Clarification from the agency

These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority for the occupation and is open to all U.S. citizens.

This announcement closes at 11:59 p.m. (EST) on 04/24/2026 for receipt of applications. Due to high volume of applicants, the first 150 applicants will receive first consideration. Additional applicants, beyond the first 150, 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.

As a Human Resources Specialist in recruitment and placement, you will service as an expert trouble-shooter for resolving very difficult problems for both operational and program issues as a part of the staffing branch's quality review team. You will provide authoritative senior level advice in recruitment and placement guidance utilizing human resources laws, regulations, and policies. Specifically, you will:

• Serve as a recognized staff-level authority in the Human Resources Operation Center {HROC) for all staffing related matters;
• Apply expert knowledge to perform work involving program development, program evaluation, and providing solutions to especially complex and difficult problems in recruitment and placement;
• Serve as the team lead for personnel management evaluations, evaluating agency human resources programs for compliance with laws, rules, and regulations;
• Evaluate and analyze the HROC staffing program function for compliance and to contribute to the design, standardization and streamlining of initiatives to reengineer or improve staffing processes;
• Determine areas of procedural and regulatory deficiencies and provides recommendations to correct or improve the HROC personnel management program, system, practices, or issues;
• Collaborate with the HROC Director, HROC Staffing Unit Chiefs, HROC Supervisors and OHC Headquarters personnel on development of implementation plans for compliance with Federal hiring practices.

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.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the 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.
• Delegated Examining certification may be required based on agency need.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.

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.

You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent performing these duties:

• Providing technical advice and assistance in recruitment and placement activities, which includes reviewing position descriptions, conducting job analysis, developing vacancy announcements, performing applicant reviews to determine basic qualifications and eligibilities, adjudicating veterans' preference, preparing selection certificates, setting pay for various positions, validating selections prior to extending job offers, and processing personnel actions for a wide variety of external or internal recruitment actions;
• Explaining recruitment and placement regulations, procedures, and determinations to inquiring employees, candidates, and supervisors;
• Providing technical recruitment and placement advisory services to hiring managers and supervisors on use of various hiring strategies to attract and place highly qualified candidates, e.g. Delegating Examining, Merit Promotion, Temporary Promotions, Reassignment, Pathways Intern Programs, Veteran's Employment Programs, and other Special Hiring Authorities to include Non-Competitive Hiring Authorities; AND
• Conducting formal and informal training to internal human resources staff, hiring managers and customers on recruitment and placement processes, procedures, and requirements.

Delegated Examining (DE) certification may be required based on agency need.

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.

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 POC listed below.

How you will be evaluated

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

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, and 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.

If you are qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

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.

1. Resume Note: For what to include in the resume, click the link.
   • 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 on your resume, 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.
2. Are you a surplus or displaced employee claiming special priority selection rights under CTAP, RPL, ICTAP? You must submit a copy of your agency Reduction in Force (RIF) notice or Certification of Expected Separation; a copy of your RIF separation SF-50 or your most recent SF-50 noting your current position, grade level, and duty location; and a copy of your most recent performance rating. For RPL candidates eligible based on compensable injury, you must also submit documentation showing injury compensation benefits cease or the Department of Labor denies an appeal for continuation of injury compensation benefits.
3. 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.

Next steps