Human Resources Specialist (Classification) Job

Vacancy No. OHC-12698036-MP-SAC Department Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Salary $66,436.00 to $134,317.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/20/2025 Close Date 2/26/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Santa Ana, CAWashington, DCIrving, TX


Summary

View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement.

Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Human Capital, Human Resources Operations Center (HROC), Classification Unit, in Irving, Texas, Santa Ana, California, and Washington, District of Columbia.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees in the competitive service who hold or previously held a non-temporary career or career-conditional appointment; Persons eligible for reinstatement, for non-competitive appointment, under an Interchange Agreement, Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA), or under the Veterans' Recruitment Authority (VRA).

Duties

This announcement closes on 02/26/2025 for receipt of applications. Due to high volume of applicants, the first 25 applicants will receive first consideration. Additional applicants, beyond the first 25, may be considered, upon management's request.

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.

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Human Capital (OHC), Human Resources Operations Center (HROC), Classification Branch. The incumbent serves as a journey level Human Resources Specialist (Classification) providing management advisory services in the areas of position classification and position management to ICE managers, employees, and mission support staff. The position requires a comprehensive knowledge of HR laws, regulations, policies and precedents. Organizational assignments encompass problems of more than average difficulty, combined with full responsibility for management advisory service functions. As a Human Resource Specialist in Classification, at the full performance level, you will perform the following duties:

  • Evaluate position management for assigned organizations and provide assistance to supervisors and managers on ways to improve structure, work distribution, and solve problems dealing with attrition, or job dilution;
  • Analyze and. classify individual positions descriptions; gather and study data on the job content, knowledges and skills involved; determine the responsibilities and extent of authority of the position in relation to other positions;
  • Determine the correct classification by comparison to existing standards related to the work and prepares necessary evaluation statements;
  • Prepare law enforcement (LEO) retirement position coverage request packages for newly classified law enforcement position descriptions;
  • Conduct on-site or telephonic position audits/reviews, prepare written evaluation statements documenting classification decisions and coordinate any resulting individual personnel actions;
  • Act on a variety of classification programs including Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO), Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP), draft classification standards, competitive level descriptions, position sensitivity level reviews and various agency initiatives;
  • Conduct studies to develop responses to management on new requirements in ICE program operations, legislations, or agency regulations.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • You must successfully pass a drug screen.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
  • Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Time in Grade: Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the Federal service. Time in grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

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.

GS-09: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess one of the following:

Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service performing duties such as:
  • Assisting with operational support activities related to position classification such as conducting management studies, consistency reviews, and special surveys;
  • Classifying a variety of positions in common or well-defined occupations;
  • Analyzing duties, verifies accuracy of duty assignments, and finalizing job descriptions using position outlines and other information provided by managers;
  • Reviewing existing position descriptions to determine impact of new standards, appealing decisions and other directives, and updating position descriptions and evaluation statements to reflect changes. 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 to the position, from an accredited college or university. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet the qualification requirements for the GS-09 grade level. 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-9 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.

GS-11: You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess one of the following:

Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service performing duties such as:
  • Conducting position management and classification studies and surveys following established procedures to schedule, report, and present recommendations.
  • Providing advice to staff and serviced employees, supervisors and managers on principles and procedures of classification and position management during the survey/study process.
  • Applying classification standards and supplemental guidance to determine title, series, and grade;
  • Classifying a variety of positions in different occupations. OR
Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M., 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-11 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 second year may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11 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.

GS-12: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service performing duties such as:
  • Planning and performing studies to identify long and short-range personnel needs;
  • Advising on organization and position structures and solving problems affecting several functional areas of human resource management;
  • Conducting on-site or telephonic audits, preparing written evaluation statements documenting classification decisions and coordinating any resulting individual personnel actions;
  • Applying comprehensive knowledge of classification and position management concepts thorough understanding of assigned organizations to identifying and analyzing problems, investigating and determining possible solutions, and developing recommendations from a comprehensive management standpoint;
  • Preparing law enforcement (LEO) retirement position coverage request packages for newly classified law enforcement position descriptions.

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.






Additional information

Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

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 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.

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.

A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

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.

Benefits

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.

Review our 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 minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an Assessment Questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

  • 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 assessment 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 the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Interviews may be required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets).

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 84 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

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.

Required Documents

  1. Resume showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications (for more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Resume Limit).
  2. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.
  3. Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases, and accessions.
  4. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
  5. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
  6. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Plan (ICTAP)? If so, submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
  7. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
  8. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

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 02/26/2025.

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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/26/2025.

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. The application process is as follows:

1. 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.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements.
6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account .

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by return to your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here:https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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.

Agency contact information

Sandra Crellin
Address
OHC/HROC DALLAS
8222 N Belt Line Rd
Irving, TX 75063
US

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

Once you submit your application and complete all assessments, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. 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 job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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