Immigration services Officer

Company: Department Of Homeland Security
Location: Lincoln
Posted on: June 10, 2021

Job Description:

• Duties

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Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Service Center Operations Directorate.

As an Immigration Services Officer, you will independently research, interpret and analyze an extensive spectrum of sources in order to accurately adjudicate immigration benefits and petitions.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

• The responsibilities described are for the GS-09 level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope performed with less independence, and limited complexity.
• Grant or deny applications and petitions for immigration benefits and determine appropriate level of adjudicative review and update databases with appropriate information and decisions.
• Research and interpret sources including immigration laws and regulations, operating instructions, legislative history, precedent decisions, state and local laws, and international treaties to determine adjudicative decision.
• Process electronic or paper applications and petitions for immigration benefits using available electronic systems to verify numerous established data points.
• Provide direct assistance to personnel/officials of other Federal agencies in identifying individuals who pose a threat to national/public security.
• Conduct security checks in accordance with all applicable DHS/USCIS laws and policies.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

09

• Job family (Series)

1801 General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, And Compliance Series

• Requirements

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National to apply for this position
• Successfully pass a Background Investigation including financial disclosure
• You must pass a drug screening
• You must submit resume and supporting documentation
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service
• Political appointees may require OPM approval before on-boarding

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on the closing date of this announcement.

Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service. The Time-in-Grade requirement must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on the closing date of this announcement.

This position IS in the bargaining unit.

This position IS NOT considered "essential" for purposes of reporting to work when the facility might otherwise be closed.

Residency Requirement: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This residency requirement states that candidates must have, for three of the last five years immediately prior to applying for this position; (1) resided in the United States; OR (2) worked for the United States Government as an employee overseas in a Federal or Military capacity, OR (3) been a dependent of a U.S. Federal or Military employee serving overseas.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. The background investigation process is initiated after a selection is made. For more information visit the OPM Mythbuster Page.

If a SECRET or TOP SECRET clearance is needed or the position is designated a Sensitive National Security position, all selected candidates must meet the requirements for these clearances or Sensitive National Security position prior to placement AND maintain that level of clearance or national security eligibility while encumbering the position.

Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.

Training: If you have not already done so, you will be required to attend a residential USCIS Officer training course. This technical training must be successfully completed according to the standards of the agency. Failure to do so will be grounds for mandatory removal from the position. Such failure will result in either reassignment to a different position, demotion or separation by appropriate procedures.

Qualifications

GS-05: You qualify at the GS-05 level if you possess three (3) years of progressively responsible experience, one year of which was experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level, which has equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties:

• Analyzing problems, gathering pertinent data and recognizing solutions;
• Planning and organizing work to ensure timely completion;
• Communicating clearly, both orally and in writing and providing excellent customer service. Such experience may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work.

Experience in substantive and relevant secretarial, clerical or other responsible work is qualifying if it provided evidence of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. Experience of a general clerical nature (typing, filing, routine procedural processing, maintaining records or other non-specialized tasks) is not creditable OR

• You may substitute successful completion of a Bachelor's degree or a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a Bachelor's degree for the experience required at the GS-05 grade level. This education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester or 45 quarter hours

GS-07: In addition to the requirements at the lower grade level(s), to qualify at the GS-07 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties:

• Performing preliminary examinations of applications and petitions for immigration benets, evaluating evidence and drafting appropriate correspondence;
• Ensuring required supporting documentation is included in application package(s) and applying necessary immigration laws, policies and procedures;
• Reviewing immigration benet applications to determine adjudicative decision OR
• You may substitute successful completion of one year of fulltime graduate education for the experience required at the GS-07 level. This education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university and demonstrate the skills necessary to do the work of the position. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hours. OR You may also substitute superior academic achievement for the experience required at the GS-07 level. You must have completed the requirements for a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, class standing in the upper third of a graduating class or major subdivision or membership in a national scholastic honor society.

GS-09: In addition to the requirements at the lower grade level(s), to qualify at the GS-09 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties:

• Examining, evaluating evidence, and analyzing immigration benefits documents received for authenticity;
• Researching, analyzing and applying appropriate immigration laws, policies and procedures;
• Adjudicating immigration benefits based on reviews of applications in coordination with policies. OR
• You may substitute a Master's degree or 2 full years of graduate education leading to such a degree in any field or a J.D. or L.L.B. degree for experience required at the GS-09 grade level. Such education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours.

The assessments for this job will measure:

• Analytical Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence
• Technology Application
• Writing

Important information to ensure you submit everything we need to consider your application: It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation prior to the closing date. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant experience and education (if applicable), as it relates to this job opportunity announcement. USCIS will only review the first 5 pages of your resume to determine your initial eligibility/qualifications for a position. As such, please be sure to include content to support your eligibility/qualifications for this position within the first 5 pages. Please note that your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since Human Resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Your application will be rated and ranked based on your responses to the online questions.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:

• Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)
• Duties (be specific in describing your duties)
• Employer's name and address
• Supervisor name and phone number
• Start and end dates including month, day and year (e.g. June 18 2007 to April 05 2008)
• Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position.
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
• Salary

Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide the above information may result in a finding of ineligible.

Note: Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Federal Experience: If you are using current or prior federal experience as a basis for qualifying for this position, the grade levels and length of employment (mm/dd/year) at each grade level must be listed in your work history. This information will be further validated if selected for this position.

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

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 criteria 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 service. Please provide the dates and amount of time/hours worked earning this experience.

Education

COMBINING QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: If you do not qualify based on experience or education alone, you may be able to qualify based on a combination of your experience and education. For more information on combining education and experience, visit the following website: General Schedule Qualification Standards. Transcript required: If you don't submit a transcript, we will not use your education when deciding if you're qualified for the job. For verification purposes, the transcript submitted must include your name and educational institution.

Keywords: Department Of Homeland Security, Lincoln , Immigration services Officer, Other , Lincoln, Nebraska