Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), in Washington, District of Columbia.
Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), in Washington, District of Columbia.
As Detention and Deportation Officer (Deputy Chief of Staff), to the Executive Associate Director (EAD) and Deputy EAD for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the incumbent supports executive leadership in the day-to-day investigative, apprehension, detention, and removal operations of ERO. You will perform the following duties:
Analyzing, planning, and directing national law enforcement programs that impact multiple organizations, are of significant interest to the public, and/or affect large numbers of people on a long-term or continuing basis during times of heightened security;
Developing, coordinating, and implementing strategic plans to include mission, goals, objectives, and implantation strategies;
Providing expert analysis and advice in agency-wide programs or issues of national impact;
Preparing and contributing to investigative reports and other presentations on program planning and evaluation;
Recommending plans to improve program policies, practices, methods, and organizational structure; and
Assisting and carrying out analytical studies involving the planning, development, and implementation of major agency programs of national scope and impact relating to program operations.
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
Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
You qualify for the GS-15 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-14 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:
Resolving complex problems requiring expert interpretation and application of policy and law;
Serving as the expert on programs pertaining to administrative policies and requirements for nationwide enforcement programs;
Planning and directing major agency/organization level projects requiring collaboration; and
Serving as liaison to other agencies/organizations at conferences, on boards, committees, presents agency's/organization's viewpoint and negotiating tentative solutions to enforcement problems.
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.
Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO): This position may require substantial amounts of irregular or occasional overtime. You will be required to work on an unscheduled basis in excess of the 40-hour workweek. You must be readily available to perform this unscheduled overtime on a continual basis. To compensate you for this irregular and occasional overtime, you may receive premium pay in the form of Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO). AUO is currently authorized for this position. However, authorization for AUO is dependent upon the incumbent meeting certain regulatory criteria and is subject to change.
Secondary Law Enforcement: This position is an approved Secondary Law Enforcement position under 5 USC 8331 (20) and 5 USC 8401 (17). Previous experience in a primary (AKA rigorous) law enforcement position (or equivalent outside the Federal Government) is a prerequisite.Retirement Coverage: This position is an approved Secondary Law Enforcement position under 5 USC 8331 (20) and 5 USC 8401 (17). Law Enforcement retirement coverage (special law enforcement provisions) is extended only if this position immediately follows service in a law enforcement position. FERS applicants must have completed three (3) years of service in a rigorous (AKA primary) position and transfer directly from a covered position in order to continue Law Enforcement retirement coverage upon selection. (Note: Applicants may meet position qualification requirements, but not meet the special Law Enforcement retirement coverage eligibility. If such an applicant is selected, he/she will be placed in the regular retirement code.
Completion of Training: You must have successfully completed Basic Immigration Law Enforcement Training in accordance with 8 CFR 287.1(g) and other applicable agency policy. This includes successful completion of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Basic Immigration Enforcement Training Program (BIETP); ICE Detention & Removal Operations (DRO) Basic Immigration Law Enforcement Training Program (ICE_D); the legacy Immigration Officer Basic Training Course (IOBTC); the Border Patrol Academy; the combination of both the legacy Basic Immigration Detention Enforcement Officer Training Course and the ICE DRO Equivalency Training Program (ETP); the ICE Special Agent Training Program; the combination of FLETC Criminal Investigator Training Program and the DRO Equivalency Training Program for Special Agents (ETPSA) and for legacy US Customs Special Agents, the ICE / Customs Special Agent Cross Training Program. Due to regulatory requirements, no other training will be accepted. (Note: Completion of training is subject to verification).
Note: If you have previously completed one of the basic immigration law enforcement training courses as listed above, but have had a significant break of three years or more from a position that initially required this training, you will be required to attend and successfully complete a new ICE basic law enforcement training course as a condition of your employment. Failure to successfully complete the academy will result in your removal from this position.
Deportation Officer Transition Program (DOTP): Selectees who have not previously held a position as a Deportation Officer, Detention and Deportation Officer, Supervisory Deportation Officer, or Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer and have not previously attended the six-week DOTP will be required to do so after entrance on duty. Successful completion of this course is mandatory per agency policy. Failure to successfully complete the academy will result in your removal from this position.
Medical Examination: You may be required to pass a pre-employment medical examination.
Mobility Agreement: You will be required to sign a Mobility Agreement as mobility is a factor in this occupation. You may be reassigned to a new location during your career based on the needs of the service.
Motor Vehicle Operation: This position requires a valid state driver's license and the ability to operate an automobile.
Firearm Requirement: This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition [Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(9)]. A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is generally defined under the statute as any offense involving the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by the victim's current or former domestic partner, parent, or guardian. The term "convicted", as defined in the statute, excludes any person whose conviction has been expunged, set aside, or pardoned or any person whose civil rights have been restored unless the pardon, expungement or restoration of civil rights expressly prohibits the possession of firearms or ammunition. Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence within the meaning of the referenced statute are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment [Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001].
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level.
E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.
Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Top Secret as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, 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.
Benefits: DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
Applicants' two-page resumes will first be evaluated for specialized experience as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Applicants demonstrating that experience will be further evaluated for possession of the competencies listed below using a structured resume review, a structured interview, or a combination of these two assessment methods.
The competencies needed to perform this job are:
External Awareness
Strategic Thinking
Planning and Evaluating
Problem Solving/Decision Making
Technical Competence
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.
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.
2-Page Resume showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. In describing your experience on your resume, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumption regarding your experience. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. (for more information, see the How do I write a resume for a federal Job-Two-Page Resume Limit).
Are you a current ICE employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases, and accessions.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
Failure to submit required documents will result in disqualification for this vacancy.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/03/2026.
The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
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.
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.
One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
ERO DIRECTOR
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.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
2-Page Resume showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. In describing your experience on your resume, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumption regarding your experience. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. (for more information, see the How do I write a resume for a federal Job-Two-Page Resume Limit).
Are you a current ICE employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases, and accessions.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
Failure to submit required documents will result in disqualification for this vacancy.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/03/2026.
The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
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.
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.
One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
ERO DIRECTOR
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.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
