Public Affairs Specialist

This position may be filled on a full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time (16 to 32 hours per week) basis depending on candidate preference. The full-time salary range including locality pay applicable to location: Albany: $92,344 to $120,050 Per Year Syracuse: $89,508 to $116,362 Per Year As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 26-NYN-12874121-MS.

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team to serve as the Community Outreach and Public Affairs Specialist for the United States Attorneys' Office (USAO) for the Northern District of New York administering programs to inform and educate the public and district, state, and region-wide audiences consisting of various special interest, social, economic, community, legal, and law-enforcement groups, associations, organizations, and agencies. In addition, you will devise and implement programs to support the District's mission, goals, and objectives to include sensitive and controversial matters, which occasionally draw national media attention. Typical work assignments will include:

• Planning, initiating, and implementing community outreach and public affairs campaigns to enhance understanding of the District's initiatives.
• Responding in writing and/or orally to information requests from the media, specialized groups, and general public.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with media representatives and groups interested in District programs through the use of various social media platforms.
• Organizing and coordinating media interviews with staff and developing and providing supporting materials as needed.
• Analyzing the effectiveness and efficiency of the information, media relations, and community relations programs used to achieve greater understanding of the District's mission, goals, and objectives.
• Arranging and conducting special events, workshops, seminars, and other meetings with various organizations to stimulate program participation, identify concerns, and motivate groups to conduct similar programs.
• Advising and assisting other departmental components or federal agencies on carrying out community relations activities involving District programs.
• Evaluating program effectiveness, advising District leadership, and recommending modifications when appropriate.
• Developing articles for distribution and publication.
• Organizing press conferences and other media events to enhance the District's law enforcement message.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Salary

• $89,508 - $120,050/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

To be qualified at the GS-12 level, you must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least work at the GS-11 level in Federal service, which has equipped you with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing the following types of duties: planning and directing a comprehensive community outreach and public affairs program to educate the public on an organization's initiatives, programs, and operations; coordinating an organization's information program, responding in writing and orally to requests from media and various publics and special interest groups; establishing and maintaining effective and cooperative working relationships with media representatives, general public, and specialized groups; organizing and coordinating media interviews, press conferences, and presentations to organizations to enhance understanding of significant issues; developing and disseminating new information materials using a variety of formats, including news releases, fact sheets, and articles for publication and various social media platforms; arranging and conducting community relations activities and other special events, workshops, seminars, and meetings with various organizations to stimulate program participation and identify audience concerns; and collecting and analyzing views and opinions of various publics to evaluate program effectiveness and recommend modifications as needed.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Education There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position. Other Information Relocation: The payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. Work Schedule: This position may be filled on a full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time (16 to 32 hours per week) basis depending on candidate preference. Salary: The full-time salary range including locality pay for Albany, NY is $92,344 to $120,050 per year and for Syracuse, NY is $89,508 to $116,362 per year. The part-time salary is computed by multiplying the hourly rate of basic pay by the number of hours worked during the pay period. Benefits: For full-time employment, the Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. A part-time employee working between 16 and 32 hours each week on a prearranged schedule, is eligible for fringe benefits. Part-time employees are eligible, on a prorated basis, for the same benefits as full-time employees: leave; retirement; and health and life insurance coverage. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov. Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. Political Appointees (Current or Former): 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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package, which includes:

• Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
• Required: Your resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements. Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job:
  • Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade);
  • Employer name and contact information;
  • Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year);
  • Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time; and
  • A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
  • 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.
• Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibilityfor priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal).
• Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation. If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application and submit the appropriate documentation, as specified below.

In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows military service was performed under honorable conditions.

In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.

If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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 by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency; and
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of all the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/13/2026 the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.

2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on 02/13/2026.

4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.

5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.

Click here for Computer System Requirements
(https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements)

6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12874108

You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. However, you will not be able to make changes to questions related to assessing the minimum qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) mentioned in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. To make an allowed update to your application, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Reasonable Accommodation 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 reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire.