To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

To qualify for this GS-05 grade level: Three years of general experience, one year of which was equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization which may include:
1) Analyzing problems to identify factors, gather pertinent data, and
2) Recognize solutions; planning and organizing work; and communicating effectively both orally and in writing.

OR, Education Substitution: To qualify at the GS-05 level based on education you must have at least four years of study leading to a bachelor's degree.
OR, Applicants may qualify with a combination of specialized experience as described above under Specialized Experience and education as described above which totals at least one year. (To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 36. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years by 60. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.)

To qualify for this GS-07 grade level: You must possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-05 level in the Federal service that includes: Counseling individuals about federal, state, or local benefits by explaining legal provisions, regulations, or decisions to a variety of audiences.
OR, One full year of graduate level education Or superior academic achievement at the bachelors level in a degree related fields of study. (You must provide transcripts);
OR, Applicants may qualify with a combination of the required experience and education for this grade level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.