positions, you need to discuss your experience doing these things through narrative responses to the questionnaire. The double asterisked KSAs are particularly important. That is, they want to know you have “Located and interpreted legislative and statutory information from authoritative sources.”
Research Librarian (Science and Technology) • Congressional Research Services (LOC) • October 20, 2021
I can certainly think of humanists who would make a good case for themselves in an application to this position:
The Research Librarian will provide reference and research services to CRS policy analysts and congressional clients, focusing primarily on the area of science and technology. Candidates with a Master of Library Science (MLS) or equivalent degree and background in cybersecurity, information technologies, and emerging technologies are encouraged to apply. Outstanding candidates may also have a background in communication technologies and strong quantitative data skills.
. . .
Analyzes and solves research problems within designated policy research areas. Factors that affect the complexity of these problems include novelty, the difficulty in locating authoritative information, and the specialized nature of the subject area. . . .
They would like to know that you possess the follow skills:
Ability to apply knowledge of reference sources in science and technology**
Ability to conduct information research**
Ability to communicate in writing**
Ability to utilize information technology.
Ability to interact collaboratively with others.
Ability to focus on the client.
Ability to solve problems and make decisions.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
And they would also like you to answer some questions about your expertise in those areas!
Supervisory Program Specialist • Library of Congress • October 21, 2021
This position is going to require some experience doing a very similar job.
This position is located in the Visitor Engagement Office, Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement, Office of the Librarian. . . .
Provides leadership, direction and strategy in the planning, development, and management of the Library of Congress, VEO within the CLLE. Under the direct supervision of the VEO Chief, the incumbent develops, implements and oversees all management, policies and procedures of all elements of the Visitor Engagement full-time and part-time team members, including 340+ volunteers and interns. Establishes and implements operations policies, procedures and protocols, audience evaluations and other activities to provide services, accessibility and assistance to the visiting public. Develops annual and as-needed professional development training programs for staff, relating to the visitor program. Leads activities to enhance the quality or efficiency of operational services. . . .
There’s a lot more to the position, so check out the full listing. The KSAs are:
Ability to lead and supervise a diverse workforce.
Ability to facilitate liaison activities and special program coordination.
Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and develop solutions using analytical methods to improve programs and processes.**
Ability to provide planning and management oversight for a visitor engagement program.**
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Writer-Editor • Law Library (LOC) • October 25, 2021
The posting does a nice job breaking down the editing role. Here’s how it starts:
Edits legal work products (reports, studies, letters, memoranda, emails, and bibliographies) written by the Law Library's foreign law specialists, legal research analysts, legal analysts, and reference librarians for Congress, government agencies, the judiciary, and the public based on acquired subject matter knowledge and training. Rewrites drafts as needed to reflect American English and US jurisprudential standards, and to incorporate applicable style and citation guidelines. . .
The qualifications don’t really request or specify a legal background . . .
Ability to communicate effectively in writing.**
Knowledge of the principles and techniques of editing.**
Ability to apply editorial style and citation rules.**
Ability to use information technology to perform editorial duties.
Ability to interact collaboratively with others.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
. . . however the questionnaire does include some questions about editing legal documents. But mostly editing experience!
Cultural Advisor (Linguist) • Army Expeditionary Civilian Workforce • January 17, 2022
This is a position to work with Afghan refugees. There are multiple locations and openings and it’s temporary, but may be extended.
Translates material in Dari and/or Pashtu to and from English, as required.
Provide translations and cultural advice to the Commander during meetings and conferences.
Maintains continuing coordination with US Forces and Task Force team in support of the Afghan refugee mission.
Provides recommendations on a wide variety of guidelines between the Task Force and Afghan refugee populations.
This seems like difficult work in a number of ways. Here are the qualifications:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service which includes experience assisting with interpreting/translating to/from Dari or Pashtu language into the English language and vice versa; assist with translating (written) and interpreting (oral) technical documents and discussions / negotiations from Dari or Pashtu to English and English to Dari or Pashtu.
OREducation:
Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.
Or a combo. The questionnaire is brief, as you might expect.