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Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate)

Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
Human Resources Division

Summary

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Human Resources Division.

The Recent Graduates Program offers dynamic, 1 to 2-year rotational program opportunities that give early career talent the chance to support key HR program functions through focused administrative and technical work. Selectees will learn and contribute to essential HR operations, ensure process accuracy, and apply their organizational skills in a mission-driven environment.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/24/2026 to 04/28/2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$57,736 - $91,815 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
Arlington, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent graduates
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
H-DEA-26-12939791-PW-LK
Control number
866482800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to applicants who have graduated within the past two years, or longer for certain veterans (with an associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, diploma, certificate, or vocational or technical degree, etc.) from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program (including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps, etc.).

Duties

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The HR Developmental Rotation Program is designed to provide graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in the field of Human Resources through a robust training program touching a variety of HR components. The program will provide entry-level career development training for participants to learn and apply human resources management principles. This position will serve as a Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate) receiving rotational training in intervals in the principles, concepts, work processes and regulations of several functional areas of human resources management such as:

  • Compensation and Benefits
  • Recruitment and Staffing
  • Classifications
  • Employee Relations

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
  • Incumbent is subject to random drug testing.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
  • Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
  • Selectee will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
  • A Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement is required.
  • This announcement is open to applicants who have graduated within the past two years, or within 6 years for certain veterans from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program.
  • Selectee will serve on an excepted service appointment for the duration of the program.
  • Selectees must execute an Individual Development Plan which outlines a requirement to complete 40 hours of formalized training prior to program completion.

Qualifications

For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement.

To be eligible for the Pathways Recent Graduate program, you must be:

A recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, diploma, vocational, technical degree, or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or completed a qualifying career or technical educational program that awards a recognized postsecondary credential (such as Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps). If you are qualifying based on education or if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application.

OR

A preference eligible veteran who has been precluded from applying due to their military service obligation can begin their two-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed six years after degree or certificate completion. You MUST submit a copy of your DD-214 showing the duration and dates of service that precluded you from applying due to military service obligation.

Applicants applying for the GS-07 must meet one of the following requirements:

A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-05 grade level. Specialized 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.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Assisting with research to answer HR-related employee questions; 2) Drafting internal and external correspondence; and 3) Assisting with researching regulations, policies, and/or procedures to resolve personnel issues.

OR

B. Education: 1 full year of graduate level education.

OR

C. Superior Academic Achievement: Completion of all requirements for a bachelor's degree in a field; and education meets at least one of the following requirements for superior academic achievement: 1) class standing in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses; 2) grade point average of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; 3) grade point average of 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR 4) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society listed by the Association of College Honor Societies.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet the experience requirements if you have the specialized experience, but less than one year; and have some education, but less than one year. The computed percentages of requirements were met, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.)

Applicants applying for the GS-09 must meet one of the following requirements:

A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-07 grade level. Specialized 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.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Answering HR-related employee questions; 2) Drafting internal and external correspondence; 3) Researching regulations, policies, and/or procedures to resolve personnel issues; and 4) Analyzing data using an automated database.

OR

B. Education: A master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. OR LL.B. or J.D., if related.

OR

C. Combination of Education and Experience:A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.

For qualification purposes, an academic year is computed as follows:
  • At the undergraduate level, four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements.
  • An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 academic year of full-time study. This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
  • When academic credit is expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard.
NOTE: If your college, vocational, trade, or technical institution's definition of "academic year" differs from above, you must submit proof of this difference (e.g., copy of course catalog that defines an academic year). Absent this documentation, you will screened for academic qualifications based on the academic hours as defined in the bullets above.

Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook.

Education

See the qualification section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

To be eligible for an appointment, you must meet requirement A or B.

A. Completed all requirements for a diploma, associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program (including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps) within the previous two years;

OR

B. Was released or discharged from active duty within the previous two years, where the applicant is a veteran who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying for a recent graduate position during any portion of the two-year eligibility period following completion of his/her degree or certificate requirements, provided that not more than six years have transpired since the applicant completed the requirements for a degree or certification.

You must submit an academic transcript from your academic institution showing the date that you most recently completed the academic requirements described above.

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

Pass/Fail Courses: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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 listed in this announcement.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to similar positions in any Division/Office listed in this announcement. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives maybe considered and approved under conditions specified provided the agency has determined that the position is likely to be difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive and funding for such an incentive is available.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

If eligible, telework and/or remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

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/12939791.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and meet or exceed the cut score requirements, will be assigned to one of three quality categories:

  1. Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
  2. Highly Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all, of the requirements of the position.
  3. Best Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must possess the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position.

Best qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position.

The assessment questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions which 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 in 200-words or less. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and have not used a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

Drug Enforcement Administration

TOUGH WORK. VITAL MISSION. Challenge yourself! You have the power to help combat drug trafficking. Be a part of DEA! It's tough work, but a vital mission. Whatever your background or expertise, your work at DEA will be tremendously rewarding because it will have a daily impact on national security and the quality of life of all Americans.

The DEA is our country's leading organization in charge of enforcing the controlled substance laws of the United States. The DEA provides employees with an exciting career whether supporting missions at home or abroad. Our employees make a difference by working together as a team to keep Americans safe from dangerous drugs and those who traffic them.

Please visit www.dea.gov to learn more about who we are and career opportunities that our organization offers.

Agency contact information

LaNesha Kearse
Email
LaNesha.E.Kearse@dea.gov
Address
Drug Enforcement Administration
Do Not Send Postal Mail
Springfield, VA 21310
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Drug Enforcement Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.dea.gov/careers

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