Human Resources Specialist

MELE Associates, Inc; Odenton (MD); On-site; USD 135,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

401(k) with Employer Match

Holidays & Vacation

Cross-training opportunities

Job summary

MELE Associates, Inc. seeks an experienced HR Specialist to provide comprehensive HR support for a National Nuclear Security Administration program office in the DC metro area. You will handle recruitment, staffing, classification, onboarding, and employee relations for federal and matrixed staff.

The role requires knowledge of DOE/NNSA HR policies, pay banding, and the federal hiring lifecycle, with the ability to work independently in a mission-critical environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Admin, Public Admin, or related field (or equivalent).
• 8+ years of progressive HR experience supporting DOE/NNSA programs.
• Active DOE Q or DoD TS clearance, or ability to obtain one.
• Knowledge of Title 5, OPM standards, and NNSA pay-banding.
• Familiarity with DOE/NNSA HR systems: CHRIS/Workday; USA Staffing/USAJOBS; USA Hire; eOPF; eQIP/eApp.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Strong written and verbal communication for leadership guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide HR support across recruitment, staffing, classification, employee relations, and workforce planning for a Program Office.
• Advise leadership on recruitment strategies, job analyses, hiring assessments, and vacancy announcements.
• Assist classification of positions per OPM standards and NNSA pay banding.
• Support onboarding and track personnel actions with CHRIS/Workday and DOE HR systems.
• Manage recruitment casework, USA Staffing, and USA Hire assessments.
• Coordinate security clearance actions with security offices and onboarding requirements.
• Maintain accurate HR records including eOPF with privacy compliance.
• Support workforce planning, organizational charts, and HR metrics.
• Research and summarize HR policy questions; prepare guidance and briefing papers.
• Liaise as HR point of contact with NNSA Office of Human Capital and shared services.

Skills

Communication

Discretion

Multitasking

Written English

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/BA/related field

Tools

CHRIS

Workday

USA Staffing

USAJOBS

USA Hire

eOPF

eQIP/eApp

Job description

MELE Associates, Inc

Job Category: Client Program Opportunities

Requisition Number: HUMAN002269

Full-Time

MELE DC Office | Washington, DC 20024, USA

Job Details

Description

The Human Resources (HR) Specialist provides comprehensive, professional-level HR support to a Program Office within the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), working directly under the guidance of the Program Office's Chief of Staff. This is a non-federal Support Service Contractor position delivering human capital services across recruitment and staffing, classification, employee relations, and workforce planning for NNSA federal and matrixed staff.

The ideal candidate brings deep, hands‑on knowledge of DOE/NNSA human resources policy, the NNSA pay‑banding structure, and the federal hiring lifecycle, and can operate independently and with discretion in a fast‑paced, mission‑critical national security environment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Recruitment & Staffing Support: Advise the Program Office's Chief of Staff and program managers on workforce recruitment and retention strategies; assist in developing job analyses, crediting plans, and hiring assessments; draft, review, and coordinate vacancy announcements consistent with Title 5 and NNSA excepted-service staffing authorities.


• Classification Support: Assist in analyzing and classifying scientific, engineering, professional, and technical positions in accordance with OPM classification standards and NNSA's pay‑banding (Demonstration Project/NQ) structure; prepare position descriptions and classification recommendations.


• Employee Relations Support: Support resolution of routine employee relations matters; research and interpret federal HR laws, regulations, and DOE/NNSA policy to inform management decisions.


• Onboarding & Personnel Actions: Coordinate new‑employee onboarding and track personnel action requests (e.g., SF‑52/SF‑50‑related documentation) in coordination with the servicing HR office, monitoring status through DOE's Corporate Human Resources Information System (CHRIS) and/or Workday as the Department transitions to its new HR system of record.


• Applicant Tracking & Case Management: Manage recruitment casework and applicant workflow within USA Staffing, monitor USAJOBS postings, and coordinate use of USA Hire assessments where applicable.


• Security & Suitability Coordination: Track clearance‑related HR actions in coordination with security offices, monitoring status of L‑ and Q‑level clearance processing (e.g., e‑QIP/eApp) tied to onboarding and position requirements.


• Records & Documentation: Maintain accurate, complete personnel files and HR records, including electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) documentation, ensuring compliance with privacy and records‑retention requirements.


• Workforce & Organizational Support: Assist the Chief of Staff with workforce planning, organizational charts, staffing reports, and metrics to inform Program Office leadership decisions.


• Policy Research & Written Products: Research, interpret, and summarize HR policy, regulatory, and procedural questions; prepare written guidance, briefing papers, and correspondence addressing staffing, classification, and employee relations matters.


• Stakeholder Interface: Serve as a primary HR point of contact for the Program Office, liaising with NNSA's Office of Human Capital and DOE servicing HR/shared‑service providers on behalf of the Chief of Staff.


• Confidentiality Management: Handle sensitive and confidential HR information, including personally identifiable information (PII), with discretion and in compliance with applicable security protocols and regulations.


• Process Improvement: Identify and recommend improvements to HR administrative processes and workflows to increase efficiency within the Program Office.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).


• 8+ years of progressive human resources experience directly supporting DOE and/or NNSA programs.


• Active DOE Q or DoD Top Secret security clearance, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.


• Demonstrated expert knowledge of federal human capital management, including Title 5 staffing regulations, OPM classification standards, and NNSA's pay‑banding (Demonstration Project/NQ) system.


• Working familiarity with DOE/NNSA HR systems and platforms, including: CHRIS (Corporate Human Resources Information System) and/or Workday (DOE's HR system of record); USA Staffing and USAJOBS for recruitment and staffing case management; USA Hire for applicant assessment; eOPF for personnel recordkeeping; and e‑QIP/eApp for clearance‑related processing.


• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel).


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, accurate HR correspondence and guidance for senior federal leadership.


• Ability to manage multiple, competing priorities with a high level of discretion in a fast‑paced, mission‑critical national security environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, or a related field.


• 12+ years of progressive human resources experience directly supporting DOE and/or NCSA programs.


• PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP certification.


• Hands‑on experience processing actions in CHRIS and/or Workday.

LOCATION: This is a full‑time position supporting NNSA Headquarters in the Washington, DC metro area (Washington, DC / Germantown, MD) - exact duty location to be confirmed with the Program Office.

SALARY: Salaries are determined based on several factors including external market data, internal equity, and the candidate's related knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position. The range for this position is 135k-205k.

BENEFITS

• Employer‑paid employee Medical, Dental and Vision Care.


• Low‑Cost Family Health Care offered.


• Federal Holidays and three (3) weeks' vacation


• 401(k) with Employer Match


• Cross‑training opportunities

About MELE

With over 300 employees and offices in Rockville, MD, Washington, DC, and Albuquerque, NM, MELE is a veteran‑owned government contractor empowering its customers with innovative solutions for more than three decades. MELE has team members located across the U.S. and has served more than a hundred countries across hundreds of project locations. The company offers technical, engineering, and programmatic support expertise to a host of U.S. federal and international agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, INTERPOL, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. MELE's services include national security, intelligence, IT/cybersecurity, facility management and engineering, CBRNE defense and nuclear security, emergency response training/management, and mission and program support.

MELE Associates, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. MELE Associates, Inc. is an E‑Verify employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.