Indian Self Determination Specialist (GS-13)

Summary

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, OJS, Assoc Dir-Support Services in Location Negotiable After Selection, United States. Incumbent serves as an advisor to the OJS Deputy Bureau Director through the OJS Self-Determination Advisor, for the interpretation of self-determination Legislation, statutory provisions and governing rules as they relate to the practices, procedures and general operations of OJS's administration of tribal contracting and grant activities.

Duties

As Indian Self Determination Specialist, GS-1101, your typical work assignments may include, but not limited to: Serve as the Level I or Level II Awarding Official for OJS providing expert technical support and leadership in the oversight, planning, development, execution and evaluation of OJS initiatives designed to implement the Act. Provide interpretive analysis of the statutory provisions and governing rules of the Act which leads to the direct formulation of OJS policies relative to the Act. Furnish expert assistance and guidance to Central and District office OJS staff and Management Officials, tribal officials, OJS program managers and field staff. Direct appropriate actions to address issues or disputes for OJS management relative to the Act and institutes follow-up action to ensure resolution to the issues or dispute. Perform the full spectrum of the more complex contracting and granting functions from pre-award to closeout, including construction contracts, under Public Law 93-638, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, as amended. Develop and provide training to OJS Districts and Central Office Operations and ensure compliance with Federal regulations. Work within broad concepts and objectives to identify and analyze National self-determination training and technical assistance needs for all OJS District staff, including those most urgent and complex, of OJS Central and Field Staff, and tribal staff. Develop and implement training courses designed to improve knowledge of and encourage tribal participation in, and management of, programs under the Act.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards). Minimum Qualifications for the GS-13 Grade Level: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: full range of contract and grant functions encompassing the evaluation of applications/proposals, negotiations, execution, and administration of programs/projects; providing self-determination assistance for approving officials and leadership on all self-determination functions that are nationwide in scope; providing training, technical assistance, and assisting personnel with monitoring of contracting activities nationwide for statutory, regulatory and policy compliance; working with tribes, authorized tribal organizations, and the general public on any and all issues regarding the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975. Physical Demands The work is primarily sedentary. Typical demands include sitting, walking, standing, stooping, and lifting small items but can be physical demanding when the incumbent must stand for long periods of time while providing instruction. However, the job does require intense concentration, frequently under stressful conditions, as varied workloads must be addressed in short time frames. When in the office, there is a significant amount of computer work, which may involve eye strain. Some physical exertion is required, such as inspection of field operations, to include walking or hiking through rough terrain or construction hard-hat sites; climbing up ladders, stooping under low areas, etc. Work Environment Much of the work of the incumbent will be performed in an office setting or at conference facilities at various locations throughout the nation. There is also intermittent travel to Indian reservations, BIA and OJS offices nationwide, and Tribal offices to meet with officials concerning administration of self-determination contracts and grants, which require special safety precautions, e.g., traveling or working at remote sites and construction areas where hazards are present such as machines, moving equipment, chemicals, noise, vibrations, hazardous or extreme weather conditions, or comparable situations. Employee is required to use protective clothing and gear, such as hard-hat, goggles and boots, where stipulated. Other Requirements/Conditions The incumbent may be required to work other than normal hours as necessary to handle emergency situations at peak workloads. Appropriately handles and safeguards sensitive and/or classified information in accordance with regulations to reduce potential compromise. Travel involves transit via airplane, when required. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

How you will be evaluated

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position. Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 11/09/2026 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including structured resume review, structured interview and/or accomplishment record. These assessments measure the critical competencies required to successfully perform the job. Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Oral Communication Planning and Evaluating Problem Solving Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technical Competence Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). Verification Form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. Indian Preference eligibles not currently employed in Federal service may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(a)(7). Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants in the absence of qualified Indian Preference eligibles. For more information, please visit: https://www.bia.gov/jobs. DUE WEIGHT FOR PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS AND AWARDS. For Current and Former Federal Employees, due weight will be given for performance and awards. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level. REVIEW BEFORE YOU SUBMIT: You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13028692.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an 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 the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: 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 resume 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. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. 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 in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. In writing your resume, please be clear and specific. We will NOT make assumptions regarding your experience and/or employment status. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Notification to Applicants: Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. PLEASE NOTE - NO APPLICATION MATERIAL WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA E-MAIL.

Other information

The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your [probationary period -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY: Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/; Vets Info Guide: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.