National Institute of Standards and Technology
Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS)
Project Operating Procedures

Human Resource Systems:  Position Classification

1.  Introduction

a.  Project Legislation:  The authority for the classification system is Section 10(b)(3) of the Act:

Positions shall be classified under a system using pay bands which shall be established by combining or otherwise modifying the classes, grades, or other units which would otherwise be used in classifying the positions involved.

b.  Coverage: 

  1. The Project Classification System covers all NIST positions under the Project, except Senior Executive Service (SES) and ST-3104 positions, which continue to be classified under the traditional system.
  2. Wage Grade positions are not covered by the Project.

c.  Policy, Management, and Classification Authority:

  1. The NIST Personnel Management Board (PMB) exercises overall authority, as set out in the Project Plan and in the PMB Charter, for setting policy, managing the system, delegating authority, monitoring and adjusting classification practices, and reviewing and deciding broad classification issues.
  2. The PMB delegated classification authority to Operating Unit (OU) Directors, who may delegate authority within their OU's.

d.  Accountability:  Individuals delegated classification authority are accountable for:

  1. Complying with NIST classification policies and guidelines.
  2. Classifying positions in accordance with substantial differences in their duties and responsibilities and in the knowledges, skills, and abilities required, as established in the NIST classification standards.
  3. Supervisors are responsible for maintaining up-to-date position descriptions (PD's) and classifications based on current duties and responsibilities.

e.  Objectives:  The objectives of the classification system are to:

  1. Provide an accurate, efficient, and understandable process for categorizing or classifying positions by career path, occupational series, and pay band.
  2. Provide an orderly grouping of positions in support of Institute organizational planning and in support of human resources management, including recruiting, examining, placement, compensation, promotion, reassignment, training, and reduction-in-force.
  3. Increase management flexibility, authority, and accountability in human resources management.

f.  Distinction Between Classification and Pay:

  1. The classification system is not intended to solve pay problems affecting recruiting and retention.
  2. The classification of a position must be based on NIST classification standards.

2.  NIST Career Paths and Pay Bands

3.  Automated Classification System

a.  Automated Menu-driven Classification System:  The automated classification system consists of three subsystems:

  1. User System--the program used by supervisors in the operating units to classify positions while creating position descriptions.
  2. Validation System--the program used by the Human Resources Management Division (HRMD) to certify that all parts of a classification action have been completed, that the action is signed by an authorized official, and that the action is ready for entry into the National Finance Center Personnel and Payroll System.
  3. Storage and Reporting System--the program that manages the central storage of position descriptions in the HRMD.

b.  User System:

  1. Supervisors are the authorized users of the system.
  2. Supervisors classify positions as they create position descriptions through the menu-driven User System and get approval for the classifications in accordance with OU delegations of authority.  The position description created through the User System contains the classification of the position.
  3. In addition to creating new position descriptions, the User System stores PD's and allows the user to create a new PD based on one in the database; to revise, review, print, copy, or delete PD's; or to review and report on the PD's in the database in their entirety or by one or a combination of career path, series, band, organization, action number, incumbent name, or specialty.
  4. The User System prompts for classification and position description data in the following sequence of screens:
    • Principal Objective
    • Career Path Series Pay Band
    • Career Path (Descriptor Review Screen)
    • Series (Series Definitions Review Screen)
    • Pay Band (Standards Review Screen)
    • Official Position Title (multiple-title series only)
    • Function (ZP Career Path only)
    • Specialties
    • Position-Specific Key Phrases
    • Supervision Exercised
    • Employee Name
    • Name of Organization
    • Motor Vehicle Operation (Y/N)
    • Physical Requirements (Y/N)
    • Position Sensitivity
    • Financial Disclosure (Y/N)

4.  Making Classification Decisions

a.  Purpose of Classification:

  1. Classification categorizes or classifies a position by career path, occupational series, and pay band.
  2. Classification also provides an orderly grouping of positions in support of Institute organizational planning and in support of human resources management, including recruiting, examining, placement, compensation, promotion, reassignment, training, and reduction-in-force.

b.  Classification Principles:  The NIST classification system was designed in accordance with the following principles:

  1. Positions must be classified by pay plan, occupation, and pay band for merit treatment and organizational efficiency.
  2. The classification system must support the mission of the organization.
  3. Position classification must be carried out in a way that is rational, understandable, and acceptable to managers, employees, and the public.
  4. The whole job or narrative approach to classification is the most rational and productive way of viewing jobs for human resource administration and management.
  5. The criteria of (1) duties and responsibilities, and (2) knowledge, skills, and abilities are the most broadly accepted classification criteria.
  6. Performance is a broadly accepted compensation criterion and must be supported by the classification system.

c.  Supervisory Responsibility:

  1. Supervisors are the users of the system.  Whether or not they are delegated classification authority, supervisors are responsible for creating up-to-date position descriptions and classifications based on current duties and responsibilities.
  2. Supervisors create position descriptions through the menu-driven User System.  A position is the work performed by a single employee.
  3. Supervisors classify positions as they create position descriptions through the menu-driven User System and get approval for them in accordance with OU delegations of authority.  The position description created through the User System contains the classification of the position.
  4. The supervisor who creates the PD must sign the Position Description Cover Sheet (CD-516) in the block labeled SUPERVISOR'S CERTIFICATION.  This signature certifies that the PD is an accurate statement of the major duties and responsibilities of the position and its organizational relationships and that the position is necessary to carry out Government functions.
  5. The supervisor who has delegated classification authority, often a higher-level manager than the supervisor who created the PD, must sign in the block labeled CLASSIFICATION CERTIFICATION.  This signature certifies that the position has been classified consistently with the most applicable published standards.

d.  Classification Logic:

  1. Classification logic begins with the principal objective.  The purpose of the principal objective statement is to establish the essential and specific nature of the position.  It also serves as an anchor to prepare the user for selections from the generic classification criteria.   The principal objective, along with the broader nature of the position the user considers in formulating the principal objective, is the foundation for classifying the position by career path, occupation, and pay band.
  2. The classification logic should flow from the principal objective into the definitions and narrative standards for career paths, occupations, and pay bands.  The nature of work implied by the principal objective should lead the user to the appropriate occupational series definition.  The major responsibility expressed by the principal objective and the paramount qualification requirement inherent in that responsibility should lead the user to the commensurate pay band criteria expressed in the two classification factors of duties and responsibilities and knowledges, skills, and abilities.

Career Path Determination:

  1. The principal objective of the position should suggest the appropriate career path.  Note that the four career path definitions below are based on the criteria of whether the position is technical or administrative and, within each of these, whether the position is professional or nonprofessional.  Thus technical- professional is Scientific and Engineering (ZP); technical-nonprofessional is Scientific and Engineering Technician (ZT); administrative-professional is Administrative (ZA); and administrative-nonprofessional is Support (ZS).
  2. The full definitions of the four career paths are:
    • Scientific and Engineering (ZP):  professional technical positions in the physical, engineering, biological, mathematical, computer, and social sciences; and student positions for training in these disciplines.
    • Scientific and Engineering Technician (ZT):  nonprofessional technical positions that support scientific and engineering activities through the application of various skills and techniques in the electrical, mechanical, physical science, biology, mathematics, and computer fields; and student positions for training in these skills.
    • Administrative (ZA):  professional specialist positions in such administrative and managerial fields as finance, procurement, personnel, librarianship, public information, and program management and analysis; and student positions for training in these fields.
    • Support (ZS):  positions that provide administrative support through the application of typing, clerical, secretarial, assistant, and similar knowledges and skills; positions that provide specialized facilities support, such as guard and firefighter; and student positions for training in these skills.
  3. Career Paths have the following advantages:
    • Similar treatment for similar occupations;
    • Staffing, classification, pay, and development by career category;
    • Broader and simpler classification standards;
    • Broader and fewer qualification standards;
    • Fewer resources required for development and application;
    • Focus is on lines of work important to the agency;
    • More coherent career planning and development.

f.  Occupational Series Determination:

  1. Each occupational series is assigned a numerical code, such as 830 Mechanical Engineer.  The series are arranged in occupational groups, such as the 800-Engineering and Architecture Group and the 500-Accounting and Budget Group.  The series code indicates the group to which it belongs.  For example, 1310-Physicist and 1320-Chemist are both in the 1300-Physical Sciences Group.
  2. By leaving the series entry blank, the user calls up a help screen that provides definitions for each occupational series.  Another clue to proper selection of series is whether good applicants meet the basic qualification requirements for the series selected.
  3. The OPM series definitions were adopted for the NIST system, with some modifications for brevity and clarity and to emphasize the two-factor NIST classification criteria of (1) duties and responsibilities and (2) knowledges, skills, and abilities.

g.  Mixed-Series Positions:

  1. When two or more series appear appropriate for a position, the user would usually select the series with the highest pay-band classification.  Occasionally, however, this is not the best series for the position.  Other clues to proper series selection for these mixed-series positions are principal objective, qualification requirements, sources of recruitment, and lines of promotion.
  2. The Human Resources Specialist should be consulted on difficult mixed-series issues.

h.  Interdisciplinary Positions:

  1. Some vacant mixed-series positions may be treated as interdisciplinary, allowing the vacancy to be advertised in each of two or more appropriate series, with the final classification established in accordance with the qualifications of the individual selected.
  2. This is both a classification and a staffing issue.  The Human Resources Specialist should be consulted.

i.  Pay Band Determination:

  1. The experienced user may know the appropriate pay band for a typical position and may enter the designator directly when prompted.  When uncertain about the proper pay band for a position, the user may refer to the narrative pay band standards for comparison and selection.
  2. The user determines the appropriate pay band by reviewing the definition or standard of each pay band and selecting the band most appropriate for the position, consistent with the principal objective.  As a check on the selection, the user should bracket the appropriate pay band by reviewing the next lower band to make sure it is too low for the position and reviewing the next higher band to make sure it is too high.  As a final check, after completing the PD, the user should review all parts of the PD to make sure they are consistent with the selected pay band.
  3. Pay banding has the following advantages:
    • Fewer, broader, and simpler classification standards;
    • More understandable and more precise classification;
    • Shorter position descriptions; easier to update;
    • Fewer classification decisions;
    • Less documentation and paperwork;
    • Easier to automate; faster;
    • Does not require trained specialists; facilitates delegation to line managers;
    • Complements performance pay;
    • More flexible entry pay;
    • Facilitates employee mobility; and
    • Better link with career stages.

j.  Career Path and Pay Band Standards:

  1. Each pay band of each career path has a standard which consists of a narrative description of the pay band in two factors:  (a) Duties and Responsibilities, and (b) Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities.
  2. At each successively higher band, the Duties and Responsibilities factor describes a higher level of work performed under a greater freedom from supervision.  For example, in the ZP standard, supervision changes as follows:
    • Band I… close and detailed technical supervision
    • Band II… periodic technical supervision on all phases of assignments
    • Band III… general direction and guidance on project objectives, limits, workplans, and conclusions
    • Band IV… general guidance on policy, resources, and planning
    • Band V… general policy guidance
  3. Simultaneously, at each successively higher band, the Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) factor describes a higher level of KSA's that an incumbent must have to successfully perform the level of work described in the Duties and Responsibilities factor.   Each higher band, therefore, requires a higher level of education, or more extensive experience in the occupation, or a combination of the two.
  4. The two factors of a pay band standard work together to define the band; they cannot be separated.
  5. Pay band standards are inclusive:  each pay band standard builds on and subsumes the criteria of the lower pay band standards in the same career path.
  6. When a series of elements in a pay band standard are connected by the word and, all elements are intended to apply to the model position being described.  When the elements are connected by or, each element is intended to refer to a different type of position.
  7. The classification standard for a career path consists of the individual pay band standards for that career path.
  8. The classification factor of Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities has a different purpose from the OPM Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, which still apply.  The classification factor describes a level of accomplishment in concise terms as a means of distinguishing that level from lower and higher levels, while the qualification standard lists a broader range of qualification requirements and provides a means for examining the backgrounds of applicants to determine whether they have the potential to perform the work successfully.

k.  The Normal Career Pattern:  Each occupational standard describes the normal or typical career pattern found in that career path:

  1. The career pattern described by the Scientific and Engineering Professional Standard:  professional researchers who begin their careers as subprofessional student trainees (Band I), move through a developmental stage that builds on professional knowledge gained through undergraduate work (Band II), proceed to independent research work or to full-member status on a research team (Band III), acquire program responsibility (Band IV), and achieve broad peer recognition as an authority in the field (Band V); New PhD graduates enter this career pattern at Band III.  This career progression may be combined with, but does not require, an increasing supervisory and managerial responsibility.
  2. The career pattern described by the Scientific and Engineering Technician Standard:  scientific and engineering support staff who begin their careers as trainees (Band I), then move through a developmental stage (Band II) that prepares them for full-performance Technician work (Band III).  Some technicians move to a senior technician level (Band IV) because of their ability to acquire professional level knowledges and become creative members of research teams.  In rare situations, a technician may supervise a group of technicians (Band V).
  3. The career pattern described by the Administrative Standard: administrative specialists who begin their careers as students or basic trainees (Band I), then proceed through a developmental stage (Band II) that eventually prepares them for independent full-performance work in all facets of an area of administration or program management (Band III).  Some of the full performance specialists then advance to positions as Institute authorities in key areas of administration or to supervisory positions over other specialists (Band IV).  Finally, some become chiefs of major divisions or offices, heads of administration for large technical OU's, or key program leaders under the direction of the NIST Director or Deputy Director (Band V).
  4. The Support Career Path has no single career pattern.  Each of the Support standards has its own pattern.

l.  Selecting an Official Position Title:

  1. The official position titles in the User System database are linked to the occupational series.  For series that have only one official title, such as the ZP-1310 series with the single title of Physicist, the User System automatically selects the title.  For series that have more than one official position title, the user is prompted to make a selection from a title menu.
  2. Position title definitions appear with the titles.  As the user moves the highlighter bar from title to title, the definition of the title changes to correspond to the highlighted title.
  3. In the Technician and Support Career Paths, only those position titles appropriate to the occupational series and pay band appear.
  4. Supervisory titles:  The prefix Supervisory automatically appears as part of the official title where appropriate, when the user indicates, at the supervisory prompt, that the position has full supervisory responsibilities over three or more positions, 25 percent or more of the time.
  5. Research title:  The Research prefix is an option on many of the title screens in the ZP Career Path.  This prefix is sometimes appropriate for position titles in scientific and engineering occupations to distinguish research positions from nonresearch positions.  Other scientific and engineering occupations, such as 403-Microbiologist and 1310-Physicist, are considered exclusively research in nature and therefore do not require the Research prefix.
  6. Assistant title:  Two occupations in the Administrative Career Path have Assistant options:  (a) The 341 series has the optional titles of Administrative Officer and Administrative Assistant, and (b) The 1654 series has the optional titles of Printing Specialist and Printing Assistant.  The Assistant title is for trainee and developmental positions.  Assistant should always be used for Band I; the regular title should always be used for Band III and above.  For positions in Band II, the title should be selected according to the nature of the position.
  7. Officer title:  An Officer title is a menu option in some Administrative Career Path occupations, along with one or more specialist titles.  The Officer title may be used only for the top managerial position in the occupation at the Institute.  341-Administrative Officer is an exception:  Administrative Officer is the title for all positions in the series above the trainee and developmental levels.

m.  Selecting an Organizational Position Title:  An organizational position title, or Working Title, may be added by the user as a second position title for organizational and administrative convenience or as a more meaningful title for the public.  This title is not reflected on the official position description.  Examples of organizaitonal position titles are:  Group Leader, Division Chief, etc.

n.  Functional Code Determination:

  1. The user must select a single Functional Code for each position established in the ZP Career Path with the exception of positions in the Information Technology Specialist (ZP-2210) series and ZP Student Positions.  The function selected should be the one in which the employee is primarily engaged – the one which occupies the largest proportion of the employee's time or which best reflects a combination of functions in terms of the paramount requirements of the job.  The choices are:
    • 11 Research
    • 12 Research Contract and Grant Administration
    • 13 Development
    • 14 Test and Evaluation
    • 21 Design
    • 22 Construction
    • 24 Installation, Operations, and Maintenance
    • 31 Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis
    • 32 Scientific and Technical Information
    • 41 Standards and Specifications
    • 91 Planning
    • 92 Management
    • 94 Technical Assistance and Consulting
    • 99 Other - Not Elsewhere Classifiable
  2. The user may view descriptions of any of these functions before making a selection.

o.  Specialty Descriptor Determination:

  1. Each occupational series may be further divided into specialties.  Although the specialties are generally written at the full-performance level, they may be used for positions above or below the full-performance level.
  2. The User System lists the most common specialties associated with the occupational series selected by the user.  The user may select up to three specialties for a position.
  3. The user may select specialties in three ways:
    • from the list that appears with the occupation;
    • from the general specialty database, by entering a key word or part of a word that the system uses to search through specialty titles in the database; and
    • from a family of series, which allows the user to look at all the specialties within a broad occupational category of a career path; for example, in the Scientific and Engineering Career Path (ZP) the system lists the following suboptions:
      • 0100 Social Sciences
      • 0334 Computer Specialist
      • 0400 Biology
      • 0800 Engineering/Architecture
      • 1100 Business/Industry
      • 1300 Physical Science
      • 1500 Mathematics/Statistics
      • 1550 Computer Science
      • 2210 Information Technology

    Typing 800 would then list the codes and titles of all the specialties in Engineering and Architecture.

  4. Users may prepare and recommend new specialties through their OU's to the Human Resources Management Division as needed.  A specialty descriptor should be written in two sentences, the first sentence to reflect the Duties and Responsibilities factor and the second sentence to reflect the Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities factor.

p.  Entering Position-Specific Key Phrases:

  1. The user has five lines to enter specific information about the position not already addressed by the principal objective or the specialty descriptors.
  2. The recommended approach is to express these phrases in terms of one or both of the two classification factors:  (1) the duties and responsibilities of the position, and (2) the knowledges, skills, or abilities required of the incumbent.
  3. The phrases entered should be in accordance with the classification of the position and fit the classification logic described above.  After entering the position specific key phrases, the user should compare them with the principal objective, occupational descriptor, and pay band descriptors entered earlier as a final check for proper classification.

q.  Designating Supervisory Responsibility:

  1. The User System asks the user how many employees does the incumbent of this position supervise?  (None, 1, or 2, 3 or more.).
  2. If the user selects 3 or more, the User System asks the user will employee spend at least 25% of time carrying out four or more of the folowing supervisory funcitons?  (Y/N)
    • plan and assign work of unit, set priorities, and adjust schudules
    • evaluates performance & develop performance standards of subordinates
    • advise, counsel, or instruct subordinates
    • interview, recommend for promotion, appointment, or reassignment
    • hear, resolve, or refer to higher authority complaints & grievances
    • effect minor disciplinary actions or recommend more serious actions
    • identify, provide or arrange for staff's training & developmental needs
  3. Selecting 1 or 2 prints Performs full range of supervision over one or two employees in performance appraisal, leave administration, and EEO under Incumbent's Supervisory Responsibilities of the PD.
  4. Selecting 3 or more and less than 25% of the time:
    • prints Employee performs full range of supervision over three or more employees in performance appraisal, leave administration, and EEO less than 25% of the time under Incumbent's Supervisory Responsibilities of the PD; and
    • alerts the HRMD to determine whether the incumbent should be placed in a supervisory pay band.
  5. Selecting 3 or more and 25% or more of the time:
    • prints Supervisory as the first word of the official position title, unless the basic title is already supervisory in nature, such as an Officer title;
    • prints Employee performs full range of supervision over three or more employees at least 25% of the time under Incumbent's Supervisory Responsibilities of the PD; and
    • alerts the HRMD to determine whether the incumbent should be placed in a supervisory pay band.
  6. Full Supervisory Authority includes assigning work to subordinates and formally evaluating the performance of the work; planning and revising work schedules; training and instructing subordinates; interviewing applicants; recommending appointments, promotions, reassignments, training, and awards; coordinating work with representatives of other units; planning resource needs; and reporting to higher level supervisors and managers on workload and accomplishments.
  7. This definition is intended to generally continue past practice in the degree of supervision required for assigning the Supervisory title.

5.  Processing Classification Actions

a.  Action Package:  The supervisor must send the following items with a classification action:

  1. Form SF-52 (Request for Personnel Action), completed and signed;
  2. Form CD-516 (PD Cover Sheet), completed and signed; and
  3. The Position Description (PD).

b.  Routing:  After the official with classification authority has signed as classifier, the unit should route the action package to the servicing Human Resource Specialist in accordance with OU procedures.

c.  Human Resources Management Division (HRMD):  The HRMD checks the package for completeness, assigns an effective date, enters the action into the NFC automated personnel/payroll system, and enters the PD into the Storage and Reporting System.

d.  Reorganizations and Realignments:  To accommodate reorganizations and realignments, the HRMD will make global changes to Division and Group numbers and names in the official PDs in the NIST database by downloading new division and group information from the NFC database into the PDs to match current NFC data.

6.  Classification Appeals

a.  Eligibility:  An employee may appeal the career path, occupational series, or pay band of his or her position at any time.

b.  Action Level: 

  1. The first level for a formal classification appeal is the official having classification authority for the position.  The second level is the OU Director.
  2. If an APMS employee is dissatisfied with the decision of the OU Director, a further appeal can be made to the PMB Chair.  The decision of the PMB Chair is final.

c.  Evaluation:  The evaluation of a classification appeal is based on the NIST Alternative Personnel Management System classification standards.

7.  Revising the NIST Classification Standards

a.  Authority:  The Personnel Management Board (PMB) has authority for major revisions to the NIST Position Classification Standards.

b.  New Occupational Series:

  1. Only those Office of Personnel Management (OPM) occupational series being used at NIST are in the database. Other OPM series are still available, however, if needed.
  2. When a user cannot find an appropriate occupational series in the database for an unusual position, the user should contact the unit's Human Resources Specialist for assistance.  The Human Resources Specialist will discuss the position with the user and examine other OPM occupational series for a possible fit.
  3. When the user and the Human Resources Specialist settle on an occupational series not in the database, but one that exists at OPM, the HRMD will write a description for the series and enter it in the database.

c.  New Position Titles:

  1. The automated system uses a more concise and straightforward approach to official position titles than the former system.
  2. When a user believes there is no appropriate position title provided by the database for the selected occupational series, the user should consider whether an available position title, supplemented by an organizational or working title constructed by the user, suffices.  If the two titles together are still not adequate, the user should contact the unit's Human Resource Specialist for assistance.

d.  New Specialty Descriptors:

  1. The user may select up to three specialties for a position description.
  2. The automated system first offers the user a list of specialties most commonly found within the occupation selected by the user.  The user may also select from other specialties in the database.
  3. A user who wants to add a specialty descriptor to a position description, but cannot find an appropriate specialty in the database, should contact the unit's Human Resource Specialist for assistance.  The Human Resources Specialist will help the user write a specialty descriptor for the position.
  4. The HRMD approves new specialty descriptors and adds them to the database.
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