Equal Employment Specialist

Summary This position is located in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity (EEOD), Complaints Branch. The purpose of the position is to provide initial review and analysis of complaints, oversee and/or conduct investigations of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints, prepare (and/or assist in preparing) final agency decisions (FADs) and briefs, analyze EEO issues, develop strategies to help resolve complex EEO policy issues. Responsibilities The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy. Fully remote within 50 miles of the USPTO Alexandria, VA headquarters and the duty station is the authorized telework location (typically your home address) If selected for an interview, applicants are encouraged to discuss telework options and eligibility specific to the position in which they applied with the hiring manager. This rewarding opportunity is the ideal next career step for you if: You are confident in your ability to manage the responsibility of staying abreast of legal and regulatory developments in the EEO field and applying them to cases. You are eager to collaborate with EEOD staff, managers, and/or supervisors to develop courses of action to address the impact of EEO policy on the Agency You look forward to conducting comprehensive research and analysis of a wide variety of EEO programs and problems to provide staff papers that address complex multi-functional issues You enjoy using tact, diplomacy, and patience when communicating and dealing with others e.g., coworkers, managers, supervisors, and internal/external customers. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Managements (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at OPM Qualification Standard for Administrative and Management positions. Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: GS-13: For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-12. Experience Interpreting and applying current federal EEO regulations, statutes, executive orders, and court decisions Experience in processing EEO complaints, throughout their entire life cycle Experience in drafting and/or reviewing EEO Counselors Reports, Accept/Dismiss Letters, Investigation Plans, Reports of Investigations, Final Agency Decisions, or Settlement Agreements Experience overseeing and/or conducting investigations of EEO complaints in accordance with 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 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. Education Education can not be substituted for specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level. Additional Information Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. This is a Non Bargaining Unit position. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of “moderate”. Background Investigation – If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid. 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 “well qualified” rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Managements Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the Required Documents section of this announcement. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued. All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at USPTO Reasonable Accommodations. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTOs Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email (oeeod@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).