Summary The National Mine Health and Safety Academy is the world's largest educational institution devoted solely to safety and health in mining and serves as the central training facility for Federal Mine Inspectors, Mine Safety Professionals from other government agencies, the mining industry, and labor. The Instructional Materials Branch is responsible for the development of courses and instructional materials for the Academy and MSHA. This position is outside the bargaining unit. Responsibilities Provides leadership and direction to staff. Oversees the operation of Course Development, Educational Materials, and Graphics branches. Identifies training material needs, sets priorities and production schedules for the development of necessary materials, and establishes a system for ensuring achievement. Ensures courses developed by staff are consistent with adult education and instructional technology principles. Maintains relationships with Academy faculty on the request of new product development. Establishes and maintains professional contacts in the training areas and new product development Attends meetings, conferences, and seminars and may serve as the Academy representative. Identifies events for which the Academy's video crew will cover the start-up of Agency initiatives, speeches and/or radio and television public service spots. Provides customers with cost estimates comparing in-house support with available contract support and expected delivery time. Establishes budget requirements and controls. Responsible for long term programming and annual budgeting submissions. Works directly with Leadership in overall budget management. Recommendations for major program changes are reviewed for budgetary limitations and consistency with Academy and MSHA policies. Makes recommendations on the Department's audiovisual and training product development, graphic arts, photography, and property management. Monitors the progress of contracts awarded through technical/financial reports and by direct contact with contractors. Ensures technical and editorial reviews of all work are thoroughly conducted and coordinated, and contract terms/specifications are completely met, particularly regarding the quality of materials developed and time limits set forth in contracts. Responsible for the technical and administrative supervision of staff as it relates to professional, technical, clerical, and administrative work. Plans and evaluates work that is accomplished by subordinates. Interviews candidates for positions; recommends appointment, promotion, or assignment for positions; hears or resolves group grievances or serious complaints from employees; and effects disciplinary measures. Ensures all personnel management actions are in accordance with merit principles and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program guidance. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications You must meet the Basic Educational Requirements and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this position, as described below. Basic Educational Requirement for the GS-1750 series: Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours appropriate to the work of the position to be filled. The course work must have included study in at least four of the following five areas: Learning theory, psychology of learning, educational psychology: Study of learning theories as they relate to the systematic design, development, and validation of instructional material. Instructional design practices: Study of the principles and techniques used in designing training programs, developing design strategy and models, and applying design methods to the improvement of instructional effectiveness. Educational evaluation: Study of the techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of instructional/educational programs, including developing written and performance tests and survey instruments, and determining reliability and validity of evaluation instruments. Instructional product development: Study of the techniques appropriate for developing training materials, including identifying learner characteristics, specifying objectives, applying training strategy, validating training materials, and evaluating training. Computers in education and training: Study of the application of computers in education and training, including selecting appropriate computer software. Specialized Experience for the Supervisory Instructional Systems Specialist, GS-14 is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-14 includes: One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level (GS-13) of Federal service in at least three of the following: Developing or producing training or course programs and materials; Procurement, management, or administration of training or course program materials; Interpreting and analyzing data, policies, and management issues of an Instructional Systems organization; Supervisory experience to include planning, assigning, and evaluating work, staff acquisition and development, resolving grievances, effecting disciplinary measures, and ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance. Education Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information. Additional Information Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services. The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. As such, the Department is committed to fostering a workplace and workforce that promote equal employment opportunity, reflects the diversity of the people we seek to serve, and models a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where every employee feels heard, supported, and empowered. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION In the regulations for agency ethics programs, there are requirements for supervisors. Section 2638.103 of Title 5 of the CFR states: Every supervisor in the executive branch has a heightened personal responsibility for advancing government ethics. It is imperative that supervisors serve as models of ethical behavior for subordinates. Supervisors have a responsibility to help ensure that subordinates are aware of their ethical obligations under the Standards of Conduct and that subordinates know how to contact agency ethics officials. Supervisors are also responsible for working with agency ethics officials to help resolve conflicts of interest and enforce government ethics laws and regulations, including those requiring certain employees to file financial disclosure reports. In addition, supervisors are responsible, when requested, for assisting agency ethics officials in evaluating potential conflicts of interest and identifying positions subject to financial disclosure requirements. This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest(s) and your prospective position with DOL. This information will be required annually. All MSHA employees and their spouses, and minor children are prohibited by regulation from having any interest, direct or indirect, in any mine or mining company that may be directly affected by the work of MSHA through its investigations, technical research, or other activities. These interests are prohibited under the Department of Labor's Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct Regulations at 5 CFR 5201.105. Certain MSHA employees are required to file a financial disclosure report. Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy. Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/.