Early Career Recruitment Specialist Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. JDP-13084901-26-DJ Department Department of Homeland Security Headquarters
Salary $89,508.00 to $145,468.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/6/2026 Close Date 4/5/2027
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Early Career Recruitment Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security Headquarters

Summary

6-month non-reimbursable assignment. The only compensation for this assignment is the federal salary you are already receiving.
DHS Office of Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO)
Early Career Recruitment Specialist
Series Requested: 0201
Security Clearance: None
Virtual/Remote: You may perform this assignment from your current federal employing office anywhere in the country. This assignment does not confer any new telework benefits.
Only current, full-time federal employees are eligible.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This detail opportunity is for current competitive and excepted service employees only. If you are not a current federal civilian employee you will not be eligible for this position. DHS Joint Duty Assignments do not apply to members of the Military service or contractors.

Duties

DHS is advancing a Department-wide effort to build reliable early career talent pipelines that expand access to employment opportunities for students, recent graduates, Job Corps participants, and other emerging talent. This requires sustained coordination across DHS Components and with partners such as the Department of Labor's Job Corps, colleges and universities, career and technical education programs, workforce-development organizations, and other external stakeholders.

The Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer's (OCHCO) Merit-Based Engagement, Recruitment, Integration and Talent (MERIT) Team seeks a skilled detailee to support the development and implementation of a sustainable early career recruitment and outreach program. The detailee will provide programmatic, analytical, and operational support to strengthen talent pipelines, improve candidate experience, and help DHS attract early career talent for mission-critical occupations.

This role will help transition DHS early career recruitment from event-based outreach to an integrated, repeatable, and results-oriented program by developing outreach frameworks, standard processes, partnership strategies, candidate support tools, tracking mechanisms, and program assessments informed by workforce needs, data, and stakeholder feedback.

A dedicated detailee is needed to provide the capacity and recruitment expertise required to sustain partner engagement, prepare candidates for DHS opportunities, track participants through the hiring process, and evaluate recruitment outcomes.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. Program Development, Analysis, Reporting, and Executive Support
- Develop and maintain candidate tracking tools, status categories, referral processes, dashboards, and follow-up procedures to monitor candidate progression from initial engagement through application, assessment, selection, onboarding, or final disposition.
- Analyze pipeline activity, candidate progression, mentorship participation, curriculum feedback, and stakeholder input to identify trends, barriers, process gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
- Prepare executive-level products, including briefing papers, executive summaries, decision memoranda, talking points, presentation slides, status reports, dashboards, and recommendations for DHS senior leaders and key stakeholders.
- Synthesize workforce data, program information, implementation risks, resource considerations, outcomes, challenges, and decision points into clear and concise materials for leadership review.
- Coordinate input from DHS Components and program stakeholders, resolve inconsistencies, respond to follow-up questions, and assist in translating leadership decisions into program actions.

2. Early Career Mentorship and Candidate Support
- Assist in designing and implementing a structured DHS mentorship program for Job Corps students interested in homeland security careers.- Develop mentorship program materials, including eligibility criteria, mentor and mentee expectations, matching procedures, orientation resources, engagement schedules, discussion guides, feedback tools, and success measures.
- Support mentor and mentee engagement through career-exploration activities, progress check-ins, referral procedures, and recommendations to improve program effectiveness and scalability.

3. Career Readiness Support
- Act as a liaison for Enterprise Services with Job Corps and other relevant DHS offices to:
a. Assess Job Corps curricula, training materials, and career-readiness activities for alignment with DHS occupational needs, technical competencies, professional skills, and federal employment-readiness requirements.
b. Conduct gap analyses and recommend enhancements to existing curricula or supplemental modules on DHS careers, federal résumé development, USAJOBS navigation, application requirements, interview preparation, workplace expectations, security and suitability considerations, and career advancement.
c. Coordinate with DHS subject-matter experts, recruiters, program offices, and Job Corps representatives to validate curriculum recommendations, support implementation, and establish feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement.

4. Early Career Outreach and Recruitment Program Development
- Support the development and implementation of a department-wide early career outreach and recruitment framework focused on Job Corps students, students, recent graduates, and other emerging talent populations.

5. DHS Recruitment Strategy Action Planning
- Coordinate with DHS National Recruitment Advisor to strategize overall DHS recruitment to include Component and stakeholder engagement, long-term planning, short-term execution, and ways to position DHS as an employer of choice for top talent.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a current permanent Federal employee
  • Must have supervisory approval to apply to the Joint Duty Assignment. DHS 250-2 Application Form under "required documents" section.
  • Must NOT have any pending/outstanding disciplinary actions
  • Must have achieved a minimum of "meet expectations/proficiency" on latest performance appraisal/evaluation
  • Must be currently at the grade level of the detail. *No Temporary Promotion Opportunity*
  • The program does not apply to members of the Military service or contractors.

Qualifications

Qualifications required:

  1. Strong experience in recruitment or talent acquisition, including targeted outreach and development of talent pipelines with Job Corps, colleges and universities, or similar partners.
  2. Knowledge of federal hiring processes and early career programs, with the ability to guide candidates through applications and hiring milestones.
  3. Experience developing sustainable outreach, mentorship, or candidate support processes that can be used across multiple partners.
  4. Skill in using program data and stakeholder feedback to evaluate results and recommend improvements.
Please read the following important information to ensure we have everything we need to consider your application:
It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit appropriate documentation prior to the closing date. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant experience as it relates to this Joint Duty assignment opportunity announcement.

Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Your application will be rated based on your resume.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:
  1. Job Title (Include series and grade of Federal Job)
  2. Duties (Be specific in describing your duties)
  3. Name of Federal agency
  4. Supervisor name, email, and phone number
  5. Start and end dates including month and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)

Education

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution for this position.

Additional information

**DHS does not offer any additional benefits beyond that which the Federal employee is already receiving.

If the position requires a security clearance, employees must have a SECRET or TOP SECRET clearance to placement AND must maintain that level of clearance while performing in the position.

Selected applicants for a JDA are requested to fulfill the items below during the JDA:

  1. Complete the DHS Training Course 15 days prior to the arrival to the JDA.
  2. Complete the DHS Joint Duty Assignment Progress Plan to include:
    • Phase 1: Establish assignment objectives within the first 30 days of the JDA.
    • Phase 2: Complete a self-assessment of the duties performed at the mid-point of the JDA.
    • Phase 3: Complete a final review within the last 30 days of the JDA.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using a job questionnaire based on the competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this Joint Duty Assignment.

If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. After reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination will be made. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Required Documents

1. Resume: Do not include any personally identifiable information (PII) i.e., home address, social security number, or date of birth. Your resume must clearly demonstrate you have experience which meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section.

2. SF-50: Submit a copy of your official SF-50 (no text version) or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document which shows the following information:

  1. Your appointment in the Federal service
  2. Tenure
  3. Grade and Step
  4. Full performance level
If your SF-50(s) does not provide the information needed to make a final determination for qualification, you will be found ineligible for the position.

3. DHS Joint Duty Assignment Application Form signed by your supervisor. Please click on the following link to access the required form DHS Form 250-02.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/05/2027 to receive consideration.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and other supporting documents, and complete the questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

DHS Joint Duty Program
Email
JointDutyProgramOffice@hq.dhs.gov
Address
Department of Homeland Security Headquarters
OCHCO/HRMS/MS #0170
6595 Springfield Center Drive
Springfield, VA 20598-0170
US

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the selecting official for further consideration and a possible interview. We will notify you by email at various stages in the process. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a final JDA offer within 90 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

Telework: Telework eligibility is based on the needs of the office and is subject to change.

Additional information pertaining to your interest and availability for this position may be needed after the closing date of the Joint Duty Assignment vacancy announcement; therefore, a timely response to these requests must be adhered to in order to remain in consideration.

Department of Homeland Security Headquarters

DHS is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters.

The DHS Joint Duty Program (JDP) is an intra- and inter-departmental program which offers civilian personnel professional and developmental opportunities. Joint Duty Assignments (JDAs) enhance operations and mission execution through unity of effort and collaboration.

The DHS JDP is a human capital program initiative which is managed by OCHCO at DHS headquarters. The DHS JDP's purpose is two-fold: to encourage and to facilitate assignments of DHS personnel to other DHS components as well as outside agencies. The purpose of JDAs is to gain multi-component, multi-faceted experience focused on cross-cutting DHS and Federal-wide operations to enhance performance of the individual, the organizations, and the Department. JDAs are for a period not to exceed 1 year and do not qualify for Joint Duty credit.

The DHS JDP covers current Federal employees at the GS-12 through GS-15 grade levels and equivalent. The DHS JDP does not apply to members of the military service or contractors. JDAs do not offer Temporary Promotions.

Agency contact information

DHS Joint Duty Program
Email
JointDutyProgramOffice@hq.dhs.gov
Address
Department of Homeland Security Headquarters
OCHCO/HRMS/MS #0170
6595 Springfield Center Drive
Springfield, VA 20598-0170
US

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https://www.dhs.gov/employee-resources/joint-duty-program


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