Clarification from the agency

Current Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees in the competitive service on a career/career-conditional appointment or current DHS employees eligible under an Interchange Agreement. Employees must work within the local commuting area on a permanent basis.

As a Historian, you will perform the following duties:

• Collects and analyzes relevant materials from foreign and domestic archival repositories and other sources of information necessary to identify possible perpetrators of human rights violations who are in - or may attempt to gain entry into - the United States.
• Assists in the development of new cases based on materials generated by the incumbent and/or other team members assigned to the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) Regional Support Teams (RST). In addition to the incumbent, RST personnel include HSI and FBI Special Agents and Intelligence Research Specialists, and attorneys and historians/researchers assigned to ICE's Human Rights Law Section. Investigations conducted by the RST aim to identify, prosecute and remove human rights violators and war criminals from the United States.
• Liaises with officials of foreign governments and relevant non-governmental institutions to negotiate access to archival and investigative materials necessary for the development of new cases and support of current criminal and administrative investigations.
• Participates in conferences and discussions with law enforcement agencies, foreign and domestic, often at very senior levels, on potential criminal prosecutions of persons subject to ICE and HSI authorities. In conjunction with this activity, the incumbent obtains and familiarizes himself or herself with applicable sections of the criminal code of the United States and that of countries where the human rights violation or war crime occurred.
• Provides training in areas of regional or thematic expertise to agents, attorneys, and others in informal and formal settings. Testifies on behalf of the government in administrative and federal criminal litigation of human rights violator cases. Performs other related 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 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.
• Time in Grade: Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the Federal service. Time in grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic and Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below.

Basic Requirement: You must meet one of the items listed below (A or B):

A. Possess a degree in History or possess a degree in a related field: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that includes at least 18 semester hours in history. You must provide a copy of your transcripts.

OR

B. Possess a combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in history, or a major in a related field that included at least 18 semester hours in history, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Minimum Qualifications:

You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:

• Performing historical research and investigative or analytical activities on geographic regions where large scale human rights violations occurred from the time period of the mid-20th Century to the present, including research that identifies the causes and effects of those human rights violations, the associated conflicts and who was involved.
• Demonstrating the ability to use archives, collections or other sources of information likely to contain documentation of human rights violations or war crimes that could potentially be used to initiate investigations or other law enforcement efforts.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

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 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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

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. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an Assessment Questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

• History and Archaeology
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Planning and Evaluating
• Reading
• Technical Competence
• Writing

Based on your responses, you will receive a score from the Assessment Questionnaire between 70 and 100.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Interviews may be required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.