Summary
This vacancy is for a Clerk (OA) position for the US. Census Bureau, Chicago Regional Office . Reporting to in one of the following Special Census Offices (SCO) locations:

• Waukee, IA
• Norwalk, IA
• Pleasant Hill, IA
• Bondurant, IA
• Ankeny. IA

This Announcement may be used to fill other Clerk , GS-0303-04/05 , FPL-05 positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
All qualified United States citizens.
Duties

• Performs incidental typing of transmittals, letters, office records, forms, and other documents.
• Performs administrative activities and assisting other staff members.
• Reviews payroll timesheets submitted and keys time and attendance data
• Maintains personnel files and records, manuals, and instruction books.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• U.S. citizen.
• Suitable for Federal employment.
• Registered for Selective Service if applicable. (www.sss.gov)
• This is a Temporary Appointment; initial appointment is not to exceed 1 year. This appointment may be extended an additional year(s) at management's discretion.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• The work schedule for this position is Mixed Tour. With a Mixed Tour work schedule, an employee may be changed between full-time, part-time and intermittent work schedules to accommodate fluctuating workloads and is subject to a signed agreement.

Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Minimum Qualification Requirement:
To be minimally qualified for this position you MUST have a typing proficiency of at least 40 words per minute with three or fewer errors in a five-minute writing sample.
AND
Specialized Experience:
For the GS-04 , you must have one year of General Experience.General Experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled.
OR
2 years education above high school.
For the GS-05 , you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-04 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes performing administrative activities and assisting other staff members; using an automated personnel and payroll system; working with customers, disseminating phone calls to appropriate staff members; working with difficult customers in a professional manner; using computers for word processing, databases and automated systems for programmatic information, action item tracking, and document control; using office machinery such as printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, etc.
OR
4 years education above high school.
Note: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels and positions for which both education and experience are acceptable.
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.
Additional information
The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

• VRA (GS-11 or below)
• 30% or more disabled
• Persons with Disabilities
• CTAP
• ICTAP

The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.
This is an open continuous announcement which allows applicants to apply up to the closing date of the announcement. The announcement will be used to fill anticipated vacancies across multiple locations. Selections may be made from certificates issued up to 3 months after the 1st cut-off date listed below. Contingent upon funding and space requirements, one or more vacancies may be filled at the locations listed in this announcement as they become available.
Applicants need to apply and/or update their applications by 11:59 pm ET at the close of each of the following cutoff dates to be considered: 4/1/2024, 5/19/2024, 6/19/2024. This announcement may be amended to include additional cut-off dates within the 3-month period if needed, not later than 10 days prior to the additional cut-off date or the final selection date.

• Benefits
  Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility : Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.
Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold).
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Technology Application

For more information on category rating, please go to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Category-Rating .
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.
Do NOT include the following types of information in your application:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself ( if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position )
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

You may view the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12351925 for this vacancy.

• Benefits
  Review our benefits
• Required Documents
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  A complete application consists of the following:
  
  • Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
  • Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/veterans-preference/#content
  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
  • Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also applies to Census Bureau employees . Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
  You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
  Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
  CTAP and ICTAP candidates:
  CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  
  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
  ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  
  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
  NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.
  
  • Resume
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
  schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• How to Apply
  Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 06/19/2024.
  To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov.
  
  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
  USAJOBS Help Center | How to see your application and job status
  To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
  Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact:
  Karyn Lindsey; karyn.m.lindsey@census.gov
  Agency contact information
  Karyn Lindsey
  Phone
  301-763-2379
  Email
  karyn.m.lindsey@census.gov
  Address
  Chicago Regional Office
  1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite 400
  Oak Brook, IL 605231918
  US
  Next steps
  You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov, and clicking on "Applications."The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:
  
  1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
  2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
  3. Referred or Not Referred; and
  4. Selected or Not Selected.
  By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
  You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
• Fair and Transparent
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents
A complete application consists of the following:

• Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/veterans-preference/#content
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
• Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also applies to Census Bureau employees . Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
CTAP and ICTAP candidates:
CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

• Resume

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 06/19/2024.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

USAJOBS Help Center | How to see your application and job status
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact:
Karyn Lindsey; karyn.m.lindsey@census.gov
Agency contact information
Karyn Lindsey
Phone
301-763-2379
Email
karyn.m.lindsey@census.gov
Address
Chicago Regional Office
1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite 400
Oak Brook, IL 605231918
US
Next steps
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov, and clicking on "Applications."The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:

1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
3. Referred or Not Referred; and
4. Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request