INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS SPECIALIST

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. SEE "DUTIES" AREA FOR SUMMARY

Duties

SUMMARY: The primary purpose of this position is to be the single point of contact for designing, developing, and evaluating technical training courses, instructional materials, and measurement devices through the analysis of educational or instructional problems or questions. Also responsible for supervising, planning, directing, organizing, and exercising control over subordinate employee(s) assigned to the Training Development Section. Provides technical and administrative supervision to staff in the Training Development Section, duties requiring less than 25% of work time. DUTIES: Serves as Training Development Chief, developing strategic plans for the development of training courses in subject-matter areas and groupings of courses aligned with Air Force (AF), Air Education Training Command (AETC), and ARPC objectives. Develops, reviews, and revises technical training courses, instructional materials, and measurement devices in accordance with AETC instructional guidance. Represents Training Development with a variety of installation and functional area organizations. Provides technical and administrative supervision to the limited number of staff (typically less than five positions with at least one civilian) in the Training Development element, duties requiring less than 25% of work time.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions, to include the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the GS-1750, Instructional Systems Series BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher 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: 1. Learning theory, psychology of learning, educational psychology: Study of learning theories as they relate to the systematic design, development, and validation of instructional material. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. Computers in education and training: Study of the application of computers in education and training, including selecting appropriate computer software. Some positions in this series may specialize in one or two functional areas, where more specific academic preparation may be necessary. For such positions, agencies may require course work in the applicable functional area(s) as part of the above-required 24 semester hours. NOTE: You MUST submit copies of your transcripts. AND In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-11, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes practical knowledge of professional concepts, principles, methods, techniques, and practices of one or more specialties of the instructional systems field as well as of learning theory, gained through extended study and experience. Comprehensive knowledge of a wide variety of instructional development methods sufficient to develop and make substantial adaptations or extensions of instructional materials for specialty areas or career management fields which are complicated by factors such as changing situations or educational developments resulting in outdated guidelines or the need to pull together two different or partially related fields (e.g., engineering and electronics) that require a knowledge of more than one field. Knowledge of an extensive variety of instructional program planning methods and techniques sufficient to plan total support requirements (i.e., personnel, equipment, facilities, and other resources) for a specialty area or career field. Comprehensive knowledge of a variety of instructional system acquisition needs and sources to develop the technical andeconomic data required to support acquisition of instructional systems equipment and services for complete or complex instructional programs. Skill in applying this knowledge to difficult and complex work assignments which frequently involve matters that are controversial, unconventional, or novel. Ability to create plans for the development of training courses in accordance with agency, MAJCOM, and unit objectives, providing project guidelines, making periodic review of progress including final review of completed work, and revising or returning to originator with instructions on required revisions. Ability to evaluate and predict training achievements and student performance and prepare interpretations of results and recommendations addressing significant matters such as objectives, contents, instructional methods, or probable student counseling needs. FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in­-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of professional instructional design and instructional materials development to include use of technology for design and delivery of training. Knowledge of professional principles, practices, and techniques of instruction as well as professional training administration concepts, practices, policies, and procedures. Knowledge of safety, security, personnel management, and EEO regulations, practices, and procedures. Skill in establishing program objectives and assessing progress toward their achievement. Ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions, operations, and staff of a small organization. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing and establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of personnel within the component. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and so