Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations)

Full Job Description

Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud.

As a Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations), you will provide labor and employee relations advisory services to managers on a wide range of issues including negotiation and administration of labor agreements and employee conduct, performance, and dispute resolution.

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 02/06/2026.

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 02/06/2026 GS-14: You qualify at the GS-14 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-13 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: Providing advice, assistance, and guidance to Senior Executive Service members on complex and sensitive issues related to federal personnel laws, regulations, policies, and management of poor performance and misconduct.

Independently researching and identifying the actions needed to address unfair labor practice charges, grievances, and negotiability issues.

Representing an agency in third party legal proceedings, such as grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice charges.

Drafting, developing, reviewing, and implementing agency wide processes, procedures, policies, and directives related to labor and employee relations.

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 02/06/2026.

Your 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. Major Duties:

• Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, within the Labor and Employee Relations office, and are assigned based on the need 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.
• Serve as a technical expert in labor and employee relations, providing advice and guidance to multiple clients on a wide variety of matters, and contributing to the development of agency policy in labor and employee relations.
• Apply advanced labor relations principles, concepts, and practices, including non-traditional collaborative approaches such as labor management partnerships, alternative dispute resolution, and interest-based bargaining.
• Develop and deliver agency-wide training related to labor and employee relations processes and procedures.
• Represent the agency in labor negotiations, arbitrations, and unfair labor practice proceedings.
• Apply advanced employee relations principles, concepts, and practices to provide support and understanding to agency supervisors on policies and practices that promote acceptable conduct and performance.
• Analyze and solve complex and sensitive issues, such as those involving apparently conflicting laws or vague and untested areas of case law where policy decisions and case strategy guidance may impact the agency.
• Analyze disputed, interrelated information that must be reconstructed from circumstantial evidence, requiring substantial depth of analysis over a relatively short period in order to succinctly articulate options to their clients.
• Stay abreast of developments, trends, and significant policy and legal decisions in labor and employee relations.