Federal

Personnel Research Psychologist

Treasury, Departmental Offices · Department of the Treasury
📍 Washington, District of Columbia GS-13 $106,437 - $158,322/yr
Posted: Feb 9, 2026 Deadline: Feb 18, 2026 (Closes in 3 days days left)

About This Position

This position is located at Departmental Offices,Management CFO - DAS Human Resources and CHCO. As a Personnel Research Psychologist, you will be applying Industrial Organizational (I/O) psychological principles, concepts, and theories to conduct research and participate in projects to support Human Resources (HR) program areas (e.g. workforce planning, succession planning, skills acquisition, strategic recruitment, learning and program evaluation, and HR transformation). .

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Specialized experience for the GS-13 position is one year of experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent, that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position, which include: Applying principles and methodologies of personnel psychology to support research and evaluation projects related to employee assessment, performance, or workforce outcomes; AND Developing, administering, or analyzing assessment and measurement tools, such as written tests, rating scales, or employee attitude surveys; AND Assisting in the development and implementation of Human Resources assessment solutions and testing procedures in accordance with established psychological theories, professional standards, and applicable laws, regulations, and guidance. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resumé. TIME-IN-GRADE: In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-13, you must have been at the GS-12 level for 52 weeks. TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Major Duties

As a Personnel Research Psychologist, you will: Evaluate the content of new or modified OPM and agency guidance material, determines impact upon programs and resources, and recommends changes, expansion, or revisions. Formulate, direct, and guide research and development of surveys, assessments and other activities. This includes all activities necessary for maintaining, evaluating, assessing and improving existing testing instruments and other materials, as well as the development and evaluation of new methods and techniques for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of human capital programs. Validate and participate in the development of major projects, initiatives, or efforts regarding positions descriptions and career paths for all Mission Critical Occupations (MCO's) and general skills series, to ensure they are aligned with the Human Capital Plan, Strategic Workforce and Succession Plans and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Office of Management & Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) policies, regulations, and memorandums.

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements: Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding. Must successfully complete a background investigation. Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required. All new hires will be required to comply with federal ethics laws. A review of financial or other interests may be conducted to determine if they create any real or apparent conflict of interests with official Treasury duties. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Please refer to the "Additional Information" section for additional Conditions of Employment.

Education

The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. Individual Occupational Requirements - Psychology Series, 0180 Degree: Major or equivalent in psychology for all specializations

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resumé, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Please be sure that your resumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resumé may result in a "not qualified" determination. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online 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. If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must meet the following "well qualified" definition listed below and any education requirement to receive special selection priority. To be found well-qualified at the GS-13 grade level, and in addition to meeting specialized experience, the applicant must have documented the following experience: - Having a solid and comprehensive understanding of the position. Can perform the required tasks efficiently and is proficient in applying the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:

Additional Information

During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact on your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. OTHER INFORMATION: We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This is a non-bargaining unit position. Relocation expenses will not be paid. We offer opportunities for telework (ad-hoc or episodic only). We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules. This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov). Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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. Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes: Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards. Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year. Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire. A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums. A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions. Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

How to Apply

DO has partnered with the Treasury's Common Services Center (TCSC) to provide certain personnel services to its organization. TCSC's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers. 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. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources. 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: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/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. Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position. For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact. For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status

Required Documents

A complete application includes: 1. All applicants are required to submit a resumé, either by creating one in USAJOBS, or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) Please limit your resume to two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resumé. It is suggested that you preview the entire announcement and online questionnaire, to ensure that your resumé thoroughly describes how your skills and experience align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and support your responses to the online questionnaire. For resumé writing guidance, please visit USAJOBS Resources Center. 2. Vacancy question responses: All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement. 3. Submission of any required documents identified below, if applicable: Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible) CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment: You must submit a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".) Typically Award SF-50s do not provide the required documentation. If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), you must submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge (Member 4) and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc. Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, you must submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade. Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE. Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements as such (time-in-grade restrictions do not apply). CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible. If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide. NON-COMPETITIVE REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee that has been separated for at least 1 year and wish to be non-competitively reinstated to a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND you MUST submit a qualifying performance appraisal from your most recent career or career-conditional position of at least Fully Successful (or equivalent). You will NOT be given consideration for non-competitive reinstatement, under this option, if a performance appraisal document is not submitted. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: You are not required to submit transcripts for this initial phase of the application process. Candidates will be referred for consideration based on their self-certification. If you are selected for a position which has a positive education requirement (as described in the vacancy announcement) and/or you are qualifying solely on your education, you will be required to submit official transcripts verifying your qualifications prior to a job offer being issued. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Personnel Research Psychologist position at Treasury, Departmental Offices?
The salary range for this position is $106,437 - $158,322/yr. This is a GS-13 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Personnel Research Psychologist job located?
This position is located in Washington, District of Columbia. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Specialized experience for the GS-13 position is one year of experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent, that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position, which...
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 Feb 18, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What does GS-13 mean?
GS-13 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
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.