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Career Fields and Professions

ACCOUNTING

This field covers positions that advise on or administer, supervise, or perform professional accounting work that requires application of accounting theories, concepts, principles, and standards to the financial activities of governmental, quasi-governmental, or private sector organizations. The work includes:

designing, developing, operating, or inspecting accounting systems;
prescribing accounting standards, policies, and requirements;
examining, analyzing, and interpreting accounting data, records, and report; or
advising or assisting management on accounting and financial management matters.

Accounting theories, concepts, principles, and standards address these types of duties:

determining the boundaries of an accounting entities recognizing and measuring revenues;
matching revenues and expenses by applying methodologies such as accrual accounting and depreciation;
defining and measuring costs by application of methodologies such as standard, process, job-order, and activity-based costing; and full disclosure on financial statements.

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Includes positions in which the employees are responsible for providing or obtaining a variety of management services essential to the direction and operation of their organization. The paramount qualifications required are extensive knowledge and understanding of management principles, practices, methods and techniques, and skill in integrating management services with the general management of an organization.

ART SPECIALIST

This field includes positions that require a knowledge of the theories and techniques of one or more art forms. Art specialists: (1) plan, supervise, administer, or carry out educational, recreational, cultural, or other programs in art, (2) demonstrate the techniques and instruct in one or more of the arts, or (3) perform other functions requiring knowledge and skill in one or more art forms.

CIVIL RIGHTS ANALYST

Positions are primarily concerned with planning, conducting, and reporting descriptive social science research in the field of civil rights and equal opportunity when the paramount qualification requirements for the position includes a broad knowledge of the field of civil rights; ability to apply accepted documentary and field research techniques to study issues and policies affecting civil rights; consulting skill; and a high degree of writing and oral communication skill. Positions in this series typically involve research into specialized technical fields such as voting rights, public accommodations, or equal employment requiring specialized knowledge of a subject-matter area in addition to a broad knowledge of civil rights.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

The Library of Congress offers professional positions that primarily involve the application of, or research into computer science methods and techniques to store, manipulate, transform or present information by means of computer systems. The primary requirements of the work are: (1) professional competence in applying the theoretical foundations of computer science, including computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structure, and the theoretical models for such representations and transformation; (2) specialized knowledge of the design characteristics, limitations, and potential applications of systems having the ability to transform information, and of broad areas of applications of computing that have common structures, processes, and techniques; and (3) knowledge of relevant mathematical and statistical sciences.

CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE (SOCIAL SCIENCE) ANALYST

CRS analysts work directly with Congress on a daily basis to help the Congress identify, analyze, and formulate legislative proposals. They perform in-depth policy, legal, and procedural analyses; identify and assess policy alternatives and their implications; assist in framing legislative proposals; develop quantitative databases and analyses using the latest research tools and methodologies; identify and evaluate new research findings, data, and information sources; and deliver expert testimony before congressional committees. Their work takes the form of written analytical reports and confidential memoranda, educational seminars and workshops, and in-person briefings and telephone consultations. CRS also provides the Congress with a wide range of specialized reference and information services.

COPYRIGHT

Positions that require the exercise of discretion and independent judgment in the application of a broad knowledge of copyright law, precedents, regulations, and practices. The duties include examining, registering, cataloging, disseminating information, and certifying original and renewal copyrights.

ECONOMIST

Includes positions that require application of a professional knowledge of economics in the performance of duties that include: research into economic phenomena, analysis of economic data, and the preparation of interpretive reports; advice and consultation on economic matters to governmental officials and private organizations or citizens; and the performance of other professional work in economics including supervision and the direction of economists engaged in the various economics programs of the Federal Government.

FINANCIAL ANALYST

This series includes all positions the duties of which are to direct or perform analytical and evaluative work requiring a comprehensive knowledge of: (1) the theory and principles of finance applicable to the full range of financial operations and transactions involved in the general activities of the various types of business corporate organizations; (2) the financial and management organization, operations, and practices of such corporate organizations; (3) pertinent statutory or regulatory provisions; and (4) related basic economic, accounting, and legal principles

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Includes all classes of positions the duties of which are to manage or direct a program for the management of the financial resources of an organizational segment, field establishment, bureau, department, independent agency, or other organizational entity of the Federal Government when the duties and responsibilities include: (1) developing, coordinating, and maintaining an integrated system of financial staff services including at least accounting, budgeting, and management-financial reporting, and sometimes also one or more of such related staff services as auditing, credit analysis, management analysis, etc.; (2) exercising effective control over the financial resources of the organization; (3) coordinating and synthesizing financial and management data so as to interpret the composite financial results of operations to all levels of the organization's management; (4) advising on, developing, coordinating, and carrying out financial policies, procedures, and plans; (5) reviewing, analyzing, evaluating, and reporting upon program accomplishments in financial terms; and (6) advising and assisting the management officials of the organization served by supplying financial management advice required to make management decisions, establish organizational goals and objectives, and in all respects to manage the organization.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

This field includes all classes of positions the duties of which are to advise on, administer, supervise, or perform research or other professional and scientific work in the departmental formulation and direction of the foreign affairs of the Government or in the study and disposition of information bearing on international relations.

GENERAL ATTORNEY

Included are professional legal positions involved in preparing cases for trial and/or the trial of cases before a court or an administrative body or persons having quasi-judicial power; rendering legal advice and services with respect to questions, regulations, practices, or other matters falling within the purview of the Library of Congress(this may include conducting investigations to obtain evidentiary data); preparing interpretative and administrative orders, rules, or regulations to give effect to the provisions of governing statutes or other requirements of law; drafting, negotiating, or examining contracts or other legal documents required by the agency's activities; drafting, preparing formal comments, or otherwise making substantive recommendations with respect to proposed legislation; editing and preparing for publication statutes enacted by Congress, opinions or discussions of a court, commission, or board; drafting and reviewing decisions for consideration and adoption by agency officials.

Included also are positions, not covered by the Administrative Procedure Act, involved in hearing cases arising under contracts or under the regulations of a Federal Government agency when such regulations have the effect of law, and rendering decisions or making recommendations for disposition of such cases. The work of this series requires admission to the bar.

GENERAL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

This field includes all classes of positions the duties of which are to administer, supervise, or perform: (1) any combination of work characteristic of two or more series in this group where no one type of work is series controlling and where the combination is not specifically included in another series; or (2) other work properly classified in this group for which no other series has been provided.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Included are two-grade interval administrative positions that manage, supervise, lead, administer, develop, deliver, and support information technology (IT) systems and services. The paramount requirement is knowledge of IT principles, concepts, and methods; e.g., data storage, software applications, networking.

Information technology refers to systems and services used in the automated acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, assurance, or reception of information. Information technology includes computers, network components, peripheral equipment, software, firmware, services, and related resources.

LIBRARIAN

This field includes all positions involving work that primarily requires a full professional knowledge of the theories, objectives, principles, and techniques of librarianship. An inherent requirement of these positions is a knowledge of literature resources. Some positions also require a substantial knowledge of the subject matter involved and/or a substantial knowledge of foreign languages. Such work is concerned with the collection, organization, preservation, and retrieval of recorded knowledge in printed, written, audiovisual, film, wax, near-print methods, magnetic tape, or other media. Typical library functions include the selection, acquisition, cataloging, and classification of materials, bibliographic and readers' advisory services, reference and literature searching services, library management and systems planning, or the development and strengthening of library services.

MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM ANALYST

This field includes positions that primarily serve as analysts and advisors to management on the evaluation of the effectiveness of Library of Congress programs and operations or the productivity and efficiency of the management of Federal agencies or both. Positions in this field require knowledge of: the substantive nature of agency programs and activities; agency missions, policies, and objectives; management principles and processes; and the analytical and evaluative methods and techniques for assessing program development or execution and improving organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Some positions also require an understanding of basic budgetary and financial management principles and techniques as they relate to long range planning of programs and objectives. The work requires skill in: application of factfinding and investigative techniques; oral and written communications; and development of presentations and reports.

MUSIC SPECIALIST

This field covers positions that require a knowledge of one or more of the music arts such as vocal or instrumental music; composition, theory, and harmony; arranging and orchestration; choral or instrumental conducting; classical or modern dance styles including choreography and notation; or musicology. Music specialists: (1) plan, supervise, administer, or carry out educational, recreational, cultural, or other programs in music such as creative music clinics or workshops, or electronic music experiments; (2) produce, stage, direct, or conduct musical productions, concerts, or recitals; (3) instruct or serve as a specialist in conducting; composing; arranging; interpreting classical, modern, ethnic or cultural dance forms; choreography; musicology; or choral or instrumental music; or (4) perform other functions requiring knowledge or skill in music.

COPYRIGHT ATTORNEY

Copyright Attorneys perform professional legal, scientific, and technical work concerning patents, including rendering opinions on validity and infringement of patents, negotiation of patent licenses, settlement of patent claims, negotiation of patent clauses in contracts, providing professional legal advice to contracting officers and other procurement personnel on patent matters, and the preparation and/or presentation of briefs and arguments before the Patent Office or before the Federal Courts.

Also included are positions that, in addition to the foregoing, may be involved with performing similar professional legal functions regarding trademarks. The work of this series requires training equivalent to that represented by graduation (with a degree in one of the scientific or engineering disciplines) from an accredited college or university, in addition to a degree from a recognized law school and admission to the bar.

PRESERVATION SPECIALIST

Preservation Specialists apply professional knowledge of conservation/preservation principles, concepts, and techniques to meet conservation/preservation standards, and to perform conservation/preservation procedures. They also survey internal collections, identifying and inventorying groups of materials. Other duties included developing specifications and procedures for preservation using standards developed in the conservation/preservation field, initiating, establishing, and maintaining professional relationships with library patrons, supervisors, library staff, other national libraries, experts in government agencies, associations, the private sector, and/or research groups. They also meet with researchers and analyze questions and requirements.

LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

This field includes all positions that primarily require a practical knowledge of the methods and techniques of library or related information work in acquiring, organizing, preserving, accessing, and/or disseminating information. Library technicians provide technical support by performing a wide variety of tasks providing direct services to the public and indirect technical services such as materials acquisition, copy cataloging, support of automated systems, or other similar work in support of library or related information programs and operations. The work requires a practical knowledge of library or related information services, tools, and methods and procedures.

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