Duties

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As a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations), you will be responsible for providing overall advice and assistance on management-employee relations, discipline, adverse actions, grievances, performance management and recognition, employee counseling, and related functions to employees and management.

Typical work assignments include:

• Provides advice and assistance to employees, supervisors, managers and officials on individual disciplinary and adverse action cases.
• Serves as the action officer for disciplinary and adverse action cases that requires action and provides a counseling service to employees on complaints or inquiries not referred by employees to supervisors.
• Provides management-employee relations support to assigned organizations where issues typically involve extremely difficult situations and environmental conditions causing significant problems in identifying the nature and scope of personnel issues.
• Assures that official case files are properly maintained with complete documentation to support recommended or final action. Coordinates with legal officials as appropriate.
• Reviews and advises management on performance plans and provides technical information on performance management systems.
• Interprets OIG policies and provides advice on other personnel issues such as RIF, substance abuse, sexual harassment, hours of work, changes in working conditions, job related stress, smoking/violence in the work place, leave administration, pay entitlements, affirmative action, etc.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position
• You must successfully pass a background investigation
• You must be able to obtain SECRET security clearance
• You will be required to undergo periodic drug testing
• Financial disclosure is required
• Selective Service registration required
• Completion of one-year Probationary period may be required.
• Submission of Performance Appraisal is mandatory

Qualifications

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

If you are a current federal employee, you must meet all time-in-grade and time-after competitive appointment qualifications by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. To make an accurate determination, you will need to include on your resume your federal position title, pay plan, occupational series, grade level, agency, dates for which you held the grade level (stated as MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, OR MM/YYYY to PRESENT), and total hours worked per week. 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).

Minimum Qualifications for GS-14: You qualify for the GS-14 position if you possess one year of ALL the specialized experience at the equivalent to GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience at this level includes:

• Prepare or review notices of proposed disciplinary and adverse actions for legal sufficiency, procedural compliance, and consistency with OIG policy.
• Provide advice and assistance to supervisors to develop in them an awareness of the human needs and reactions of employees, and suggest constructive methods for dealing with problems arising from indifference, personality conflicts, and poor work habits or behavior problems.
• Serve as the technical authority and action officer for disciplinary and adverse action cases and provides a counseling service to employees on complaints or inquiries not referred by employees to supervisors.

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 critical 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 experience.

The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date 07/06/2026of this announcement.

Current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade level or equivalent grade band in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date 07/06/2026of this announcement.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Additional information

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select Benefits. Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.