This position is part of the Haskell Indian Nations University, Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Department of the Interior (DOI). As an Director of Distance Education you will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and supporting the delivery of online, hybrid, and technology-enhanced instruction.
Learn more about this agency
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Native Americans or Alaskan Natives with a tribal affiliation.
INDIAN PREFERENCE: Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (25 USC 5116 (reclassified from 472)). Verification Form BIA 4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. Indian preference eligibles may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(A)(7).
As an Instructional Systems Specialist/Director of Distance Education, GS-1750-12, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:
- Supervise 2 instructional designers and technology specialists, providing administrative and technical guidance.
- Plan, develop, and coordinate distance education courses and programs.
- Collaborate with the Vice President of Academics, Academic Deans, faculty, and management to enhance and streamline academic programs and courses for distance education delivery.
- Collects, analyzes, and reports data related to learning outcomes, retention, and other quality assurance measures.
- Ensures compliance with Higher Learning Commission standards and applicable state and federal regulations and laws.
- Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections.
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
- As a condition of employment, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial or 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
- Appointment may be subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period unless the requirement has already been met.
- If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959, you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act and the Defense Authorization Act of 1986, in order to be eligible for appointment to this agency.
- Driving Requirement (Required only at time of appointment): Incumbent may be required, as an incidental duty, to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle, in the performance of duties, therefore, a valid driver's license is required.
- Term Appointments do not confer competitive /permanent status (5 CFR Part 316).
Applicants must meet the qualification requirements contained in the OPM Standards. For this position, they are listed below.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
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.
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the following Minimum Qualifications requirements:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities 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 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
GS-12: Applicant meets the basic education requirement and possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service that includes: Designing, developing, or coordinating online, hybrid, or technology-enhanced courses or programs; administering, supporting, or managing a Learning Management System (LMS) or related instructional technologies; collecting, analyzing, and reporting data related to student learning outcomes, retention, program effectiveness, or instructional quality; ensuring compliance with accreditation standards and applicable federal or institutional policies; providing training, technical assistance, or faculty development related to online teaching, instructional technologies, or curriculum design.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
EDUCATION: Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, credit hours, major, and grade-point average or class ranking, degree and date awarded. All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).
Applicants are responsible for providing documentation that the educational requirements have been met. To qualify based on education you must submit a legible copy of your transcripts. Official transcripts are required upon selection if you qualified based on education. Education must have been obtained from an accredited or pre-accredited institution recognized by the U.S. DOE (click here) in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the U.S. (click here).
Initial appointments to the competitive or excepted service: The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:
- Your performance and conduct;
- The needs and interests of the agency;
- Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest
.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Documentation: The CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance (click here for more details, here for DOI's policy) to permanent Federal civilian employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming eligibility
must submit a 1) copy of their most recent performance appraisal, 2) proof of eligibility, 3) most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score
at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.
Veterans' Preference: If you are a Veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 plus the proof required by that form.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. To determine if you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your application to determine your level of experience.
Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, which may include a medical examination, drug test, physical readiness test, written examination, and structured interview. These assessments measure the critical competencies that are required to successfully perform the job.
This position requires successful completion of the following assessment: Structured Resume Review. This assessment measures the critical competencies that are required to successfully perform the job in the following areas:
Education and Training, Leadership, Planning and Evaluating, Problem Solving, and Instructional Systems
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration. Errors or omissions may affect your qualification. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.
If you meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating selection procedures. Once the application process is complete, a review of your qualifications will be conducted to determine if you are qualified for this job. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within each of these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-preference eligibles.
- Best Qualified: Applicants that possess all of the job related competencies identified as important for successful job performance.
- Well Qualified: Applicants that possess a majority (i.e., more than half but not all) of the job related competencies needed for successful job performance.
- Qualified: Applicants meet the basic eligibility and minimum qualification requirements but do not meet the definition of Best Qualified or Well Qualified as described above.
Indian Preference candidates not within reach on a Delegated Examining certificate of eligibles may be appointed using the Excepted Service Schedule A hiring authority.
To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12994186
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. For more information see How do I write a resume for a federal job?
- Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
2. Complete all required assessments.
3. All other supporting documents (if applicable) such as:
- If claiming Indian Preference, Form BIA 4432. The form must be completed by the appropriate official with the Federally recognized tribe where the applicant is enrolled as a member. No other form will be accepted.
- If claiming Veterans' Preference, you must submit your preference eligibility documents or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.
- If you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other proof of eligibility.
- If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 plus the proof required by that form including your DD-214 (member 4 copy), SF-15 and VA letter, or other proof of eligibility.
- CTAP/ICTAP Documentation, if applicable. 1) Proof of eligibility (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force (RIF) Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal); 2) SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and 3) most recent performance appraisal.
- College transcript(s), if applicable. Copy of undergraduate education transcripts. Unofficial college transcripts are acceptable but official college transcripts will be required before entrance on duty.
FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government and are required to submit a copy of the applicable SF-50 regarding the VSIP. The majority of individuals, who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment. Learn more about buyouts.
NOTE: Persons submitting incomplete applications will be given credit only for the information they provide. The applicant is responsible for submitting all required documentation in support of their application in order to receive full credit for their Indian preference, veteran preference, experience, training, and/or education as applicable.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FROM THIS OFFICE.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
- IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND/OR EMPLOYMENT STATUS.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, require reasonable accommodation in the application process, or an applicant with a disability, please contact John Chiu at 909-847-4734 or [email protected] for alternate application instructions.
Notification to Applicants:
- Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
- Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date.
John Chiu
Address
Haskell Indian Nations University
155 Indian Ave, Box #5021
Lawrence, KS 66046
US
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified by email of your rating and or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.
Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 07/20/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 20, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$90,968 - $118,261 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Term - 2 years. This is a term position expecting to last at least 2 years. If warranted, the agency has the option of extending term appointments up to the 4-year limit in accordance with 5 CRF 316.301(a).
Occupations and job series
- 1750 Instructional Systems
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
BIE-12994186-26-JCJ DE
