Historian

Historian

Department: Department of Homeland Security

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $143913 - $187093 Per Year

Job Summary: Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, in Washington, District of Columbia. Proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable for completing research-related tasks and may enhance the applicant's ability to perform the duties of this position.

Major Duties:

• The selected historian will join the Human Rights Violators Law Division (HRVLD) of OPLA as a specialist on the Middle East and be part of a team that investigates and prosecutes human rights violators and war criminals. HRVLD historians are experts on the history of post-1950s conflicts or regimes in which human rights abuses were perpetrated and have broad knowledge of relevant historical literature and of domestic, foreign, and international archives, and similar repositories containing records pertinent to the investigations of human rights violations and war crimes. HRVLD historians conduct case-related investigative research as part of regionally focused teams at the Homeland Security Investigations led Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. The teams work to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal and immigration cases against individuals in the U.S. who have been involved in persecution, genocide, extrajudicial killing, torture, severe violations of religious freedom, female genital mutilation, the use or recruitment of child soldiers, war crimes or other human rights violations, as well as to seek the subsequent removal of these individuals from the United States. As a Historian, you will perform the following duties: Demonstrate a high degree of resourcefulness, ingenuity, tenacity and creative thinking in conducting research. Synthesize and contextualize research findings for varying audiences. Organize, track, and account for documents and sources reviewed or collected on a large-scale research project. Analyze primary source materials to prepare status reports detailing progress in investigative research.

Qualifications: Limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic AND Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below. Basic Requirement: You must meet one of the items listed below (A or B): A. Possess a degree in history; or related field that included at least 18 semester hours or quarterly equivalent in history. Graduate study in the social sciences or humanities may also be credited when such study included training in historical research methodology; or the thesis approached the subject from an historical viewpoint and used professional historical research methodology and techniques in its preparation. (Must provide transcripts) B. Possess a combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in history, or a major in a related field that included at least 18 semester hours or quarterly equivalent in history, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Graduate study in the social sciences or humanities may also be credited when such study included training in historical research methodology; or the thesis approached the subject from an historical viewpoint and used professional historical research methodology and techniques in its preparation. (Must provide transcripts) ADDITIONAL Requirement: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, in addition to the Basic Requirement above, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education below for the grade level for which you are applying. Specialized Experience GS-14: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-13 level in the Federal service that included experience such as: Conducting academic research or similar field research in the Middle East or North Africa. Conducting research in archives or repositories that house foreign records, documents, and materials and/or oral history interviews related to post-1950 conflicts where Human Rights violations were perpetrated. Assembling detailed research findings and recommending next steps to be taken to further a research project. Presenting research findings for varying audiences. Proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable for completing research-related tasks and may enhance the applicant's ability to perform the duties of this position. Applicants who possess this skill are encouraged to include relevant details in their application, such as knowledge of vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and rules of composition for the language, or for another spoken foreign language. Note: Applicants should indicate their Middle East or North African regional expertise and Arabic language proficiency in their resume. NOTE: 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. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. Current or Former Political Appointees: 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. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12893432 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/04/2026. PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. We encourage you to apply online. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 03/04/2026. It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application. One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-04