Policy Analyst (O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. IHSC-IOP-PA-O5-NS-2026 Department Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Salary $1.00 to $150,000.00 Grade 5 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/7/2026 Close Date 9/30/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Serves as a Policy Analyst in ICE Health Service Corps, advising on policy development, assessment, and implementation for health care delivery in detention settings. Requires a health-related degree, policy experience, and strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills. Reports to Deputy Chief, IOP. Works independently and in teams.

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

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

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:

The duties of the position may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Participates fully with unit chiefs, higher level analysts, and health policy administrators in establishing, developing, writing, revising, coordinating, implementing, and advising on program planning and policies across divisions.
  2. Provides input and background information at meetings to address matters impacting division management decisions.
  3. Provides assessments, evaluations, and recommendations on new and proposed policies to address IHSC priorities and ensure effective coordination and integration with IHSCwide strategy.
  4. Develops background briefing materials and other pertinent information for presentation to division leadership.
  5. Ensures quality, consistency, clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness of content, format, and style in IHSC policies.
  6. Identifies policy development, review, approval, and management training needs and recommends appropriate tools and methods to enhance policy processes.
  7. Represents the IHSC Policy Team in division and unit meetings, when appropriate, to provide input on policy-related decisions.
  8. Develops and maintains effective working relationships with stakeholders and interested parties inside and outside the organization.
  9. Attends policy-related IHSC, ICE or DHS trainings.
  10. Maintains professional skills via continuing education opportunities and fulfills the obligations of their clinical licensing and/or certifying body to maintain current clinical status, if applicable. This position may be required to perform clinical activities within the scope of clinical license in times of critical needs within the agency, if applicable.
  11. Other 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.
  • 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. Integrity/honesty.
  2. Cultural competency.
  3. Active listening skills.
  4. Reading comprehension.
  5. Strong interpersonal skills.
  6. Strong organizational and time management skills.
  7. Strong problem solving and decision-making skills.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
  1. Sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time (6-8 hours).
  2. Performing repeated bending motions.
  3. Average manual dexterity for computer operation.
  4. Phone use for extended periods of time.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  1. Professional degree and current, unrestricted license in one of the following clinical care categories: registered nurse, physician, or advanced practice provider; or Bachelor's degree or higher related to health services, behavioral health services, public health, health administration or health care management.
  2. In-depth knowledge of health care delivery and how patient care organizations are structured and operate. Direct clinical care experience is preferred, but not mandatory.
  3. Minimum of one year of professional experience working in policy development or national program development and implementation. Experience within a correctional setting preferred, but not mandatory.
  4. Thorough command of English grammar and punctuation, and a variety of editorial styles, including the Associated Press Stylebook.
  5. Knowledge and proficiency in MS Office Applications, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint.
  6. Knowledge and experience in collecting data and determining accuracy and appropriateness based on policy and processes.
  7. Knowledge of and can maintain proficiency in, or can obtain knowledge and maintain proficiency in, applicable detention health care standards (e.g. PBNDS, NCCHC, ACA, applicable federal laws).
  8. Skill and ability to locate, read, and understand complex health care records and reports.
  9. Skill in working directly and effectively with executive- level management in the identification and formulation of strategies and approaches.
  10. Skill in preparing and presenting complex technical material to non-specialists.
  11. Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing, using appropriate language, organizing ideas, and presenting facts in an objective manner.
  12. Ability to exercise judgment in all phases of analysis - ranging from sorting out the most important problems to sifting evidence and framing feasible options.
  13. Ability to work effectively under the pressure of tight time-frames and rigid deadlines.
  14. Ability and flexibility to work independently, as well as in a team-centered environment.

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 Chief of Staff, Office of Policy (IOP) and Communications. The incumbent will serve within the IHSC Policy Program as a Policy Analyst and report directly to the Deputy Chief, IOP. This is a nonsupervisory position.

The primary purpose of the Policy Analyst is to provide expert advice and technical support related to the policies and procedures developed by IHSC Divisions.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,400 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to ICE aliens at 19 detention facilities throughout the country and manages the provision of off-site medical care for aliens housed in approximately 240 additional Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. The ICE alien population is approximately 34,000 aliens on a daily basis, with an average length of stay of about 30 days, and over 400,000 aliens annually. IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

DHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

  1. DHS
  2. ICE
  3. ERO
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The Policy Analyst works under the direct supervision of the Deputy Chief, IOP.

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 09/30/2026.

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.


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


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