Technical Writer/Editor (O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC)

Summary

Technical Writer/Editor supports ICE Health Service Corps by developing, editing, and reviewing technical, policy, clinical, and communication materials. Ensures products are clear, accurate, audience-appropriate, policy-compliant, and consistent with style and branding while coordinating with stakeholders and managing deadlines.

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:

Writes technical materials clearly without sacrificing thoroughness and accuracy; ensures materials are consistent with agency policy, meets style requirements of the agency, ensures materials are written at an appropriate level for the intended audience.
Writes technical materials, such as policy directives and guides, scientific or technical articles, regulations in technical areas; technical manuals; reviews clinical guidelines, brochures, and pamphlets; award submissions.
Works closely with outside and in-house authors, edits texts to ensure clarity and logical presentation of material, consistency and effectiveness of style, and accuracy of spelling and grammar.
Advises and assists authors during the writing stage; verifies information supplemented by research and consultation with other subject experts; examines the organization, length, and tone of the material; edits the text for clarity and accuracy; consults on design and graphics.
Reviews the work of authors, editors, proofreaders, translators, and indexers. Reviews all stages of proofs while considering accuracy, and timelines.
Collaborates effectively with internal stakeholders, such as publications and communications coordinators, research associates, web developers, design and production staff, brand and content strategists, unit and division leadership, and others.
Communicates expectations, including workflow and deadlines, and developments to various stakeholders and resolves problems or conflicts with good judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
Reviews publications for style, design, layout, and editorial aspects before release.
Edits, rewrites, and reorganizes materials to ensure information is clear, concise, and logical.
Reformats materials to ensure brand consistency and readability.

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

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Requires physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
Must have the ability to assist sick, injured, or aging staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency, such as running a short distance, prolonged standing.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Officer must possess a qualifying degree for the officer's category and an advanced degree (e.g., M.A. or M.S.) from an accredited institution. Officer must possess at least two years technical writing or similar experience to successfully perform duties for this position.

Such experience should encompass a broad range of communications-related activities, which may include but are not limited to the following:

Command of grammar, punctuation, and spelling to convey information in plain language. This may include shifting sentences within paragraphs, corrections of sentences for faulty syntax or poor choice of words, and conformance to the IHSC Style Manual.
Communication skills to collaborate with staff for document contents. The incumbent's ability to communicate with others ensures they can successfully work with others to write documents.
Problem-solving skills to accurately describe processes and functions within IHSC's health care system.
Ability to research topics and organize findings in easy-to-understand language; Conducting in-depth research can help you write more thorough instructions for others.
Above basic knowledge of formatting functions in the following applications: MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat, or ability to gain these skills within the first year through self-study.
Basic knowledge of generative artificial intelligence tools.
Time management skills to stay on schedule for multiple projects with competing work levels and requirements.
If the incumbent holds a clinical license, it is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position may be required to perform clinical activities with the scope of clinical license in times of critical needs within the agency.

Additional information

This U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff, Technical Writing and Editing Team. This is a non-supervisory position.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,650 employees, including PHS commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. In FY 2025, IHSC managed a health care system that provided direct care to more than 171,000 detained aliens housed at 17 IHSC-staffed facilities nationwide. IHSC provided medical, dental, mental health, and public health services, resulting in nearly 1.4 million health care encounters in FY 2025. IHSC also managed off-site medical care for detained aliens housed in about 217 additional non-IHSC-staffed facilities.

The Communications Unit oversees official communications with internal and external audiences, maintains IHSC websites and collaboration platforms, and supports senior leadership and all IHSC units, offices, programs, and facilities. The Communications Unit develops and implements communication strategies that support the agency's mission; produces electronic and printed products, including leadership messages, newsletters, fact sheets, talking points; plans and executes internal campaigns; reviews policies, reports, and other documents before publication; and coordinates town halls and similar events. The Communications Unit provides expert writing and editing services to clearly explain complex medical and operational information, advises leadership on communication approaches, and ensures consistent, accurate information sharing across the organization.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
Incumbent reports to the Team Leader, ICU Technical Editing Team. The Team Leader, Technical Editing Team, reviews products to ensure they meet guidance and specifications.

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

Cover Letter/Letter of Interest.
Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
Professional license. (If applicable)
Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
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.
A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
For IHSC USPHS officers only, a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
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

Cover letter/Letter of Interest. Please include location preference here.
Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
Professional license. (If applicable)
Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
Three professional references (i.e., name, title, and contact information)
CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "USPHS Promotion CV")
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 09/19/2026.

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.

Technical Writer/Editor (O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory Job in Location Negotiable After Selection