Asylum Officer

Asylum Officer (Homeland Defender)

This entry-level role requires no college degree and offers up to $50,000 in signing and retention bonuses. If you're driven and ready to serve with pride, join USCIS and become a vital part of homeland security!

Duties

• Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with Refugee, Asylum and International Operations, Asylum Division, and is assigned based on the needs of the agency.
• The responsibilities described are for the full performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope performed with less independence, and limited complexity.
• Adjudicating complex and highly sensitive asylum applications and other adjudications managed by the asylum program.
• Conducting credible/reasonable fear screenings.
• Reviewing applications and supporting evidence, conducting interviews, performing security checks, and researching information provided by the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate, the Department of State, and other sources.
• Interpreting and applying appropriate policy, regulations, statutes, and precedent decisions to make eligibility determinations.
• Producing written determinations supporting adjudications, such as asylum, credible fear and reasonable fear decisions.
• Establishing and maintaining liaison with external federal agencies and/or private sector stakeholders involved in asylum benefits.

GS-07: You qualify at the GS-07 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-05 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 following duties:

• Analyzing information gathered through research to summarize facts or provide written recommendations.
• Performing research to gather specific information from a variety of sources (for example: databases, official reports and documents).
• Reviewing immigration benefit applications to determine adjudicative decision. OR
• You may substitute successful completion of one year of fulltime graduate education for the experience required at the GS-07 level. This education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university and demonstrate the skills necessary to do the work of the position. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hours. OR
• You may also substitute superior academic achievement for the experience required at the GS-07 level. You must have completed the requirements for a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with either: (1) class standing in the upper third of a graduating class or major subdivision; or, (2) a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on four (4) years of education or the final two (2) years; or, (3) a 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 two (2) years of the curriculum; or, (4) membership in a national scholastic honor society.