This is a U.S. Public Health Service position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff, IHSC Investigations Unit (IIU). This is a non-supervisory position.
This position is only open to USPHS officers who are currently IHSC employees.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Summary
This is a U.S. Public Health Service position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff, IHSC Investigations Unit (IIU). This is a non-supervisory position.
This position is only open to USPHS officers who are currently IHSC employees.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer who works at IHSC.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Civilians are not eligible for this position.
Conducts prompt, equitable, and impartial concise administrative investigations (i.e., referred medical complaints). Researches and applies relevant policies/standards, reviews evidence, and writes reports of investigative findings; audiences include senior leadership and external agency and department stakeholders.
Assists IIU senior investigators with conducting complex cases (e.g., patient morbidity and mortality, alleged staff misconduct).
Tracks, calculates, and documents time and costs for investigative activities.
Assists regional senior investigator with reviewing unit operations, and as appropriate, recommends strategies to accomplish workload, improve performance, and achieve unit efficiencies.
Judgmental failure can result in incomplete or ineffective investigations, inaccurate findings, and inappropriate corrective or disciplinary actions. This may impair employees' faith in the accountability process or bring discredit to the agency.
The purpose of work contacts is primarily to gather information relevant to investigations. Work contacts include intra-agency partners for the purpose of planning and conducting onsite investigations within the mission of the organization.
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 a new 18-month commitment to IHSC .
ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer who works at IHSC.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Civilians are not eligible for this position.
Qualifications
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
May be exposed to stressful situations while completing assignments.
Sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time (6-10 Hours).
Lifting and carrying: investigative equipment (e.g., laptop computer, portable printer, office supplies and documents), personal luggage, patients with assistance.
Average manual dexterity for computer operation.
Phone use for extended periods of time.
Must be able to wear N-95 respirators.
Required to perform CPR standing or kneeling.
Education
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Current unrestricted license to practice in any U.S. State or Territory in one of the following professional categories: Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Nurse, Physician Assistant, Behavioral Health Professional, Pharmacist, Dentist, Dental Hygienist, and/or Physician.
Qualifying degree for the officer's category 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 two years of experience satisfactorily performing duties of a licensed health care professional in a detention/correctional facility.
At least two years of supervisory experience or experience related to management or administration of public health programs is preferred.
Applicant must meet qualifications for the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Management Inquiry Training within one year of hiring. Requirements include:
a. GS 13, or PHS LCDR, or above;
b. Minimum six years' experience in an ICE office, or at the unit chief's discretion;
c. No recent or pending disciplinary action;
d. Working knowledge of ICE rules, regulations, and policies; and
e. Must receive a favorable adjudication on a Tier 4 background investigation.
Valid driver's license and be willing to travel, by agency-directed means, up to twice per month, for 1 - 7 days per trip, with little or no advanced notice.
Knowledge of investigative resources, investigative principles and techniques, evidence collection and interviewing techniques, investigative report writing, agency writing style, patient safety and medical quality management principles and techniques, and health care risk management principles and techniques.
Knowledge of ICE Detention Standards, American Correctional Association Standards, National Commission on Correctional Health Care Standards, generally applicable health care standards, laws, and regulations, and professional practice standards, laws, and regulations.
Knowledge of IHSC, ICE, and PHS rules, regulations, and policies.
Proficiency with computer applications used in general office settings, e.g., Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and SharePoint.
If the incumbent holds a clinical license, it is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position may be required to perform clinical activities with the scope of clinical license in times of critical needs within the agency.
Additional information
This is a U.S. Public Health Service position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff, IHSC Investigations Unit (IIU). This is a non-supervisory position.
Incumbent serves as an entry-level program management officer for IHSC Headquarters. IIU is a national IHSC program responsible for conducting investigations at over 140 detention facilities that house noncitizens. The incumbent is responsible for investigating allegations of inappropriate health care. In addition, the incumbent assists senior investigators with investigating: 1) incidents of mortality or significant morbidity; and 2) allegations of employee misconduct.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC) administered and managed a health care system that provided direct care to over 88,000 detainees housed at 21 designated facilities throughout the nation, to include medical, dental, mental health care, and public health services. Oversaw health care for over 169,000 detainees housed in 150 non-IHSC-staffed facilities, totaling over 53,000 beds. In FY 2021, there were a total of 205,242 individuals in ICE custody, with an average length of stay of 37 days. IHSC also directly supports ICE field office directors on medical issues within their area of responsibility. IHSC executed a budget that approached $316M in FY 2021.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
Incumbent reports to the Regional Senior Investigator.
Assignments are usually of a short-term, recurring or broadly defined nature. Officer plans, and organizes own work, selects and develops methods and seeks assistance from experts routinely. Work is regularly checked for completeness and accuracy. Guidelines may be applicable to some but not all parts of assignment and may contain some inconsistencies. Selection and adaptation from available possibilities involving a moderate amount of modification 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. The officer keeps the supervisor informed of the status on projects and consults with him/her on any significant problems encountered.
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.
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")
You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience.
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
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 do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of application.
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 09/02/2025.
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.
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")
You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience.
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
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 do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of application.
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 09/02/2025.
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.
