Summary This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, Commandant, Vice Commandant (CG-09), Deputy Comdt for Operations (CG-DCO), Regional Exam Center, in Juneau, AK. Responsibilities This position serves as Legal Instruments Examiner (LIE) at a Regional Examination Center (REC) and is a specialist in the areas of merchant mariners credentialling and examination of merchant marine personnel with an emphasis on reviewing and evaluating first-class pilot applications and grading first-class pilot examinations. The incumbent utilizes knowledge of the Coast Guard's Mariner credentialing program and reviews and evaluates applications and grades associated examinations. The LIE performs all duties necessary for the proper processing of Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) applicants and other customers at the REC. The incumbent offers guidance and training to REC staff members when administering credentialing reviews and exams. Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Performing initial review and evaluation of applications for first-class pilotage routes. Grading first-class pilot examinations. Identifying non-conformities in application forms and supporting documentation prior to submission to the National Maritime Center (NMC). Supporting other RECs with evaluating first-class pilot applications and administrating and grading first-class pilot exams. Administering Coast Guard examination modules in accordance with the deck and engine guides to merchant mariner applicants who have been approved to test for specific credentials. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship is required. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. This position requires a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI). A one-year probationary period may be required. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. This includes Time-In-Grade requirements for current status employees applying through merit promotion procedures. Status applicants applying for a promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade. Qualifications At the GS-7 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience is the experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include: Reviewing legal instruments, applications, respond to inquiries both oral and written received from the public and/or governmental agencies, knowledge and use of date entry systems, and applying Federal laws and regulations. OR Experience administering exams for merchant mariner credentials. At the GS-8 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience is the experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include: Experience with maritime navigating, ship-handling, steering or maneuvering vessels, watch-standing as part of a navigational watch, or vessel management experience. OR Experience grading first class pilotage exams including on a navigational chart and local knowledge exams; and evaluating first class pilotage applications for required trips and conformality with local requirements. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Education This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Student Loan Incentive: Job Announcement Verbiage, Selectee(s) for this position who are newly appointed to a permanent or term position may be eligible for student loan repayment up to $10,000 (pre-tax) for one calendar year. More than one loan may be repaid if the combined repayments do not exceed $10,000. Receipt of this incentive will require a three year service agreement. Additional Information Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, or imprisonment. DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities at click here Recruitment incentives may be authorized. Recruitment Incentive: Selectee(s) for this position who are newly appointed to a permanent position are authorized to receive a one-time recruitment incentive of 25% of the salary, including locality for this position. Receipt of the bonus will require a 12 month service agreement. "Newly appointed" refers to the first appointment (regardless of tenure) as an employee of the Federal Government, an appointment following a break in service of at least 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government, or, in certain cases, an appointment following a break in service of less than 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government. If selection is made below the full performance level, the incumbent may be promoted up to the target grade without further competition, if all legal and regulatory requirements are met and when recommended by the supervisor. However, promotion to the full performance level is not guaranteed and is dependent on successful performance at the lower grade level(s). All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 571-608-6427. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation