Summary

This position is located in the Disability Rights Section (DRS), Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice. You will serve a Senior Architect in the DRS, providing technical expertise and consultation to Department staff and, as required, to other federal agencies, state and local governments, and other stakeholders regarding requirements for accessible and barrier free buildings, facilities, and sites for people with disabilities under the ADA and Section 504.

This job is open to
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Individuals with disabilities

Land & base management

Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

Military spouses

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

Veterans

Peace Corps & Ameri Corps Vista

Clarification from the agency

You may apply if you are a current or former career/career conditional Federal employee with competitive status, VEOA eligible, or are eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority (i.e. 30% or more Compensable Veterans, reinstatement eligibles, interchange agreements, etc.). Please read the "This job is open to" section above, to ensure you are eligible for consideration.

This job is also open in another announcement to:
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
The public

Duties

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

The incumbent will serve as a Architect. Duties include, but are not limited to:

Applying substantial degree of innovation, creativity, imagination, resourcefulness, and technical judgment nationally concerning architecture, physical accessibility, barrier removal, and design and construction issues.
Managing and prepares reports in writing and orally on evaluations of buildings, facilities, and sites including by documenting conditions with numerous reliable and highly accurate photographs and drawings including measurements and tools needed for evaluation.
Evaluating and resolves complex architectural design issues on physical accessibility of all types-large and small buildings, facilities, and sites for people with disabilities used by public and private entities, including commercial facilities such as stadiums and places of public accommodation.
Reviewing architectural designs and standard criteria of plans, blueprints, construction drawings, specifications, change orders, and as-built drawings of other architects, engineers, and other professionals expertly for compliance with the ADA and relevant accessibility standards.
Developing criteria/instructions for nationally technical assistance and training on architecture and physical accessibility issues arising under the ADA, ADA Standards for Accessible Design, and Section 504.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
You may be required to complete a pre-employment security screening to initiate your background investigation, which includes a drug screening. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and adjudication of your investigation.
Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31,1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level) by the closing date of this announcement. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
ALL APPLICANTS, regardless of eligibility(ies) selected, MUST submit their most recent (within the past 18 months) performance evaluation or appraisal, which shows a final rating. If an evaluation or rating is not available, you must provide a statement indicating the reason. If you do not submit an appropriate appraisal or statement, you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.
DOJ 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, by visiting www.e-verify.gov/.
All qualifications, time-in-grade, and education requirements, if applicable, must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Qualifications
Basic Requirement for Architect: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in architecture or in a related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems.
OR
B. Combination of Education and Experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings.

The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least one of the following:
(1) Related Curriculum - Degree in architectural engineering provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in statement A above. The curriculum for a degree in either architecture or architectural engineering covers function, esthetics, site, structure, economics, mechanical-electrical, and other engineering problems related to the design and construction of buildings primarily (but not exclusively) intended to house human activities. The courses required for a degree in architecture generally place emphasis upon planning, esthetics, and materials and methods of construction, while the courses for an architectural engineering degree place equal or greater weight on the technical engineering aspects such as structural systems, mechanical systems, and the properties of materials. Because of this difference in emphasis, persons with degrees in architecture may have a preference for work assignments that offer greater opportunities for them to express their artistic and creative abilities. As a result, they may be more concerned with planning and design aspects of architecture, and persons with degrees in architectural engineering may be more engaged in aspects emphasizing technical engineering considerations.
OR
(2) Experience: 1 year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of any college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that you have acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the specialized experience requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience Requirements

For the GS-13, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, public or other private sectors that is directly related to the position as listed above and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position includes ALL of the following:

• Reading and interpreting building codes and standards; AND
• Creating drawings of existing and planned structural conditions and design features; AND
• Utilizing knowledge of technical accessibility standards, such as the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Section 504, Fair Housing Act, Architectural Barriers Act, or other federal laws.

For the GS-14, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service, public or other private sectors that is directly related to the position as listed above and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position includes ALL of the following:

• Interpreting and applying building codes and standards, including the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, and developments in building, facility, and site design in construction and physical accessibility, including barrier removal or program access; AND
• Creating drawings of existing and planned structural conditions and design features; AND
• Serving as the subject matter expert when evaluating plans, drawings, and facilities for compliance with technical accessibility standards, including the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, in order to evaluate existing, newly constructed, or altered buildings, facilities, and sites; AND
• Participating with leadership, staff or expert design professionals on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design and technical materials related to accessibility.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri Corps) 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.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees applying for a higher grade must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. You MUST provide an SF-50, which shows position, type of service appointment, tenure group, grade, duty location, and salary. If your most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year (52 weeks) time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. Consider providing an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include: Promotions; Within Grade/Range Increases; and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/position. No award SF-50s will be accepted). Failure to submit the required SF-50 document will result in an ineligible rating under merit promotion procedures.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and current Federal employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement. If you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions.
Education

This position has a positive education requirement. Please review the Qualifications section of this position to review education requirements. You may also review education requirements of this position by Architect Series 0808 If the link does not work, copy and paste the following URL: Architecture Series 0808 (opm.gov)

You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and/or semester hours earned, degree earned and confer dates.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.

You will need to submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and/or semester hours earned, degree earned and confer dates. Failure to provide this documentation will result in objection to your qualifications, and removal from consideration. You will be required to submit your official college transcript if you are selected.

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Click here to check accreditation.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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 more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

The bullets below outline the various groups of applicants that fall under the term "status candidates". This vacancy is open to applicants from any of the groups listed below. Read each statement, and any links provided, to ensure you select all applicable eligibilities.

See a full list and learn more at USAJOBS, see: What does Status Candidate mean? or Which Jobs am I Eligible to Apply for?

CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: For more information, see USAJOBS - Federal Employees.
CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS (CTAP or ICTAP): For more information visit: USAJOBS Career Transition Programs
VETERANS : Please see USAJOBS - Veterans Preference for more details.
MILITARY SPOUSES: Please see USAJOBS - Military Spouses
SCHEDULE A, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: Learn more at USAJOBS - Individuals with Disabilities. DOJ welcomes and encourages applicants from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advance on the basis of merit. The Civil Rights Division also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes directly to Diane Turner by email to Diane.M.Turner@usdoj.gov.
PEACE CORP & AMERICORPS VISTA: Please see: USAJOBS - PEACE CORP & AMERICORPS VISTA
LAND MANAGEMENT: Please see: USAJOBS - LAND MANAGEMENT
It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test, which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment.

DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/download

The Division's telework policy requires employees to be in the office at least four (4) days per pay period, or as required by the Division's policy.

Please Note: Additional candidates may be selected if more positions become available in the Division within 90 days after the HR office issues the selection certificate.

Any documentation submitted other than that required in the job announcement will not be considered.

Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, subject matter experts (SME) and or Human Resources Specialists will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Merit Promotion Procedures. Once the announcement closes, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. This information will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position. If it is determined you meet minimum qualification requirements, you will be further evaluated and placed in one of three groups: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures or special hiring authorities will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

If a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your application materials, you may be deemed ineligible, or your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your skills and abilities.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
Architecture
Creative Thinking
Decision Making
Design
Oral Communication
Problem Solving

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/View Questionnaire/12543267.

APPRAISALS/AWARDS: Hiring Managers use objective methods and consider previous performance appraisals and awards in the selection process. Current Federal Civilian employees should list any relevant performance related rating and/or awards in your resume.

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 with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: www.usajobs.gov//working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your application to be complete.

Required, Resume - All Applicants: YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience contained in your resume, your employment history must include the start and end dates in the month and year format (MM/YYYY), and include the number of hours worked per week. Failure to follow this format may result in disqualification. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. For additional information: "USAJOBS - What should I leave out of my resume?".

Required, if you are a current or former Federal employee:
SF-50: If you are a current or former federal employee applying under merit promotion procedures, you must submit a copy of your SF-50 or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your SF-50 should document how you meet the requirements including grade levels and full performance levels of current/past positions. Your SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect in Block 24 - Tenure: 1 - Permanent or 2 - Conditional; AND in Block 34 - Position Occupied: 1 - Competitive Service. Failure to submit the required SF-50 document will result in an ineligible rating under merit promotion procedures.
Performance Appraisal: ALL APPLICANTS, regardless of eligibility(ies) selected, MUST submit their most recent (within the past 18 months) performance evaluation or appraisal, which shows a final rating. If an evaluation or rating is not available, you must provide a statement indicating the reason. If you do not submit an appropriate appraisal or statement, you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.
Required, Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable: If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, you must submit proof by the closing date of the announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(u) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. The proof includes a copy of the Agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action for Competitive Appointment.
Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
Required, if you are applying as a Schedule (A) applicant: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). This letter must be separate from any Veterans Preference documentation. If you are selected and your Schedule A letter is more than three years old, you will be asked to provide an updated letter. See "Sample" Letter.
Required, if you are applying as a Veterans Employment Opportunity Act or 30% Disabled Veteran Eligible applicant: SF-15 Form, VA letter, and DD214 or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty within 120 days, under honorable conditions.
Required, if you are eligible under Certain Family Members Eligible under E.O. 12721: Your most recent non-award SF-50 and performance appraisal.
Required, if you are eligible under Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13832: A copy of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate). You must include verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage) AND Member 4 copy of the DD-214. See more information at USAJOBS Center - Military spouses
Required, if you are eligible under Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.
Former or current Political Appointees: OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current 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. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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 online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/26/2024 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. 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//how-to/application/status/.

Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD214, or Transcripts.

It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and all required documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. For additional information on uploading documents in USAJobs, please refer to this link: https://www.usajobs.gov//how-to/account/documents/upload/.

Agency contact information
Robin Hofmann
Email
Robin.Hofmann@usdoj.gov
Address
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530
US

Next steps

You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated by DOJ. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list. Click here to learn more about checking your application status, or see what each application status means.

After a review of your complete application package you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted. If a tentative job offer is made, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement.