Administrative Officer

Summary

This position is located within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The location of this position will be determined upon selection. In this position, you will serve as the Administrative Officer for the assigned location providing leadership in the management of business functions in support of assigned research programs.

Duties

• Provides management advisory services and formulates and implements Location administrative management policies, procedures, operations, goals, and objectives.
• Works closely with location and Area management officials to ensure business needs of the customer are achieved. Integrates management needs with the general business processes of the location.
• Serves as the primary advisor and technical resource to officials on accounting and financial management matters.
• Advises management officials regarding procedures, laws, regulations, and policies dealing with workforce diversity, recruitment, merit promotion, training, and other human resources related activities.
• Implements and oversees the Employee Orientation Program assuring that necessary information is provided to new employees and assuring that appropriate content changes are made.

Requirements

You must be a US Citizen or US National. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period unless previous federal service is creditable. During this time your employment will be evaluated, and we may 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. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement 11/19/2026 including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: GS-09 Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience performing administrative duties including producing and reviewing official documentation or reports; participating in budget or financial management, human resources, contracting or procurement, or facility management activities. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or JD., if related. Related degrees may include business administration, business management, project management, or human resources. OR A combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above. GS-11 Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is coordinating administrative procedures related to human resources, budgets and facility management; managing contracting or procurement actions; and evaluating and developing administrative management policies, procedures, or operations. OR Education: Successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or Ph.D. equivalent doctoral degree, or LL.M., if directly related. Related degrees may include business administration, business management, project management, or human resources. OR A combination of education and specialized experience as described above. GS-12 Qualifying experience for GS-12 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-11 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience providing leadership and oversight to an administrative team; managing all phases of budget formulation and execution; advising management on human resources laws and regulations; and developing business plans to meet administrative requirements for an organization. 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 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

This position does not have an education qualification requirement. This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion Announcement Number ARS-M27Y-1317432-NW. Current or former Federal employees or other eligible applicants may apply to both announcements to expand all possibilities of consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement. See the above announcement for more information. How You Will Be Evaluated

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using Category Rating. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of two or three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies: Attention to Detail Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13107431 Other Information

Salary Information: Adams, OR - $61,722 - $116,362 Albany, CA - $77,161 - $145,468 Boise, ID - $61,722 - $116,362 Clay Center, NE - $61,722 - $116,362 College Station, TX - $61,722 - $116,362 Corvallis, OR - $66,505 - $125,378 Davis, CA - $68,419 - $128,987 Fargo, ND - $61,722 - $116,362 Fayetteville, AR - $61,722 - $116,362 Fort Pierce, FL - $65,735 - $123,927 Gainesville, FL - $61,722 - $116,362 Griffin, GA - $65,271 - $123,052 Houston, TX - $71,181 - $134,195 Kearneysville, WV - $70,623 - $133,142 Lubbock, TX - $61,722 - $116,362 Maricopa, AZ - $64,564 - $121,720 Mississippi St ate - $61,722 - $116,362 New Orleans, LA- $61,722 - $116,362 Poplarville, MS - $61,722 - $116,362 St Paul, MN - $67,290 - $126,859 Stoneville, MS - $61,722 - $116,362 Temple, TX - $61,722 - $116,362 Tucson, AZ - $62,893 - $118,569 Washington DC - $70,623 - $133,142 Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer.