INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING
BILLET DESCRIPTION
PHS-4392
Item 1. Self-explanatory.
Item 2. If non-standard billet, provide civil service equivalency statement.
Items 2B, 2C, 3, and 4. Please leave these items BLANK.
Item 5. Please enter the title by which the position (incumbent) is generally known around the installation.
Item 6. Describe the setting in which the incumbent works. For instance, if the officer is the medical officer in charge of a
hospital, is its capacity 50 beds or 500 beds? Is it a General Medical and Surgical hospital or a specialty hospital? Is
the incumbent an engineer in a small water pollution control project, or a staff engineer in a headquarters branch? What
is the primary function of the branch or section incumbent works in? Is it a nationwide, regional, or local function?
Item 7.
Describe the major duties that are performed in order of importance. For your assistance, it can be said that most
positions involve no more than five major duties, and that each major duty can be described with one or two sentences.
The supervision that the incumbent gives to other persons, if it is a major duty, should be described in this item. Include
number supervised and kind of supervision given (e.g., directly to subordinates, through subordinate supervisors,
constant observation of work, cursory review of completed work, etc.). Also include the nature and purpose of work
relationships (e.g., with persons in own unit to exchange information, with officials outside the Federal Government to
interpret and seek support for plans and policies).
Item 8. First state by whom (billet, not name) the officer is supervised. Then tell how the officer is directed. Be sure to include
such items as degree and type of direction from the onset, through to completion of work (e.g., is direction received
from direct personal contact, from established policy, precedents, guides, methods, etc.?). For instance, if the officer is
an engineer are his/her computations checked for accuracy, are his/her professional engineering judgments reviewed,
or is the officer’s work only reviewed for compliance with policy? There must be situations that lie between these
examples. Do not use such terms as "under immediate supervision," "under general supervision," etc.
Item 9. To be completed by the officer’s supervisor. Please include both education and years of experience required. Be sure
to list minimum qualifications (which will not necessarily coincide with present incumbent’s qualifications). Advanced
degrees, board certification, etc., should be listed only if an essential requirement of the position.
Items 10, 11, and 12. Self-explanatory.
Item 13. Self-explanatory.
Item 14. List your profession or specialization (i.e., medical record librarian, psychologist, entomologist). Your category (Item 11)
may be Environment Health but your profession may be Chemist.
Item 15. Self-explanatory.
Item 16. The officer’s supervisor will complete this item. Both incumbent and supervisor should agree with the contents of the
billet before it is certified.
PHS-4392 (Rev. 04/06)
