Summary
Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud. As a Program Specialist (Status Verification Analyst), you will adjudicate time-sensitive referrals and provide accurate immigration status and employment eligibility determinations for customers participating in the SAVE and E-Verify Programs in accordance with immigration law, DHS policy and operational guidelines.
Duties
The responsibilities described are for the full performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope performed with less independence, and limited complexity.
Resolves casework by researching, evaluating, adjudicating, and providing responses to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) supported employers and a wide range of state and federal agencies.
Exercises a comprehensive understanding and application of immigration law, classification, forms, records, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies when researching and resolving verification referrals.
Communicates directly with customers via telephone, and computer regarding employment-related or immigration benefit-related casework.
Conducts research and in-depth reviews of immigration documents to confirm applicant identity in determining a person's legal status and work authorization eligibility.
Participates in various studies, working groups, and testing of new business systems.
Develops background information for studies, compiling statistical data from testing and evaluation, and gathers, summarizes, and reviews information for incorporation into final reports.
Uses available resources to manage sensitive files and documents to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Safeguards personally identifiable information (PII) and ensures those standards are maintained in all aspects of work.
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 Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service Political appointees may require OPM approval before on-boarding USCIS applies the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 to its telework program 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. Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.
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. Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP): Per 5 CFR 576.202, An employee who receives a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) and later accepts employment for compensation with the Government of the United States within 5 years of the date of the separation on which the VSIP is based, including work under a personal services contract or other direct contract, must repay the entire amount of the VSIP to the agency that paid it (proof of payment is required) before the individual's first day of reemployment.
How you will be evaluated
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position and will be placed in one of the three categories below. Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level of all evaluation criteria. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria. Qualified: Applicants possessing the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13089247. Veterans: Qualified Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is not considered scientific/professional.) Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligible: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP or ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement. Are you claiming XP Derived spousal preference? You must provide a copy of a valid marriage certificate proving your relationship to the veteran. Note: Applicants who are referred to the hiring office for selection consideration may be required to complete a writing sample and/or other writing exercise as part of the interview/selection process. If the hiring office decides to request a writing sample and/or other writing exercise as part of its selection process, a designated contractor or Agency representative will contact you to: (1) inform you of this requirement; and (2) provide further instructions.