Program Support Assistant (OA)

Agricultural Research Service • Washington, DC

5h • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located within the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Northeast Area, Public Horticulture & Engagement Unit in Washington, DC. The Program Support Assistant serves as a personal assistant to the Research Leader and other professional staff, coordinating administrative and clerical work essential to administration of the Management Unit.

The role serves as the Unit’s primary administrative business-process contact and cardholder. It supports meeting logistics and audiovisual equipment, reviews purchase requests, advises staff on documentation requirements for research and administrative activities, and maintains tracking logs and transaction records for budget, purchasing, and personnel actions.

Requirements

• Meet the specialized experience requirements for the GS-06 or GS-07 grade level, as applicable.
• For GS-06: one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 providing office administrative assistance, including arranging travel, HR actions, budgeting, programmatic paperwork, and time and attendance; completing and tracking purchasing and procurement; and assisting with generating administrative data from databases.
• For GS-07: one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 providing office administrative assistance, including arranging travel, HR actions, budgeting, programmatic paperwork, and time and attendance; completing and tracking purchasing and procurement; developing and establishing administrative procedures and controls; and generating administrative data from databases.
• Type at least 40 words per minute.
• Meet the applicable time-in-grade requirement: current USDA federal employees applying for promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade in the normal line of progression.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service or exempt.
• Successfully complete the required background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Use direct deposit for federal payments.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, depending on appointment type, unless previous federal service is creditable.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary administrative business-process point of contact for the Unit.
• Coordinate logistics for internal and external meetings, including setting up, testing, and maintaining audiovisual equipment.
• Serve as the Unit’s primary cardholder and review purchase requests for accuracy and completeness.
• Advise on requirements for projects, research plans, annual progress reports, research associate proposals, manuscripts, international travel proposals and follow-up trip reports, cooperative agreements, grants, and trusts.
• Maintain tracking logs and transaction records for budget, purchasing, and personnel actions.
• Provide administrative and clerical support to the Research Leader and other professional staff.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive access to a comprehensive benefits package for themselves and their families; eligibility depends on position type.
• Recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized, subject to the hiring official’s determination.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed