The text below is
extracted verbatim from Section IV-A (pp.7-12) of the
Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General
Schedule Positions [MANUAL], but contains
minor edits to conform to web-page requirements.
This qualification standard covers positions
in the General Schedule that involve the performance of
one-grade interval technical or medical support work. It
contains common patterns of creditable experience and
education to be used in making qualifications
determinations. Related individual occupational requirements
are contained in Section IV-B of the [MANUAL]. Section V of
the same manual identifies the occupations that have test
requirements.
A list of the occupational series covered by
this standard is provided
below.
This standard may also be used for one-grade
interval positions other than those listed if the education
and experience pattern is determined to be appropriate.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
The following table shows the amounts of
education and/or experience required to qualify for
positions covered by this standard.
| GRADE |
EXPERIENCE |
EDUCATION |
| GENERAL |
SPECIALIZED |
| GS-1 |
None |
None |
None |
| GS-2 |
3 months |
None |
High school graduation or
equivalent |
| GS-3 |
6 months |
None |
1 year above high school with
course(s) related to the occupation, if required |
| GS-4 |
6 months |
6 months |
2 years above high school with
courses related to the occupation, if required |
| GS-5 |
None |
1 year equivalent to at least GS-4 |
4-year course of study above high
school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses
related to the occupation, if required |
| GS-6 and above |
None |
1 year equivalent to at least next
lower grade level |
See the NOTE
under the Education section |
| Equivalent combinations of education
and experience are qualifying for all grade levels
and positions for which both education and
experience are acceptable. |
While the levels of experience shown for
most positions covered by this standard follow the grade
level progression pattern outlined in the table, users of
the standard should refer to
E.3.(o) in the "General Policies and
Instructions" (Section II of the [MANUAL]) for guidance on
crediting experience for positions with different lines of
progression.
General Experience:
(l) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's
ability to perform the work of the position, or (2)
experience that provided a familiarity with the subject
matter or processes of the broad subject area of the
occupation.
Specialized
Experience: Experience that equipped the
applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and
abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the
position, and that is typically in or related to the work of
the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized
experience must have been equivalent to at least the next
lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of
appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the
table, are not required by this standard to have general
experience, education above the high school level, or any
additional specialized experience to meet the minimum
qualification requirements.
Education:
High school graduation or the equivalent is qualifying for
GS-2.
Successfully completed post-high school
education is qualifying for grades GS-3 through GS-5. This
education must have been obtained in an accredited business
or technical school, junior college, college or university
for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the
normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate
study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or
the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20
hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36
weeks in a business or technical school.
For some occupations covered by this
standard, 6 semester hours of specific courses are included
in the l year of education that meets the GS-3 requirements.
The 6 semester hours allow for subjects that are common to a
broad range of degree programs, e.g., subjects in the
mathematical, physical, or biological sciences. This
inclusion corresponds to the second part of the description
of general experience, i.e., the subjects provide evidence
of a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the
broad subject area of the occupation. At grades GS-4 and
above, a portion of the education is usually directly
related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples
of related courses are provided in the individual
occupational requirements where applicable. However,
agencies may require other courses if they are considered to
be more related to the position to be filled.
NOTE: Graduate education or an
internship meets the specialized experience required above
GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly
related to the work of the position. One full year of
graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. Two full
years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the
requirements for GS-9. One year of full-time graduate
education is considered to be the number of credit hours
that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year
of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained
from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as
satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.
Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance
with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the
school attended.
Training:
Completion of appropriate training such as inservice
training programs, training acquired while serving in the
Armed Forces, and government-sponsored developmental
training programs will be allowed credit on a
month-for-month basis, generally through the GS-5 level.
Such training meets general or specialized experience
requirements depending upon its applicability.
Completion of an intensive, specialized
course of study of less than l year may meet in full the
experience requirements for GS-3. Courses of this type
normally require completion of up to 40 hours per week of
instruction rather than the usual 20 hours per week, and are
usually of at least 3 months duration. Such courses
may have been obtained through a variety of programs such as
those offered by technical schools and military training
programs. To be creditable, such a course must have been
designed specifically as career preparation for the work of
the position being filled, and must have provided the
applicant with the necessary knowledge, skills, and
abilities to do the work.
Combining
Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations
of successfully completed post-high school education and
experience are also qualifying. The combinations described
below are those most typical for these positions, i.e., for
grades GS-3 through GS-5. If education is used to meet
specialized experience requirements, then such education
must include courses directly related to the work of the
position. (When crediting education, prorate the number of
hours of related courses required as a proportion of the
total education to be used.)
-
For GS-3 level positions,
determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as
a percentage of the 6 months' experience required for
GS-3; then deter-mine the applicant's education as a
percentage of the l year of education that meets the
requirements for GS-3. Add the two percentages. The
total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to
qualify an applicant for GS-3.
-
For GS-4 level positions,
determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as
a percentage of the 1 year of experience required for
GS-4; then determine the applicant's education as a
percentage of the 2 years of education that meets the
requirements for GS-4. Add the two percentages. The
total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to
qualify an applicant for GS-4.
-
For GS-5 level positions, only
education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a
course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is
creditable toward meeting the specialized experience
requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60
semester hours, beyond the second year is
equivalent to l year of specialized experience.
Determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as
a percentage of the year of specialized experience
required at the GS-5 level. Then determine the
applicant's education as a percentage of the education
that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two
percentages. The total percentage must equal at least
100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5.
The following are examples of how education
and experience may be combined. They are examples only, and
are not all-inclusive.
-
The position to be filled is a Pharmacy
Aid, GS-3. An applicant has 2 months of experience and
20 semester hours of college. The applicant meets 33
percent of the required experience and 67 percent of the
required education. The applicant meets 100 percent of
the total requirements and is qualified for the
position.
-
The position to be filled is an
Industrial Engineering Technician, GS-4. An applicant
has 5 months of general experience and 36 semester hours
of college. The applicant meets 42 percent of the
required experience and 60 percent of the required
education. The applicant exceeds 100 percent of the
total requirements and is qualified for the position.
(This example assumes that education is being used to
meet the specialized experience requirements, and that
at least 7 of the 36 semester hours are in courses
directly related to the work of the position.) Examples
of such courses are provided in the individual
occupational requirements for the Industrial Engineering
Technician Series, GS-895, in Section IV-B of the
[MANUAL].
-
The position to be filled is a
Recreation Assistant, GS-5. An applicant has 8 months of
GS-4 level specialized experience and 80 semester hours
of college. The applicant meets 67 percent of the
required experience and 33 percent of the required
education (i.e., 20 semester hours in excess of the
first 60 semester hours). The applicant meets 100
percent of the total requirements and is qualified for
the position. At least 8 of the 20 semester hours must
be directly related to the work of the position.
Examples of such courses are provided in the individual
occupational requirements for the Recreation Aid and
Assistant Series, GS-189, in Section IV-B of the
[MANUAL].
USING SELECTIVE FACTORS FOR POSITIONS
COVERED BY THIS STANDARD
Selective factors must represent knowledge,
skills, or abilities that are essential for successful job
performance and cannot reasonably be acquired on the job
during the period of orientation/training customary for the
position being filled. For example, a requirement for
knowledge of microbiological laboratory techniques may be
needed immediately to perform the duties of a Biological
Technician position in a disease research laboratory. If
that is the case, such knowledge could be justified as a
selective factor in filling the position.
USING INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS WITH THIS STANDARD
General experience requirements at the GS-2
and GS-3 levels are described in the group coverage standard
so that the applicant pool at those "trainee" levels will be
as generally inclusive as possible. Thus, examples of
qualifying general experience are not included in the
"Individual Occupational Requirements" for positions covered
by this qualification standard.
Positions at GS-4 and above require
specialized experience, education, or training related to
the occupation. Examples of qualifying specialized
experience are provided for those occupations where such
information is currently available. Examples of qualifying
post-high school education or training are also provided.
OCCUPATIONAL COVERAGE
A list of the occupational series covered by
this qualification standard is provided below. The
occupational series marked with an asterisk have individual
occupational requirements in Section IV-B of the
Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General
Schedule Positions. Refer to
the Index for links.
GS-019 Safety Technician*
GS-021 Community Planning Technician
GS-090 Guide*
GS-102 Social Science Aid and Technician
GS-119 Economics Assistant*
GS-181 Psychology Aid and Technician*
GS-186 Social Services Aid and Assistant*
GS-189 Recreation Aid and Assistant*
GS-404 Biological Science Technician*
GS-421 Plant Protection Technician*
GS-455 Range Technician*
GS-458 Soil Conservation Technician*
GS-459 Irrigation System Operation*
GS-462 Forestry Technician*
GS-621 Nursing Assistant*
GS-622 Medical Supply Aide and Technician*
GS-625 Autopsy Assistant*
GS-636 Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant*
GS-640 Health Aid and Technician*
GS-642 Nuclear Medicine Technician*
GS-645 Medical Technician*
GS-646 Pathology Technician*
GS-647 Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist*
GS-648 Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist*
GS-649 Medical Instrument Technician*
GS-651 Respiratory Therapist*
GS-661 Pharmacy Technician*
GS-681 Dental Assistant*
GS-683 Dental Laboratory Aid and Technician*
GS-698 Environmental Health Technician*
GS-704 Animal Health Technician*
GS-802 Engineering Technician*
GS-809 Construction Control*
GS-817 Surveying Technician*
GS-818 Engineering Drafting*
GS-856 Electronics Technician*
GS-895 Industrial Engineering Technician*
GS-1021 Office Drafting*
GS-1202 Patent Technician
GS-1311 Physical Science Technician*
GS-1316 Hydrologic Technician*
GS-1341 Meteorological Technician*
GS-1371 Cartographic Technician*
GS-1374 Geodetic Technician*
GS-1521 Mathematics Technician*
GS-1541 Cryptanalysis*
GS-1862 Consumer Safety Inspection*
GS-1981 Agricultural Commodity Aid*
GS-2144 Cargo Scheduling*
