Asylum Officer

Citizenship and Immigration Services•Miami, FL

About The Position

The Asylum Officer adjudicates complex asylum applications and provides guidance to lower-graded officers and analysts who adjudicate or screen applications for immigration benefits. The position also makes recommendations on organizational guidelines and procedures. The officer mentors other Asylum Officers and provides technical assistance, guidance, and advice to help them meet or exceed goals, standards, and objectives. The role includes adjudicating cases involving national security or serious public-safety concerns, high-profile matters, and novel or unsettled areas of law; preparing legal decisions on novel and test cases; and coordinating with fraud detection and national security officers, immigration attorneys and agents, and other legal, law-enforcement, and intelligence officials. This federal position requires U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status, successful completion of a background investigation and drug screening, and compliance with applicable Selective Service requirements. Applicants not currently employed by USCIS must meet the stated residency requirement. A one-year probationary period may apply. The position is at the GS-13 level and requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-12; educational substitution is not available at this grade. Agency-required training must be completed successfully. The announcement describes a federal benefits package and DHS employee development opportunities.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.
Successfully pass a background investigation, including financial disclosure, and pass a drug screening.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Applicants not currently employed by USCIS must meet the residency requirement: for three of the five years immediately before applying, have resided in the United States, worked overseas as a U.S. Government employee in a Federal or Military capacity, or been a dependent of such an employee serving overseas.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
For GS-13, have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-12, including experience performing the majority of the specified duties: interviewing or eliciting information from asylum, refugee, or other immigration-benefit applicants; providing guidance or support on immigration services, case management, or legal compliance; reviewing written legal analysis or memoranda related to immigration-benefit decisions; and analyzing immigration case-management or adjudication processes to improve efficiency, quality, and customer service.
Current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the lower grade or equivalent grade band; the time-in-grade requirement must be met by the stated deadline.
Complete any required agency training successfully.
Submit a resume of no more than two pages and the required application materials by the stated deadline.

Responsibilities

Mentor Asylum Officers and provide technical assistance, guidance, and advice to help them meet or exceed goals, standards, and objectives.
Adjudicate complex asylum cases, including cases involving national security or serious public-safety concerns, high-profile cases, and cases involving novel or unsettled areas of law.
Write legal decisions on novel and test cases to clarify or address new aspects of USCIS guidance and procedures.
Work closely with USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Officers, ICE attorneys and agents, and other legal, law-enforcement, and intelligence officials.
Make recommendations on organizational guidelines and procedures.