Program Analyst

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen.

Being a Program Analyst makes you a valuable member of the DHS OIG Office of Inspector General. You will apply basic analytical and evaluative techniques in order to identify and recommend resolutions to issues or problems of a procedural or factual nature.

Typical assignments include:

• Adhere to established methods in order to assist in studies pertaining to audits, inspections, and evaluations and investigations. Assist senior analyst performing evaluations and analysis, on a qualitative and quantitative basis, in order to ensure the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting assigned goals, measures, and objectives.
• Support senior analyst responsible for conducting management audits or evaluations that focus on the objectives, identify techniques or methods to use in gathering data and documentation and/or research involving substantive issues of a highly complex scope.
• Assist senior analyst who are conducting broad and difficult assignments involving interfaces and interrelations between and among programs, systems, functions, policies and various issues. Based on instruction, gather factual information in support of major tasks involving evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of program and functional operations in order to determine compliance with DHS laws and regulations and/or annotating suspected abuse or illegal acts.
• Assist senior analyst, responsible for presenting findings, options, and recommendations, via briefings, staff reports, project papers, etc. Attend discussions, meetings, and conferences with agency staff in order to gain knowledge and experience in conducting meetings, exchanging information, negotiation tactics, appropriate use of investigative techniques when completing analysis, etc.

Other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must be able to obtain TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance.
• Selective Service registration required
• Completion of 1-year probationary period may be required.
• Submission of Performance Appraisal is mandatory

Qualifications

You qualify for the GS-07 grade level if you have at least1 year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Examples of specialized experience may include: performing research of laws/regulations; extracting, reviewing, and consolidating information from a variety of sources; and assisting senior analysts in the preparation of reports;
OR
Applicants may have completed one full year of graduate level education or may have a bachelor's degree and meet one of the requirements for superior academic achievement.
OR
Applicants may qualify with a combination of experience and education.

You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you have at least1 year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service, which has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the GS-09. Specialized experience at this level may include:

• planning and conducting analytical projects in a team environment;
• researching issues, laws, regulations and policies;
• contributing to the collection of evidence through observations, interviews and data/file reviews;
• assisting in performing quantitative and qualitative analysis on program operations and/or procedures to identify trends, patterns or relationships;
• helping to prepare written documents, such as reports, work papers, or briefings.

OR
Applicants may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:

• Master's degree or equivalent, OR
• 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree

To qualify for Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.), applicants must meet one of the following criteria: have a grade point average (G.P.A.) of 3.0 or higher, be in the upper third of their class, or be a member of a national scholastic honor society.

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.

The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date , 09/14/2026, of this announcement.

Current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade level or equivalent grade band in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, a subject matter expert review of your resume, and the result of the online 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
• 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. 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.

Following the review of your resume by our panel of subject matter experts, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 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 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

• Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
• Your responses to the job questionnaire
• 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.
• Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. 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.
• 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.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit the following: 1) A copy of your agency notice; 2) A copy of your most recent performance rating; and 3) A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level and duty location.
• 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: 1) Position title; 2) Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); 3) Agency; 4) Beginning and ending dates of appointment
• If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit your most recent FY2023 performance appraisal and or incentive awards

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. (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire)

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