EQUAL EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

This position is located at the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) Headquarters (HQ) within the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office. The incumbent serves as an Equal Employment Specialist and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for the Sign Language Interpretation (SLI) services, providing comprehensive guidance and support on various EEO-related matters including disability employment and reasonable accommodations.

Duties

As an Equal Employment Specialist, you will be responsible for the following duties:

• Performs SLI duties, providing interpretation services between spoken English and ASL.
• Acts as a key EEO liaison and information resource for deaf & hard of hearing employees & management.
• Responsible for ensuring that individuals, supervisors, managers, and senior leaders across all levels of DeCA remain informed of changes in EEO policy, legislation, Congressional initiatives, and applicable laws regarding SLI, reasonable accommodations, and broad EEO workforce matters.
• Perform technical reviews of procurement packages, including the development of Performance Work Statements.
• Validate & certify contractor invoices for payment and prepare annual assessment reports.
• Provides comprehensive guidance and support on EEO-related matters, including disability employment, reasonable accommodations, and EEO policies, legislation, and laws.

Read the entire announcement before starting the application process.

Salary

• $93,499 - $121,551/year

Conditions of Employment

• Be a U.S. citizen or national. Applicants with a Permanent Resident Card are authorized to live and work in the U.S. but are not eligible for employment in positions requiring U.S. citizenship. If selected, proof of citizenship may be required.
• Meet minimum age requirement. See Additional Information.
• Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered with or exempt from Selective Service.
• May be subject to successful verification of identity and employment eligibility through E-Verify. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• May be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as required. New federal employees will be fingerprinted.
• Be able to obtain and maintain clearance eligibility based on the appropriate background investigation.
• May be subject to a probationary/trial period.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• Possess Certification through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) that is required for this position, and the incumbent adheres to the professional standards outlined by both RID and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

Qualifications

Creditable specialized experience includes:

• Sign Language Interpretation (SLI) Expertise: Skill in providing interpretation services (English/ASL) and oral interpreting, coupled with expertise in deaf culture and related issues; Certification through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is required.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders (employees, managers, external partners), negotiate, persuade individuals, and present briefings or training on EEO matters.
• Ability to develop procurement documentation, review technical accuracy of packages, monitor contractor performance, validate invoices, and negotiate procedural points.
• Comprehensive and thorough knowledge of Federal EEO program laws, regulations, Executive orders, and court decisions related to disability employment and affirmative action.
• Skill in identifying EEO problems, conducting systematic fact-finding and data analysis, resolving complex issues, and developing concrete action plans or policy recommendation.

Time-in-grade applies to the promotion of current and former federal employees who hold or have held a permanent GS position in either the competitive or excepted service in the previous 52 weeks, including current employees applying under VEOA. Your application package must contain proof you meet this requirement. See Required Documents for more information.
For GS-12: You must have 52 weeks of Federal service at or equivalent to GS-11.

As part of the online application process, you will respond to a series of questions designed to evaluate your level of experience in these competencies:

• Analysis and Research
• Communications
• Management Analysis

Overtime: Occasional
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
Bargaining Unit Status: Not Covered
Obligated Position: No
Those retired under CSRS or FERS considered: No. DoD criteria not met.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives Offered: No
Telework eligible: Yes, Telework is at discretion of supervisor/Agency
Remote work eligible: No

Education You may not use education to qualify for this position. Other Information Executive Order 12564 requires a federal workplace to be free of illegal drugs and prohibits the use of illegal drugs both on and off duty by federal employees. As a reminder, marijuana is still classified as an illegal drug by the Federal government and is prohibited for use by Federal employees even if such use is legal in the state where the Federal employee resides and/or works. The Defense Commissary Agency is a Drug-Free Federal Workplace where the use of illegal drugs will not be tolerated and may result in penalties up to and including removal from Federal service. The display of a salary range on this announcement does not suggest or convey an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Upon first appointment to a civilian position in the Federal government, you are entitled only to the lowest step (Step 1) of the grade for which selected. The minimum age requirement is generally 18 years. Employing those under 18 may be possible under certain circumstances. If under 18 years of age, ensure you provide documentation showing how you are eligible. Applicants with financial difficulty are not automatically removed from consideration. Selectees are required to complete an online onboarding process. Retired military service members cannot be appointed to a Department of Defense (DoD) civilian position within 180 days of their retirement date. 5 United States Code 3326. The following may result in a rating of ineligible. Ineligible applicants receive no consideration. Not selecting an eligibility. Submitting an incomplete application package may result in your not being considered for this position. Your resume must reflect that you are either Part-Time with the number of hours listed, Full Time, or 40 hours per week as your work schedule. If you fail to provide this information in your resume, your resume will be considered as incomplete. Submitting encrypted documents or uploading Adobe portfolio documents. Submitting any document that contains a photo or image of you. Including social media links, inappropriate material or content, classified or government sensitive information, or personal information such as age, gender, race, religion, or social security number on your resume. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials. Deliberately attempting to falsify your application information, such as copying portions of this announcement into your resume. Appointment Eligibility Criteria. You choose how you wish to be considered for this position by selecting one or more of the eligibilities listed in the Assessment Questionnaire AND providing the supporting documents for the selected eligibility/eligibilities. Required documents are listed in the eligibility description. You are responsible for providing the documents required to prove you can be considered for the selected eligibility/eligibilities. HR does not select or change your eligibility/eligibilities for you, regardless of the supporting documents you submit. You are considered ONLY for the eligibility or eligibilities you select and for which you provide all required supporting documents. You will not be considered if you do not select an eligibility. If you have questions about which eligibility/eligibilities apply to you, contact the HR POC listed on this announcement. Required Documents

Resume: IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? Page margins should be 0.5 inches, font styles must be legible, and consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages.

Questionnaire. Preview at https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12891563.

PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf

SF 50 Notification of Personnel Action. All current and former federal civilian employees submit

• A copy of your most recent SF 50 showing your current position title, pay plan-series-grade, tenure and position occupied and
• When applying for a promotion (higher grade than you currently hold), you must also submit an SF 50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements. Examples of appropriate SF50s include Promotions, Within-grade Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old. You may need to submit more than one SF 50 to show you meet this requirement.

To obtain copies of your SF 50s, all current Department of Defense (DoD) employees can access MyBiz, current federal non-DoD employees can access their eOPF, current employees receiving HR servicing from DLA can access eOPF, and former civilian employees can request a copy from the National Archives.

VEOA eligibility: You must provide a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty or other acceptable documentation. The member 4 copy is preferred as it contains key information necessary to adjudicate your claimed preference. DD-214 Worksheets are not acceptable documentation, nor are other than a member 4 copy to which a member 4 Character of Service section is added. Contact the National Archives or your military personnel records center to request a copy of your DD-214.

• Current active duty armed forces personnel within 120 days of separation must submit written documentation from the armed forces certifying that the service member is expected to be separated from active duty service not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. The document must include the following information: (1) service member's name, (2) date of the expected separation from active duty, (3) expected character of the active duty service at separation, (4) pay grade/rank/rate at separation, (5) dates of active duty service, and (6) any campaign or expeditionary medals received. You must submit the DD-214 when it becomes available.

ICTAP eligibility: Submit (1) a copy of your agency specific ICTAP eligibility notice or a copy of your separation personnel action form and(2) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal and(3) a copy of your most recent SF 50 or agency notification of personnel action showing your current position, grade level, and duty location. Separation personnel actions do not include a certificate/notice of expected separation.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP) eligibility: 1. Submit a signed Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist DD3145-1 (whs.mil. 2. a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) effecting the placement in retained grade status; or a copy of the notification letter you received regarding the RIF or classification downgrade.

Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible (PPP DoD MRNG):In order to receive this preference, you must choose the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician eligibility, and fill out and submit the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist and copies of the appropriate documentation.

Military Spouse Preference: Submit (1) the Self-Certification Checklist and(2) proof of marriage to the military service member (e.g., marriage certificate, marriage license), and(3) a copy of the military service member's PCS orders.

Performance Appraisal (Optional). Current and former federal civilian employees, including those of the employing agency, are encouraged to include a copy of their most recent rating of record. Hiring managers may consider performance appraisals in the selection process.

How to Apply

Your complete application package must be received by 11:59 PM ET on 03/02/2026.

You are responsible for verifying your application package is complete, accurate, and submitted timely. As uploaded documents may take one or more hours to clear the virus scan, plan accordingly to ensure your application process is complete and your application package is submitted by the specified closing date and time.

To begin, click Apply to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your resume, required documents, and/or other supporting documents. You need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply or create an account before applying. You will be taken to an online application. Follow all prompts and complete the online application, verify you've included all required and supporting documentation, and submit your application. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application is found at the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To receive consideration, you must complete all steps of the application process.

You can verify your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, selecting the Application Status link, and then selecting the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page displays your application status, the documents received and processed, and your questionnaire responses.