Senior Immigrations Services Officer (Training Instructor)

Summary

Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud. As a Senior Immigrations Services Officer (Training Instructor), you will conduct and develop training courses on immigration law, policy, and practice for USCIS employees. Please see the Conditions of Employment and Qualifications sections for specific details on the rotational (2-4 year) position with relocation benefits

Duties

• Instruct BASIC and advanced immigration courses.
• Design, develop, and revise course content.
• Maintain and assure specific course content is current, technically accurate, sound and consistent with established agency goals and operational policies.
• Conduct independent research on immigration policy or procedural changes mandated by recent legislation and/or precedent decisions in order to update assigned course modules and maintain subject matter expertise.
• Modify and prepare lectures, exercises, and job aids using adult learning methodologies that correspond with the abilities and demonstrated progression of the student to ensure instruction is adequately understood.
• Coordinate classroom activities by providing technical and program guidance to students and instructors in such areas as attendance, academic issues, scheduling, special accommodations and ceremonies

Qualifications

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 09/14/2026. Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service. The Time-in-Grade requirement must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 09/14/2026. GS-13: You qualify at the GS-13 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the majority of the following duties: Providing subject matter expertise in a wide variety of immigration law, regulations, policies, and procedures to varied audiences, particularly as it relates to immigration benefit adjudication. Managing training classes and overseeing employees and resources to support the Academy's mission, including daily schedules, classroom evaluations, and enforcement of policies. Providing performance assessments, resolving complex training issues, and offering technical guidance and mentoring to instructors and staff. Please read the following important information to ensure you submit everything we need to consider your application: It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation prior to 09/14/2026. You must upload your resume under the "Resume" category. Resumes submitted under the "Other Documents" category will not be considered. Your most recently submitted resume will be used to determine your qualifications for the position advertised in this announcement. Therefore, your resume must highlight your most relevant, significant experience related to the requirements found in the qualification section of this announcement, as well as any applicable education. Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. To help ensure your resume remains clear and easy to read, we recommend using margins of at least 0.8 inches and a font size of at least 11 point. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since Human Resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Your application will be rated and ranked based on your responses to the online questions. Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Duties (be specific in describing your duties) Employer's name and address Supervisor name and phone number Start and end dates including month, day and year (e.g. June 18 2007 to April 05 2008) Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Salary Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide the above information may result in a finding of ineligible. Note: Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Federal Experience: If you are using current or prior federal experience as a basis for qualifying for this position, the grade levels and length of employment (mm/dd/year) at each grade level must be listed in your work history. This information will be further validated if selected for this position. 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 criteria 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 service. Rotation Terms: Applicants accepting a 2-4 year rotation for the Senior ISO (Training Instructor) position at the USCIS Academy Training Center (ATC) in Charleston, South Carolina are selected into a permanent position but must sign a rotational agreement as a condition of employment agreeing to the following terms: The initial duration of this rotational assignment to the Academy Training Center in Charleston, SC is 2 years with the possibility of two 1-year extensions amounting to a possible maximum total of 4 years (2+1+1). Extensions are at the discretion of Management. If an extension is offered, employees will have the option to accept or return to their home office at the end of their rotation. Management may authorize an exception to the four-year limitation due to management need. Selected employees will be entitled to a permanent change of station (PCS) move to Charleston, South Carolina, at the beginning of their rotation (with a one year service agreement) and a PCS move at the end of their rotation (2-4 years) either to their previous duty location or to a new duty location if selected for another non-remote position within USCIS. At the end of the rotation, the selected employee will have return rights to a position of the same grade and duty station as their previous position. If an employee is promoted when selected for the rotation position, they will return to the grade of their prior position when the rotation is complete unless they are selected for another position. When the rotation is set to end, HCT will notify the employee and the home office 6 months in advance of the date when the employee will be set to return. For employees coming off rotation who are interested in seeking a new position of the same grade, the ATC will notify FOD and SCOPS of desired locations for a potential transfer. Employees on rotation may also be offered a non-competitive transfer to a permanent instructor position at the ATC. Please use the following link to access frequently asked questions on USCIS Connect: Instructor Rotation FAQs The Academy Training Center (ATC) requires Senior Immigration Services Officers (Training Instructors) to successfully complete the Instructor Qualifications Program (IQP). This program is designed to ensure that instructional staff receive the necessary training, professional development, and technical proficiency to effectively conduct training. A key component of the IQP is Subject Matter Testing, which evaluates instructors' proficiency and knowledge in immigration law and policy. Passing these assessments is a mandatory job requirement and ensures that instructors maintain the subject matter expertise critical to their role. The IQP reflects ATC's commitment to delivering high-quality training and fostering instructional excellence.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment: You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National to apply for this position Successfully pass a Background Investigation including financial disclosure You must pass a drug screening Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service Political appointees may require OPM approval before on-boarding USCIS applies the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 to its telework program This position IS NOT considered "essential" for purposes of reporting to work when the facility might otherwise be closed. Residency Requirement: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This residency requirement states that candidates must have, for three of the last five years immediately prior to applying for this position; (1) resided in the United States; OR (2) worked for the United States Government as an employee overseas in a Federal or Military capacity, OR (3) been a dependent of a U.S. Federal or Military employee serving overseas. Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year. Appointment type: Permanent - This rotation position is open to FOD and SCOPS employees. Selectees are placed into a permanent position but must sign a rotational agreement as a condition of employment. Relocation expenses are reimbursed through Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). Additionally, a financial relocation incentive in the form of a bi-weekly pay increase is available with a service agreement.

Education

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP): Per 5 CFR 576.202, An employee who receives a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) and later accepts employment for compensation with the Government of the United States within 5 years of the date of the separation on which the VSIP is based, including work under a personal services contract or other direct contract, must repay the entire amount of the VSIP to the agency that paid it (proof of payment is required) before the individual's first day of reemployment. 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 Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. Common definitions for hiring terms found in this announcement.

How to apply

Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement 09/14/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resource Office listed below at least one business day prior to 09/14/2026 for instructions. Applications will not be accepted by mail.