ISOU Flight Registered Nurse (O-4 Billet) Non-Supervisory Job

Vacancy No. IHSC-ISOU-FRN-O4-NS-2027 Department Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Salary $1.00 to $150,000.00 Grade 4 to 4
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/12/2026 Close Date 11/12/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Mesa, AZAlexandria, LAEl Paso, TXHarlingen, TX
San Antonio, TX


ISOU Flight Registered Nurse (O-4 Billet) Non-Supervisory

Department of Homeland Security
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC)

Summary

Serves as a non-supervisory Flight Registered Nurse and Medical Aircrew Member supporting ICE removal missions. Provides direct patient care and emergency response during land, air, and sea operations; supports program activities; and may assist IHSC facilities as a senior staff nurse. Requires frequent travel, short-notice deployments, and independent clinical judgment.

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

Duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Incumbent's primary duties are to serve as a flight nurse and a program assistant.
  2. Operate as a Medical Aircrew Member and First Responder during ICE removal missions and provide direct patient care for individuals in ICE custody on land, air or sea, IHSC clinics, or during DHS missions in accordance with agency procedures, nursing guidelines, and/or clinical protocols.
  3. Serve as medical aircrew member on a national level, with responsibilities of performing a variety of unusual and complex professional tasks without the benefit of close guidance in remote and austere conditions. Impact of error may cause serious impairment to program, agency, and division and diplomatic relations.
  4. The incumbent works in small aircrafts, business jets, large airliners, or helicopters, which may be civilian, military and U.S. government local, state, or federal assets. The operations may also include care and transfers on ground vehicles, as well as on sea vessels in inclement weather.
  5. Be in frequent contact with individuals outside the department and high-level personnel (i.e., diplomatic),
  6. Represent U.S government as an ICE health official while overseas and with other federal agencies, military, and law enforcement when necessary.
  7. Must be able to travel 50% of the time or more if needed.
  8. Capable of performing short- or long-term deployment with short notice.
  9. Accept responsibilities and perform duties above the clinical nurse intermediate level in professional nursing.
  10. Serve as 24/7 on call medical consultant to IAO for one week at a time or more if needed.
  11. Assume responsibility for providing care to patients with complex physical, mental, or social needs.
  12. Develop and implement a comprehensive plan for meeting actual and anticipated patient needs.
  13. Assist with management of ISOU specific programs objectives to ensure sustainability and growth. In addition, program assistants serve as a local and national programs subject matter experts, coordinate activities related to policy development, program assistant, research updates, program implementation and evaluation subject to regulations, policies, procedures, and pertinent laws.
  14. Advise local and department level officials regarding policy development, program assistant, review reports, identify and analyze problems, provide formal written analysis or reports and presentations; participate in the design and development, program assistant of procedures to follow-up on reports.
  15. Perform specialized or complex professional tasks without benefit of detailed guidelines, independently establish criteria, formulate approaches and evaluation efforts.
  16. Active participation in conferences, meetings, or presentations involving problems or issues of maximum consequences or importance.
  17. When primary duties as flight nurse and program assistant are met, incumbent may serve as a senior staff nurse (secondary duty) in a facility in support of IHSC as needed.
  18. Performs other program duties and responsibilities as assigned.

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.
  • Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
  • ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
  • Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.
  • Applicants without a USPHS commission must begin the USPHS Commissioned Corps application process before applying to this position. Applicants must review the USPHS application requirements and submit an application at www.usphs.gov/apply-now/.
  • Continued employment is contingent upon appointment to, and maintenance of, active-duty status in the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
  • PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

COMPETENCIES:

  1. Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations.
  2. Demonstrates strong critical thinking, independent problem-solving skills, and prudent judgement skills.
  3. Makes rapid decisions, based upon limited clinical information, frequently under time constraints and with sensitivity to cultural and international relations.
  4. Strong emotional intelligence ability.
  5. Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
  6. Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner. Shows consistency in words and actions. Exhibits high standards of ethics.
  7. Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
  8. Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
  9. Knowledge of teaching, training, research, making presentations, lecturing, testing, and other instructional methods.
  10. Inspires and fosters team commitment, spirit, pride, and trust. Facilitates cooperation and motivates team members to accomplish group goals.
  11. Ability to interface within other uniformed services components, federal law enforcement agencies and NGOs.
  12. Deals effectively with pressure; remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks.
  13. Demonstrate strong diplomatic skills in adversity.
  14. Demonstrates strong organizational and time management skills.
  15. Is open to change and new information; rapidly adapts to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

  1. Must have the ability to assist sick, injured, or aging noncitizens or staff during ingress and egress (e.g., may require lifting, dragging, wheeling, or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than oneself). The officer must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs. of medical equipment 100 yds. without assistance.
  2. Able to pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Class III Flight Physical for Altitude Physiology Chamber orientation.
  3. Must be able to see, hear, and smell with aids if necessary. Must be able to don full face mask, breathing apparatus or emergency fire escape mask or hood without difficulty for prolong periods.
  4. Must be able to easily alternate between kneeling, standing, and walking in the confined space of small aircraft.
  5. Phone and computer use for extended periods of time.
  6. Sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time (8 Hours or more).
  7. Must be able to perform duties in a stressful and often austere environment, with inclement weather and altitudes without physical limitations.
  8. The position requires that the officer is physically able to climb ladders and stairs without impediment while carrying medical equipment and supplies as well as personal gear.
  9. The officer will be required to work extended hours and remain in aircraft in confined cabin space during inclement weather, ground delays and/or extenuating circumstances during extended trans-global flights.
  10. The officer will be required to have basic swimming skills to allow for safe swimming at least one pool length and remain head out of water while treading water for at least 5 minutes for mandatory aircrew safety training events.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  1. Be Actively Boarded or New Call to Duty commissioned in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
  2. Able to pass Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Class III Flight Physical.
  3. Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Current, unrestricted, and valid Registered Nurse (RN) license from any U.S. state, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam.
  4. Minimum of 4 years of direct patient care experience as a registered nurse.
  5. Knowledge of the Nurse Practice Act for the licensing state and/or the state in which one practices nursing.
  6. Knowledge of a wide range of nursing concepts, principles, and practices.
  7. Ability to follow and strictly adhere to established policies, guidelines, instructions, procedures, and protocols.
  8. Knowledge of Microsoft office, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
  9. Strong foundational nursing background and skill set.
  10. Knowledge of medication, administration guidelines, and pharmaceutical agents and their desired and adverse effects to recognize untoward effects and take appropriate corrective measures.
  11. Comprehensive knowledge of managing non-compliant patients, special needs populations, and patients with significant deficits in coping skills.
  12. Knowledge of requirements for safety, infection control, quality assurance, maintenance of records of patients seen, statistical information gathering, etc.
  13. Knowledge or experience of nursing management and leadership skills.
  14. Knowledge of teaching patient health education skills.
  15. Must be able to attain and maintain DHS Secret Clearance.
  16. Must be able to attain and maintain a U.S. Government Official Passport.
  17. Must maintain minimum flight hours per Official Non-Aircrew member flight orders.
  18. Maintain CPR/Basic Life Support and Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.
  19. Preferred but not required, knowledge, skills, and abilities:
    a) Emergency Department, Intensive Care, Trauma Care, First Responder Care or Flight Nursing experience.
    b) Experience in immigration health system.
    c) Correctional health care experience.
    d) Certification as Correctional Health Care Professional (CCHP).
    e) Knowledge and/or experience with IHSC policies, NCCHC and PBNDS requirements.
    f) Knowledge of public health preparedness, infection control and tuberculosis management.
    g) Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS), Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC), Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC), Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS), Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC) or National Registered Emergency Medical Responder (NREMT) certification. Flight Medical Provider Training.
    h) Certified as Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN), Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
    i) Department of Defense trained in Aerospace Medicine, Flight Nursing (FN) or Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT).
    j) Prior Immigration/Correctional Flight Nursing.
    k) Last 2 employment years in direct patient care.
    l) ANCC Certification as National Healthcare Disaster Professional (NHDP-BC).
    m) Proficient other secondary language.
    n) Knowledge of writing USPHS individual and unit awards.

Additional information

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC); Office of the Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of Health Systems Support (HSS), and IHSC Special Operations Unit (ISOU). The incumbent is supervised by the Deputy Chief of ISOU with the Chief of ISOU as the reviewing official. This is a non-supervisory position.

The ISOU Flight Registered Nurse (FN), is a Medical Aircrew Member (MAM), stationed at an ICE facility or ICE Air Operations Staging site. The incumbent's duties are divided into primary and secondary responsibilities.

Flight nurse and Program assistant duties are primary. Senior staff nurse duties at IHSC facility, as available, are secondary duties. The incumbent participates in domestic and global removal missions through ISOU Medical Air Operations (MedAirOps). MedAirOps provides medical services for individuals in ICE custody during domestic transfers, international removal, and in support of ICE/ERO objectives on land, air, and sea. The incumbent supports ICE ERO removal missions in charter flights and commercial air carriers. Serves as sole health care provider and first responder while in-flight and overseas. Ensures continuity of care and initiates emergency treatment in the absence of a physician for in-flight medical emergencies. ISOU provides comprehensive training to the incumbent from the following agencies to name a few: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of State (DoS), Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute (DMRTI), and Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), Department of Interior (DOI). MedAirOps provides guidance and support to ERO/IAO on air transport matters related to migrant care transport, aerospace medicine and flight nursing.

Incumbent may be tasked to serve as an RN Responder in other operations including providing direct migrant patient care on ground operations and transport and support of DHS/USCG Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations (AMIO) at sea aboard sea vessels. The incumbent works in conjunction with ICE officers interacting with civilian and government organizations, contract staff, U.S. and foreign dignitaries, and domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies to provide continuity of care.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The Deputy Chief or Section Chief of ISOU supervises the incumbent. The ISOU Unit Chief serves as the incumbent's reviewing official. The Deputy Chief or a Section Chief of ISOU obtains input from the IHSC clinic leadership during COER rating periods as necessary. The incumbent plans and organizes his/her own work, determines the sequence of assignments, selects and develops methods, and seeks assistance from experts as needed. Assignments are usually long-term, recurring, or broadly defined. Work is reviewed for feasibility, compatibility with other work, and effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results.

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.

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. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position. A complete application includes:

U. S. Public Health Service Officers

  1. Cover Letter/Letter of Interest.
  2. Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
  3. Professional license. (If applicable)
  4. Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
  5. Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
  6. Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "USPHS Promotion CV")
    • You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience.
  7. A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
  8. *Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
  9. For IHSC USPHS officers only, a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
  10. Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement. If you do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of application.
New Call to Active Duty
  1. Cover letter/Letter of Interest. Please include location preference here.
  2. Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
  3. Professional license. (If applicable)
  4. Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
  5. Three professional references (i.e., name, title, and contact information)
  6. CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "USPHS Promotion CV")
  7. U.S. Public Health Service - Appointment Board Decision Letter/Email or a screenshot of AES dashboard to the United States Public Health Service

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

To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/12/2026.

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 the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting
Email
IHSCrecruiting@ice.dhs.gov
Address
ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
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 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.

Additional locations

San Antonio, TX
1 vacancy

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

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The mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. ICE focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism, and combating the illegal movement of people and goods. ICE is the principal investigative arm of DHS and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Created in 2003, through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ICE has more than 20,000 employees in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world. ICE is a key component of the DHS layered approach to protecting our nation from a wide range of threats. For additional information about ICE and career opportunities, please visit www.ice.gov.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting
Email
IHSCrecruiting@ice.dhs.gov
Address
ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US

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