Visual Information Specialist
Veterans Health Administration - Department of Veterans Affairs
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/22/2024. A portfolio will be used in the assessment process. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Individual Occupational Requirements: An Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study — commercial art, fine arts, art history, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, photography, visual communication, or other fields related to the position. Some positions may also require subject-matter knowledge of medicine, science, or technical equipment. Advanced training in a vocational school, technical institute, or art institute above the high school level in one of the fields listed above is creditable as general experience on a month-for-month basis. OR, Experience in the actual type of work for which application is made. Unpaid experience is creditable, provided the work done was of a quality level and demonstrated the ability required for the position. This includes planning the preparation and use of photographs, illustrations, drawings, and other art work, charts, diagrams, dioramas, maps, slides, overlays, and other kinds of visual material for use in communicating information through visual means. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement above you must also meet specialized experience or a substitution of education or combination: GS-09: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Incumbent at this level is expected to work independently only seeking assistance for the most complicated non-recurring tasks. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Creating and editing professional graphic arts materials; Planning the preparation and use of photographs, illustrations, video, and other visual material for use in communicating information through visual means. . Knowledge and experience of the operational and maintenance requirements for a wide range of audio-visual equipment. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D., if related. Education must be in or related to the position and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first one (1) year of graduate education leading towards a master’s degree. (i.e., 1.5 years of progressive graduate education leading towards a master’s degree would meet 50% of the qualifications requirement for this vacancy.) GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. An incumbents at this level is an expert in this field and is able to work work independently and assists and trains junior employees. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Creating and editing professional graphic arts materials; Planning the preparation and use of photographs, illustrations, video, and other visual material for use in communicating information through visual means. Knowledge and experience of the operational and maintenance requirements for a wide range of audio-visual equipment. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M., if related. Education must be in or related to the position and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first two (2) year of graduate education leading towards a doctorate degree. (i.e., 2.5 years of progressive graduate education leading towards a doctorate degree would meet 50% of the qualifications requirement for this vacancy.) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications and Media Multimedia Technologies Organizational Awareness Planning and Evaluating Technology Application Web Technology 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 indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although there is some walking, travel, and carrying of lightweight equipment and materials (usually under 50lbs). The work requires manual dexterity, hand and eye coordination, and the ability to accurately perceive and sense color hues and chroma. When acting in support of the Medical Photographer – some of the work requires periods of extended bending, stooping, kneeling in order to obtain properly composed medical photographs. The incumbent, alone and assisted, will be required to lift and transport delicate graphic, photographic and audiovisual equipment weighing up to 50 pounds. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management’s website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
The incumbent serves as a Visual Information Specialist within the Office of Strategic Communications & Marketing with primary responsibilities in graphic design, web content, social media, photography, videography and audio visual for the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center and its affiliates. The incumbent coordinates, plans, maintains, promotes, designs, and produces computer-designed print, electronic visual information material, and photographically enhanced media for targeted audiences.