This is a U.S. Public Health Service position is located within 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, IHSC Communications Unit (ICU). This is a non-supervisory position.
This position is only open to current USPHS officers.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Summary
This is a U.S. Public Health Service position is located within 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, IHSC Communications Unit (ICU). This is a non-supervisory position.
This position is only open to current USPHS officers.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Civilians are not eligible for this position.
Uses communications tools and platforms to enhance communications across the organization through broadcast messages, magazines, newsletters, communication workgroups, and live Town Hall meetings.
Uses excellent customer service to contact staff throughout the agency to coordinate information needs, review messages prior to dissemination, and respond to service requests.
Coordinates planning, review, and development of the agency's Communicator magazine. Disseminates the magazine to field facilities once the team publishes the magazine each quarter.
Provides professional writing, editing, and oral presentations that convey complex information about IHSC.
Manages workgroups with representatives from across the organization to achieve objectives that support the agency's strategic plan.
Uses Adobe design programs and Microsoft Office products to write, edit, format, and maintain content in appropriate style for both print and online mediums.
Uses digital platforms to send messages, communications products, and announcements across the organization.
Works closely with teams to produce content that is timely, accurate, and consistent with agency policy and standards for style, format, and accessibility.
Edits, writes, and publishes pamphlets, handbooks, training materials, manuals, regulations, guidebooks, standard operating procedures, and a wide variety of other written communications.
Manages assigned projects and tasks in a timely and efficient manner consistent with priorities of IHSC and the Office of the Chief of Staff. Manages workload to ensure sometimes inflexible deadlines are met.
Deploys for up to 30 days a year to internal facilities as needed through IHSC's TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS) Program.
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.
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Civilians are not eligible for this position.
Qualifications
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Sitting or standing for extended periods of time (6-8 hours).
Performing repeated bending motion.
Average manual dexterity for computer operation.
Phone use for extended periods of time.
Education
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Qualifying degree for the officer's category and an advanced degree (e.g., M.A. or M.S.) from an accredited institution plus a minimum of five years of professional experience relevant to the officer's category. Of the total professional experience, officer must possess at least four years direct experience related to public affairs (e.g., public relations or journalism).
Expert writing skills to draft announcements, magazine articles, and consolidate information for dissemination across the organization.
Experience using desktop publisher programs to create professional communications documents such as newsletters, postcards, flyers, invitations, or brochures.
Ability to review documents and edit for plain language and the appropriate audience using correct grammar and punctuation.
Demonstrated knowledge of program policies and guidelines, and operating procedures relating to communications.
Knowledge of organizations and responsibilities of all levels of government operations for communications.
Flexibility and ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work-related requirements.
High degree of independence, initiative, and follow-through on a wide range of sensitive, complex, and program issues.
Ability to use photography equipment to provide coverage for an event for magazine articles or historical archive.
Knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and GovDelivery.
Additional information
IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,670 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to detained noncitizens at 18 detention facilities throughout the country. It manages the provision of off-site medical care for noncitizens housed in approximately 128 additional non-IHSC-staffed facilities. In Fiscal Year 2023, IHSC delivered health care to approximately 131,000 detained noncitizens from 180 different countries. IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea.
ICU coordinates with ICE to facilitate official communications with internal and external audiences and maintain IHSC's websites. ICU supports IHSC's operations, staff, and priorities by delivering effective communications through research, planning, and collaboration. ICU includes three teams who support agencywide and strategic communications, and technical writing/editing. The Communications Team disseminates internal broadcast messages about events, policies, and trainings to IHSC staff. Each quarter, the team publishes the Communicator, IHSC's official magazine, which highlights staff across the organization. The team announces staff accomplishments in the monthly Positive News, and new staff in the Hails and Farewells newsletter. They facilitate IHSC Town Hall meetings throughout the year.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The communications specialist works under the supervision of the writer/editor and IHSC Communications Unit chief.
Assignments are usually of a long-term, recurring or broadly defined nature. Officer plans, and organizes own work, determines sequence of assignments, selects and develops methods and seeks assistance from experts only rarely. Work is reviewed for attainment of objectives. Guidelines may apply to some but not all parts of assignment and may contain some inconsistencies and be partially unconfirmed. Selection and adaptation from available possibilities involving a moderate amount of modification and innovation is required. The officer uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as PHS policies, regulations, precedents and work direction for application to specific cases.
The officer analyzes results and recommends changes in guidelines and program policies. Innovations and modifications to accepted procedures must be approved and clearly documented.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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)
Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
For current IHSC PHS officers, IHSC Recruiting requires applicants to provide 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 are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
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 07/23/2024.
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.
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.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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. 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)
Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
For current IHSC PHS officers, IHSC Recruiting requires applicants to provide 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 are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
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 07/23/2024.
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.
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.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
