This position is located in Refugee, Asylum and International Operations, Asylum Division, Chicago Asylum Office. As an Asylum Officer, you will adjudicate asylum applications, conduct credible/reasonable fear and other screenings, and adjudicate other benefit applications managed by the asylum program.

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. Adjudicating complex and highly sensitive asylum applications and other adjudications managed by the asylum program; conducting credible/reasonable fear screenings Reviewing applications and supporting evidence, conducting interviews, performing security checks, and researching information provided by the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate; the Department of State; and other sources. Interpreting and applying appropriate policy, regulations, statutes, and precedent decisions to make eligibility determinations. Producing written determinations supporting adjudications, such as asylum, NACARA, credible fear and reasonable fear decisions. Establishing and maintaining liaison with external federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, and/or private sector stakeholders involved in asylum benefits.

Requirements

Qualifications

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 08/11/2023. 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 08/11/2023. GS-09: You 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 documents for authenticity; Interviewing applicants or witnesses to elicit information and assess credibility; Reviewing information from databases and/or other records to identify individuals who may pose a threat to national security or public safety; Analyzing information gathered through interviews and research to summarize facts and provide formal written determinations. OR You may substitute a Master's or equivalent degree, or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a J.D. or L.L.B degree for experience required at the GS-09 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in 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. GS-11: In addition to the requirements at the lower grade level(s), to qualify at the GS-11 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-09 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: Conducting interviews to assess credibility and make recommendations on final determinations for benefits sought; Reviewing information from a variety of sources to determine eligibility/ineligibility of benefits sought; Drafting formal written determinations to support the approval or denial of benefits in accordance with the provisions of specific federal laws and regulations. OR You may substitute a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent degree) or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or L.L.M. if related, for experience at the GS-11 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in 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 three years of graduate study. If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours. GS-12: In addition to the requirements at the lower grade level(s), to qualify at the GS-12 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-11 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: Making final determinations on immigration cases such as those providing eligibility for protection, resettlement or other immigration benefits; Preparing written legal analysis or other official written memoranda to support decisions in relation to sensitive and complex hearings, administrative proceedings, benefits, or appeal cases. There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Please read the following 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 08/11/2023. Your resume will be used to determine your qualifications for the position advertised in this announcement. Therefore, your resume must highlight your most relevant, significant experience related to the requirements found in the qualification section of this announcement, as well as any applicable education. 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. 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 (at the GS-09 AND GS-11 levels only): 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.

Training: If you have not already done so, you will be required to attend the residential, paid RAIO Combined Training course and the Division-specific course(s), that relate to this position, at a USCIS training facility. Depending on the position, the courses may last up to nine weeks, including six weeks of residential training and three weeks of online training. In addition, if you have not already done so, you will be required to attend the residential, paid BASIC Immigration Officer training program, lasting six weeks, at a USCIS training facility. The trainings must be completed successfully 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.

Paid Internship Experience: Applicant's work as part of a paid internship, for which course credit is not received, may be evaluated as work experience. It is the applicant's responsibility to clearly identify in their resume any paid internship that would qualify for consideration. The applicant must provide their transcript for verification purposes.

Contacts

• Address
• Name: HROC Staffing Help Desk
• Phone: 952-697-8380
• Email: [email protected]