Federal

Business Operations Specialist

๐Ÿ“ Boulder, Colorado ZA-2/3 $68,819 - $158,322/yr
Posted: Jun 1, 2026 Deadline: Jun 8, 2026 (Closes in 7 days)

About This Position

NIST is seeking highly motivated Administrative Officers to support critical scientific, technical, and operational programs through strategic coordination of administrative and business operations. These positions play a key role in ensuring effective financial management, workforce support, acquisitions, travel, and organizational operations that enable mission success, informed decision-making, and efficient execution of program objectives across the organization.

Qualifications

To qualify for the ZA-II, applicants must possess one of the following: A. Possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 (ZA-I at NIST) level. Specialized experience is defined as: - Experience providing administrative and operational support for an organization, including activities related to budget tracking, travel coordination, acquisitions, human resources support, property management, records management, or other administrative program functions. - Experience coordinating multiple administrative activities, applying organizational policies and procedures, and communicating with managers, staff, and stakeholders.

OR

B. master's or equivalent graduate degree OR C. two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR D. LL.B.

OR

J.D.

OR

E. A combination of graduate education and experience. To Qualify for the ZA-III, applicants must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized equivalent to at least the GS-11 (ZA-II at NIST) level. Specialized experience is defined as: - Experience independently coordinating and managing administrative and operational functions for an organization, including budget planning and execution, financial management, acquisitions, travel management, human resources administration, property management, and other organizational support activities. - Experience coordinating multiple administrative activities, applying organizational policies and procedures, and communicating with managers, staff, and stakeholders.

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; religious; 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. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration

Major Duties

In this position, you will: - Coordinate and manage administrative and operational activities in support of organizational programs, priorities, and mission objectives. - Administer and monitor budget and financial activities, including tracking expenditures, analyzing funding usage, and supporting budget planning and execution. - Advise managers and staff on administrative policies, procedures, and organizational processes related to acquisitions, travel, human resources, financial management, and other operational activities. - Prepare and coordinate acquisition requests, interagency agreements, travel actions, and other administrative transactions in accordance with agency policies and regulations. - Analyze administrative processes, identify operational issues, and develop recommendations or solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness. - Utilize automated systems, databases, spreadsheets, and reporting tools to track, analyze, and communicate organizational and financial information. - Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to support organizational operations, resolve issues, and ensure timely completion of administrative activities. - Independently manage multiple priorities and provide responsive administrative support in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Education

This position allows applicants to qualify with education. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required before a final offer of employment. Use of foreign education for qualifications. An accredited organization must evaluate education completed outside of the U.S. to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S.

Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with course-by-course listing) is required with your application.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Please prepare a resume that is no longer than two pages; only the first two pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended!? How you will be evaluated: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Administration and Management, Attention to Detail, Decision Making, Financial Management, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Planning and Evaluating, Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, and Teamwork To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12971138 Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed in this announcement. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Referral: If you are among the top-qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration.

You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

You will be referred based on your eligibility (e.g., Merit candidate, veterans' preference, etc.). Please review the Evaluation Process on how applicants are review and referred based upon how they wish to be considered for the position. Rule of Many Rating Procedures: Applicants are ranked in score order based on their assessment rating plus Veterans preference points, as applicable.

All applicants with a score of 85% or higher, including Veterans preference points, will be referred to the hiring official. CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must submit proof of eligibility (See REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SECTION) and be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that

in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility

Additional Information

This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS), a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent Learn more about the APMS here! We may share your application package with other selecting officials. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.

You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY to be considered for this position. All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible to make qualification or eligibility determinations. A probationary period may be required.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: Reasonable Accommodation Overview - Agency Resource Center NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities.

For more information, please visit our Careers website.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email.

The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link.

Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application.

This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status.

Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Required Documents

The documents required vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.

A complete application includes: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Resume: All applicants must submit a resume by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their choosing.

Please prepare a resume no longer than 2 pages; only the first 2 pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended.

Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We suggest you review the qualification requirements for this position as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports the position qualifications.

Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume. Reinstatement: If you are a former federal employee (separated from Federal service for at least 1 year) and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Business Operations Specialist position at National Institute of Standards and Technology?
The salary range for this position is $68,819 - $158,322/yr. This is a ZA-2/3 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Business Operations Specialist job located?
This position is located in Boulder, Colorado. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
This position allows applicants to qualify with education. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required before a final offer of employment. Use of foreign education for qualifications. An accredited organization must evaluate education completed outside of the U.S. to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with course-by-course listing) is required with your application.
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Jun 8, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.