Duties
This series covers positions managing, supervising, leading, and/or performing administrative and management work.
- Vacancies filled under this public notice may have varying levels of promotion potential and supervisory level, if any.
- Positions may be filled as permanent, term, or temporary with a full-time or part-time work schedule.
As a Grants Management Specialist You May
- Prepare documentation required for Funding Opportunity Announcements for financial assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements). Negotiates all aspects of awards in accordance with applicable regulations. Provides expert advice on the mechanisms to develop agreements for highly specialized and complex research and development. Resolves conflicts regarding terms and conditions, intellectual property rights, cost-sharing provisions, and proprietary information provisions.
- Evaluate financial conditions, business integrity, ability, and capacity of financial assistance applicant to manage Federal funds. Perform cost/price analysis of applications, modifies/amends, and closeout awards as necessary. Prepare the most complex awards in accordance with DOE policies and procedures.
- Administer agreements during the pre-award, active, closeout and auditing stages and ensures compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Work closely with Project Directors throughout the award process to ensure the ultimate transaction will accomplish the intended programmatic mission and continues such effort throughout closeout.
- Interpret the impact of changes in applicable laws and regulations on the administration process. Identifies and resolves problems. Ensure award actions meet both the legal and supervisory review requirements. Project are typically multi-year in length with multiple budget periods, various funding sources, and several different partners.
- Implement policies and procedures in accordance with applicable regulations and guidance and serves as the focal point for interpretation of these policies and procedures with recipients and DOE program/project staff. Ensure that current, accurate, and complete data is entered into electronic data systems, as applicable. Participate, as needed, in process improvement teams, peer reviews of financial assistance actions, and performs collateral duty assignments.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Subject to satisfactory security and suitability requirements.
- May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
- Positions may be filled as permanent, term, or temporary with a full-time or part-time work schedule. Pay will vary by geographic location.
- The vacancies filled through these appointments have varying levels of background investigative requirements, up to a Top Secret DOE "Q" clearance.
- These positions are to be filled under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Inflation Reduction Act direct hire authority.
- Positions may be covered by a bargaining unit. Bargaining unit will vary by departmental element, grade, and/or location.
Qualifications
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-07: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Working closely with Project Officers/Project Engineers throughout the grant award process to ensure the ultimate transaction will accomplish the intended programmatic mission and continues such efforts throughout closeout.; AND
- Ensuring that current, accurate, and complete data is entered into electronic data systems, as applicable.
OR EDUCATION: 1 full year of graduate level education; OR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Based on a Bachelor's degree that is demonstrated through class standing (upper 1/3 of class); grade point average (3.0/4.0 overall or 3.5/4.0 in major), or election to membership in a qualifying national scholastic honor society. OR COMBINATION: You may qualify on a combination of education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the educational requirement must equal at least 100 percent.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-09: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Assisting in the preparation of all documentation required for financial assistance awards.; AND
- Participating in the evaluation of grant applications.; AND
- Negotiating some aspects of awards in accordance with applicable regulations.
OR EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR COMBINATION: You may qualify on a combination of education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the educational requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-11: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Assisting in the preparation of all documentation required for financial assistance awards.; AND
- Evaluating grant applications.; AND
- Providing advice on the mechanisms to develop agreements.
OR EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related. OR COMBINATION: You may qualify on a combination of education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the educational requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours), may be used to combine education and experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-12: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Managing financial assistance actions.; AND
- Analyzing grants applications including making assessments of a prospective awardee's eligibility and financial viability.; AND
- Negotiating, administering, and closing out the resultant awards upon completion.
NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 level.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-13: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Analyzing grants applications including making assessments of a prospective awardee's eligibility and financial viability.; AND
- Negotiating, administering, and closing out the resultant awards upon completion.; AND
- Interacting with high-level contacts such as Program Directors, legal counsel, patent counsel, and prospective awardees concerning the evaluation of grant and cooperative agreements.
NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-13 level.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-14: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Negotiating, administering, and closing out the resultant awards upon completion.; AND
- Interacting with high-level contacts such as Program Directors, legal counsel, and prospective awardees concerning the evaluation of grant agreements.; AND
- Drafting written communications to present sensitive recommendations to higher authorities on policies affecting awards for energy related programs and projects.
NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-14 level.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-15: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Interacting with high-level contacts such as Program Directors, legal counsel, patent counsel, and prospective awardees concerning the evaluation of grant and cooperative agreements.; AND
- Drafting written communications to present sensitive recommendations to higher authorities on policies affecting awards for energy related programs and projects.; AND
- Monitoring progress due to criticality and visibility of the program and frequently acts as the grants management decision maker concerning an action being reviewed.
NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-15 level.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.
OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-1109 series can be found at the following website:
CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.
This public notice will be used to fill multiple positions as needed, therefore referral lists may be issued daily. Applications must be submitted and qualification requirements met by 11:59 p.m. ET each day in order to be referred on any certificates issued the following day.
Education
If substituting education for specialized experience you must submit proof of your qualifying education.
Failure to provide college transcripts may result in a rating of 'Ineligible'.
Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see
Additional information
The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
- This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
- For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit:
- Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected under these authorities are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802.
- If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the
- This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.
- There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time of your application.
- More than one selection may be made under these hiring authorities.
- Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
- Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
- Positions may be filled at varying levels of leadership, ie Team Lead, Manager, Supervisor.
- Supervisory positions may require a 1-year probationary period, if not yet completed.
- New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit
- Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the
- All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page,
- EEO Policy:
- Reasonable Accommodation Policy:
- Veterans Information:
- Selective Service Registration:
- The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at
- A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.