Summary The incumbent will serve as technical adviser on language program design and management; provide language training material development and resources; and facilitate language staff training and development. The position will oversee the agency's language proficiency testing program to include; planning, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of tester training workshops; language testing support; collection and evaluation of language testing results; and other initiatives as necessary. Responsibilities The Training Specialist (Language Testing & Training) performs the following major duties: Evaluates Peace Corps language training programs, strategies, techniques, and methodologies, and identifies aspects of training models that are successful. Maintains current trends and innovations in language training in order to develop new strategies, approaches, or methodologies to support improved language programs. Evaluates professional development needs of language teaching program staff globally, regionally, and locally and reports findings to posts, Regions, and headquarters. Develops competencies, training, professional development curriculum and technical guidance on professional development for language training staff. Oversees the agency's language proficiency testing program, including planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of workshops and workshop outcomes. Collects and analyzes Volunteers' language proficiency test scores in order to monitor the effectiveness of language training programs. Serves as technical expert in language tester training course design and delivery. Requirements Conditions of Employment Please read this announcement in its entirety prior to submitting your application. You must be a U.S. Citizen. You must be at least 18 years of age. All Federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. For additional information, see www.sss.gov. You must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. You must go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired original or certified copies. You must successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet this requirement will be grounds for employment termination. Prior to employment, and in compliance with statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b, Peace Corps will conduct a check of Peace Corps records for both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps employees. All new employees are required to certify and submit a state of understanding acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps condition of employment prior to day 1 of employment with the Peace Corps. This position requires a public trust background investigation. This is a bargaining unit position. A one-year probationary period is required. Travel within and outside the country of assignment is required. The initial appointment to this position cannot exceed five years. Qualifications All qualification requirements must be met by 05/23/2024 (the closing date of the announcement). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate the start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and the location of employment in your resume. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. Specialized Experience: This vacancy is being announced at one grade level: Specialized Experience at the FP-03: To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-03 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-04 or GS-12 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes all of the following: applying theories and/or methodologies for language teaching, performing language testing, AND evaluating language training performance and programs. ~AND~ Time-in-Grade (TIG) Requirements: Current or Formal Federal employees, including current Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying. All current or former Federal employees (including internal employees) must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). Please note: Past experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience MUST be well documented within your resume. Failure to provide this information in your resume with corresponding start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and location of employment may result in disqualification from further consideration. Specialized Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer work done with National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Additional information on qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site. Peace Corps employees are employed using the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale. The FP pay plan does not follow the same structure as the GS pay plan. In the FP pay plan, as the grade-level numbers decrease the level/pay for the position increases. The FP-09 is the lowest entry-level grade and the FP-01 is the highest senior-level grade. Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- education or a subject area related to the position to be filled. OR Experience that provided evidence of the ability to instruct students in the use of equipment, principles, or practices of the subject or occupation. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts can be official or unofficial. Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be used towards qualifications. Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by recognized institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at this website. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html Additional Information The minimum and maximum salaries listed on this announcement include locality pay. If you are a current federal employee, your agency may grant you reemployment rights in accordance with Section 310 of the Foreign Service Act, 22 USC 3950. You must request and be granted reemployment rights prior to separation from your current federal agency. Peace Corps Information: This is a federal civilian job in the Excepted Service. Peace Corps employees are paid on the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale. Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. See Peace Corps Manual Section 623 for agency policy regarding telework. The Peace Corps 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. This is a drug-free workplace and we promote a drug-free environment. Additional hiring needs may be filled through this vacancy. Intelligence Background Information: Peace Corps Manual Section 611 is applicable to this position: This prohibits the employment of certain persons previously engaged in intelligence activities or connected with intelligence agencies within the past 10 years. If you have ever worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), you are not eligible for employment at the Peace Corps in any capacity, and you should not apply for employment. Acceptance of employment with Peace Corps precludes employment by certain intelligence organizations for a specific period of time, determined by the employing agency, after Peace Corps employment ceases. Applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified will be required to submit a completed Intelligence Background Questionnaire upon request, indicating whether the applicant has been involved in or has had any connection with intelligence activities or related work and, if so, the nature and dates of his or her involvement. Failure to meet this requirement will result in disqualification from further consideration. If you have any other type of possible intelligence connection, your application will not be further considered until you submit this form. Except when the CIA or the National Security Agency (NSA) is involved (see below), if your connection with an Intelligence Agency involves an immediate family member who works or has worked in intelligence, the immediate family member should complete the form, not the applicant. Usually relying on memory is sufficient to answer most if not all of the questions. If you have an immediate family member who works or has worked for the CIA, you should not give them this form to complete. Please contact your relative in person-not by phone, email, social networking, or any other means that is not in person- and ask him or her to contact the Office of General Counsel at the CIA. If you or an immediate family member have been employed by or associated with the NSA, you or your family member must contact the NSA Prepublication Review Office at 443-634-4095.
