Instructional Systems Specialist and Trainer.

Duties

As An Instructional System Specialist And Trainer, You Will

• Advise on training requirements, design, develop, and provide training services in a law enforcement technical development program. Determine the learning objectives and task learning relationships, cluster learning events, organize course content, and develop instruction plans.
• Serve as the Defendant Engagement and System Support's (DESS) expert in instructional systems. Confer with other DESS experts to coordinate instruction system analysis leading to producing training materials, audiovisual materials or test equipment, and mockups for in-person instructor-led and/or web-based training classes, events and activities. Coordinate and integrate the types and capabilities of instructional methods, materials, and media.
• Compile and analyze course evaluations and updates training content or methodology based on feedback or effectiveness, follow up on course and program graduates, and coordinate with the Quality Management Unit to update to directives that have an impact on the technical training program.
• Analyze learning problems, select teaching strategies using appropriate models, and develop course plans using this information. Organize the work, consult with subject-matter experts (SME), senior leaders and training professionals to determine the requirements and possible sources of information for specific courses and their relative priority in view of time and resources available, projected schedules, and relationship to the objectives of the total training program.
• Develop or revise the specific content, organize, style, format, emphasis, and treatment of each segment of the instructional courses, and identify the best delivery methods. Create finished products including lesson plans, training texts, programmed texts, or computer assisted instruction modules. Specify the time and emphasis given to each instructional course or module in terms of training objectives and continuity.
• Conduct occupational and job task analyses using interviews, surveys, observation, and SME panels to identify performance requirements, determine tasks requiring training versus performance support, develop performance measures, and establish instructional priorities. Identify tasks that can be efficiently and effectively supported by job or skill performance aids.
• Apply advanced instructional systems design methodologies and technology-based learning strategies to develop performance-aligned solutions. Ensure solutions comply with Learning Management System (LMS) architecture and accessibility standards, including Section 508 requirements.
• Use LMS analytics and reporting tools to evaluate instructional effectiveness, identify systemic skill gaps, monitor learning trends, and assess the impact of training on workforce readiness and compliance. Interpret data to recommend instructional redesign, changes in delivery strategy, or targeted interventions, rather than performing routine administrative tracking functions.
• Perform learning analyses, from the initial training levels through the operating levels of tasks or jobs, to identify learning gaps and risks; evaluate emerging instructional technologies; and recommend strategies and tools considering training objectives and tie-in with other instructional materials and courses. Assess implementation results and recommend refinement based on findings.
• Manage the DESS technical training program as an integrated instructional system, ensuring alignment among occupational requirements, instructional design, delivery strategies, and evaluation mechanisms. Study technical reference materials in the pretrial field, obtain input from accrediting entities, and continually review developments in the fields of education and training.
• Serve as the Office of Training Development and Assistance Unit (TDAU) point of contact and liaison with PSA's Training Career Development Unit (TCDU) and the Agency's LMS Administrator to access reports, data analytics, create and update DESS technical curriculum, create and update items, and assign or remove staff from curriculum or items. Use LMS data and analytics to evaluate instructional effectiveness, validate learning transfer, identify systemic skill gaps, and recommend curriculum redesign or instructional strategy changes.
• Apply advanced facilitation techniques to deliver instructor-led, virtual, and web-based training for the purpose of piloting, validating, and refining instructional system designs. Anticipate implementation risks and develop mitigation strategies to maintain instructional quality and project milestones.
  
  

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Candidates referred for an interview will be required to submit samples of independently created work. An e-mail outlining examples of samples will be sent when scheduling interviews. All samples should be work that was completed entirely or almost entirely by the candidate. Failure to provide samples of work may result in non-selection. Candidates will also be required to deliver a 15-minute training demonstration designed to assess their skill in training delivery.

Bargaining Unit Status and Chapter: Not Covered, AFGE Loval 1456

This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This is not a law enforcement position

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period, if not already completed
• All applicants are subject to a comprehensive criminal background investigation, and required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  
  

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic professional requirements, and specialized experience requirement below.

Basic Professional Requirement: A degree that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours appropriate to the work of the position to be filled. The course work must have included study in at least four of the following five areas:

• Learning theory, psychology of learning, educational psychology: Study of learning theories as they relate to the systematic design, development, and validation of instructional material.
• Instructional design practices: Study of the principles and techniques used in designing training programs, developing design strategy and models, and applying design methods to the improvement of instructional effectiveness.
• Educational evaluation: Study of the techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of instructional/educational programs, including developing written and performance tests and survey instruments, and determining reliability and validity of evaluation instruments.
• Instructional product development: Study of the techniques appropriate for developing training materials, including identifying learner characteristics, specifying objectives, applying training strategy, validating training materials, and evaluating training.
• Computers in education and training: Study of the application of computers in education and training, including selecting appropriate computer software.
  
  

For some positions in this series may specialize in one or two functional areas, where more specific academic preparation may be necessary. For such positions, agencies may require course work in the applicable functional area(s) as part of the above-required 24 semester hours.

AND

To qualify for the GS-13 grade level, you must one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience related to the duties of the position that equipped you with the skills to perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as experience applying instructional design methodologies and adult learning principles to assess training needs and design, develop, implement, and evaluate instructional solutions for adult learners. This includes partnering with subject matter experts, designing instructor-led and online training, developing materials, integrating learning technologies, evaluating effectiveness, and validating instructional design.

NOTE: Your resume must clearly show the specialized experience related to this position. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the experience requirements will result in an "Ineligible" rating.

Education

There is no education substitution at this grade level.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit:

Additional information

• If you are an eligible Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant as defined by 5 CFR
• 330.702, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Click
• If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you should attach a copy of your DD-214 (unedited long version) or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must attach an SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form.
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review in our office, in other Federal agency personnel offices, and on OPM's web site at
• In accordance with Executive Order 14170 and the Merit Hiring Plan guidance issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, applicants for this position are invited to respond to four essay questions. These questions are designed to provide you with an opportunity to share your commitment to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution, as well as your dedication to public service. While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. Click here to review the questions
  
  

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.