Summary View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement.
Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Human Capital, Human Resources Operations Center, in Irving, Texas; Washington, District of Columbia.
These are non-bargaining unit position.
Duties This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Human Capital (OHC), Processing Unit. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Human Resources (HR) Specialist, providing the full range of personnel action processing services. The position provides guidance and assistance to employees and managers within DHS with personnel actions and processes and HR regulations and procedures.
The incumbent must be a customer service professional who can work in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. Things happen quickly and continuously in this position, and the incumbent will find the need to move from one task to another without much time in between or juggling multiple duties at the same time.
As a Human Resources Specialist (Processing), at the full performance level, you will perform the following duties:
- Performing quality control, review, and certification of various personnel processing actions.
- Facilitating clear and effective communication and coordination across all management levels involved in Human Resource actions.
- Providing guidance and training to Human Resources Assistants on processing tasks.
- Reviewing customer inquiries and issue appropriate guidance.
- Analyzing processing issues and providing appropriate solutions.
To meet agency needs, this position will be filled under a time-limited appointment, of more than one year but not-to-exceed (NTE) 3 Years based on management approval which will be determined by their review of workload requirements and available funding. This is not a permanent appointment and does not allow for conversion to a permanent competitive service.
Note: One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries for this position. The actual salary range will be based on the applicable locality pay for the selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
Qualifications
Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess either experience, education, or a combination of education and experience as described below:
One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent performing 2 out of 3 of these duties:
- Maintaining administrative and employee records and files following established policies and procedures.
- Assisting senior specialists and managers with processing a variety of personnel actions.
- Researching, interpreting, and adapting human resources regulations and polices.
OR
Education: A master's degree or equivalent graduate degree; or two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D. if related. Graduate education must be from an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience maybe used to meet the total qualification requirements for the GS-09 position. Combinations are computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. Only graduate education beyond the first year may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-09 for the combination. Graduate education must be from an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess either experience, education, or a combination of education and experience as described below:
Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent performing 2 out of 3 of these duties:
- Analyzing and reconciling discrepancies or inconsistencies ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and procedures.
- Advising on and/or resolving moderately complex, non-controversial, well precedented, factual, procedural, and/or recurring issues for which there are one or more readily apparent solutions.
- Resolving a moderate range of problems or situations requiring the use of established analytical techniques to isolate and evaluate appropriate precedents to examine and analyze documentation, reconcile discrepancies and develop supportable conclusions based on standard research.
OR
Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree (LL.M., if related).
OR
Combination of Experience and Education: A combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for the GS-11 grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the first two years of study may be used to qualify applicants for the position at the grade GS-11. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess at least One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent performing 2 out of 3 of these duties:
- Conducting detailed research to gather and interpret processing information and data for assessing complex problems, issues, and unusual circumstances.
- Using human resources principles, concepts, laws, regulations, techniques, and guidelines to support an organization's processing program.
- Assessing situations that are complicated by ambiguous, disputed, conflicting, and/or incomplete data, requiring significant reconstruction to isolate issues and/or problems.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. How you will be evaluated You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Accountability
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Decision Making
- Flexibility
- Influencing/Negotiating
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements.
Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating and Veterans Preference will not apply to this vacancy. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.
Veterans: Although the Direct Hire Authority permits hiring without regard to Veterans Preference, applicants who are eligible for Veterans Preference are still encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). Staffing Policy View information on veterans' preference.
Federal Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP/RPL/ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not eligible for consideration as a CTAP, RPL, ICTAP candidate. Visit the OPM website for information on eligibility and how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP candidate. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements, specialized experience, all selective factors, and be placed in the well qualified category for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.
Benefits
Benefits: DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Servicing Human Resources Office POC listed at the bottom of this announcement.How to apply To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13102320, and assessment, and submit all the required documentation as specified in the HOW TO APPLY and the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/20/2026.
The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.
To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. We encourage you to apply online.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 11/20/2026.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.
One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result. Other information This announcement is to create an inventory of qualified applicants. The first 100 applicants will receive first consideration. Additional applicants, beyond the first 100, may be considered, upon management 's request. Due to high volume of applicants, not all applicants will be considered.
This position is at the full performance level.
E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for High Risk/Public Trust as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)
A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.
