[Blind-Gov] Employment Opportunity, Technical Accessibility Specialist

[Kaye Baker]

-----Original Message-----

Technical Accessibility Specialist
Office of Personnel Management
Office of Communications
. Summary
. This job is open to
. Duties
. Requirements
. How you will be evaluated
. Required documents
. How to Apply
Summary
As an IT Specialist (Customer Service)/ Technical Accessibility Specialist,
you will focus on ensuring the accessibility of digital content in
compliance with Section 508 regulations. You will also conduct audits for
accessibility, research and implement AI-driven assistive technologies,
provide technical guidance, and manage Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) projects.
Learn more about this agency
 Help
This job is open to
.  
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
.  
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced"
employee.
Videos
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Duties
1. Accessibility Expertise, Compliance, and Consultation: The incumbent will
act as a digital accessibility specialist, ensuring systems, websites, and
digital products comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and other
accessibility directives. They will conduct audits and testing of websites,
provide guidance and technical assistance, and analyze websites,
applications, and products to improve compliance with accessibility
policies.
2. Research, Development, and Technical Recommendations: The position
involves conducting market and technology research on new and emerging
information and communication technology (ICT) and testing methods. The
incumbent will prepare reports, evaluate requirements, analyze alternatives,
provide expert analysis and advice, and make authoritative recommendations
to management.
3. Project Management, Systems Development, and Collaboration: The incumbent
will work with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) staff to
plan, design, and test new systems. They will use the Systems Development
Life Cycle (SDLC) to ensure successful completion of ICT projects, consult
with customers, assess business needs, develop solutions, and monitor and
evaluate contractor performance.
4. Procurement Evaluations and Recommendations: The individual will evaluate
procurements for Section 508 compliance, assess accessibility documentation
from vendors, and make recommendations based on the level of accessibility
of these technologies to people with disabilities. They will also evaluate
AI-driven solutions from vendors that claim to enhance accessibility.
5. Cross-functional Collaboration and Advocacy: The incumbent will
collaborate on special cross-cutting initiatives and task force groups to
review technologies, tools, and policies, or develop new
accessibility-related initiatives. They will also navigate enterprise
organizations and processes, providing consultation on information
architecture and advising on accessibility issues during transitions.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service .
Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation .
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period . This
position is eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit.
. if the duty station is finalized in the Washington, DC metropolitan area,
employees in this position will be represented by the American Federation of
Government Employees (AFGE) Local 32.
. if the duty station is finalized outside of the Washington, DC
metropolitan area, this position will not be represented by a bargaining
unit.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements: You must have IT-related experience demonstrating each
of the following four competencies.
1) Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious
about attending to detail.
2) Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any
individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit
produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency,
other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their
needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy
their expectations; knows about available products and services; is
committed to providing quality products and services.
3) Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts)
to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and
nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive,
controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to
others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
4) Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance
of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives,
and to make recommendations.

AND

In addition to the basic qualifications above, applicants must have one year
of specialized experience at the GS-12 level in the Federal Government (or
private sector equivalent) that included all of the following tasks:
. Conducting comprehensive audits and tests of websites and digital products
for accessibility compliance.
. Diagnosing and solving complex systems problems related to accessibility.
. Providing expert guidance and technical assistance on
accessibility-related issues.
. Participating in the research and develop AI-driven assistive technologies
as they relate to 508 compliance.


You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing
date of this announcement.

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.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
This announcement will be used to fill vacancies through OPM-authorized
Direct Hire Authority due to Critical Hiring Need/Severe Shortage of
Candidates. Veteran preference and traditional rating/raking of applicants
do not apply. For more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire
Authority, please visit:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-aut
hority/

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar
vacancies across OPM.

If you are unable to apply online and would like to request information
about the Alternate Application process, please use the contact information
at the bottom of this announcement.
Read more
. Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the
qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting
documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job
qualifications listed on this announcement. Applicants who meet minimum
qualification requirements will be certified for further consideration. If
you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials,
your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration
for this job.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who
have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the
competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been
deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this
position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated
well-qualified for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation
to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit:
http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
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Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package
which includes:
1. Your Resume showing the applicant's name, email address, work schedule,
hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed to include
pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. Your
resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum
qualifications.
. Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
o
. Classified or government sensitive information . Social Security Number
(SSN) . Photos of yourself . Personal information, such as age, gender,
religious affiliation, etc.
. Encrypted and digitally signed documents 2. Other supporting documents:
. Cover Letter, optional
. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition
Assistance Program (ICTAP)Documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification
of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of
Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most
recent performance appraisal.) Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned
required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete
application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required
documents have been submitted.
 Help
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and
submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on
10/28/2024 to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the
prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You
will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a
new account.
. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online
application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
. You will receive an email notification when your application has been
received for the announcement.
. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account,
https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and
then select the More Information link for this position. The Application
Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation
received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online
application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the
virus scan process.
You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12587175
Read more
Agency contact information
 OPM Human Resources
Phone
202-606-9321
Email
jobs at opm.gov
Address
OPM Human Resources
1900 E St., NW
Washington, DC 20415
US
Learn more about this agency
Next steps
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be
used to identify well qualified ICTAP eligible applicants to be referred to
the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. Your
ratings in this Assessment Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and
verification based on the documents and references you submit. Later steps
in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings.
Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting
you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary
period.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation
notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive
another notification about the status of your application.

Once referred, you may be asked to complete a structured interview, written
demonstration, and/or fit interview. Deliberate attempts to falsify
information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from
the position/agency during the probationary period.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation
notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive
another notification about the status of your application.

We expect to make a job offer within 40 days after the closing date of the
announcement. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a
suitability/security background investigation.

Generally, an agency may not request, orally, in writing, or electronically
through the USA Jobs website or other electronic means, that an applicant
for appointment for a position in the civil service disclose criminal
history record information before the appointing agency extends a
conditional offer of employment. However, there are exceptions to this rule
for positions, such as the one covered by this vacancy announcement, for
which the hiring agency is required to make a criminal history inquiry
before extending an offer. Accordingly, we may ask about your criminal
history for this position before making a conditional job offer. We may ask
you to provide or authorize us to collect your criminal history information.
We will give you more details on these inquiries, including providing any
required release of information form(s).
Read more
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read
the following guidance.
. Criminal history inquiries
. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy . Financial suitability . New
employee probationary period . Privacy Act . Reasonable accommodation policy
. Selective Service . Signature and false statements . Social security
number request Apply  Print  Share Save  Help Overview . Accepting
applications .Open & closing dates
 10/23/2024 to 10/28/2024
This job will close when we have received 200 applications which may be
sooner than the closing date. Learn more .Salary
$103,409 - $167,336 per year
.Pay scale & grade
GS 13
.Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
. Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
.Remote job
Yes
.Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
.Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
.Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
.Appointment type
Permanent
.Work schedule
Full-time
.Service
Competitive
.Promotion potential
None
.Job family (Series)
. 2210 Information Technology Management .Supervisory status No .Security
clearance Not Required .Drug test No .Position sensitivity and risk High
Risk (HR) .Trust determination process . Credentialing . Suitability/Fitness
.Financial disclosure No .Bargaining unit status Yes . 
 
Announcement number
25-RGJ-12587175-DH
.Control number
815384200