Department of Homeland Security

Victim Assistance Specialist

Washington, District of Columbia Full time

Victim Assistance Specialist

Department: Department of Homeland Security

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $121785 - $158322 Per Year

Job Summary: Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Partnership and Engagement, in Washington, District of Columbia.

Major Duties:

  • As a Victim Assistance Specialist, at the full performance level, you will perform the following duties: Provide support, crisis intervention, and referrals to victims contacting or being referred to the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE) Program Build collaboration and partnerships with key partners to support victims and agency's goals and priorities Develop briefings and reports to leadership to enhance program processes and operations Create and disseminate informational resources to advance the goals and objectives of the VOICE Program Maintain expertise related to victim assistance programs and best practices for crisis interventions for victims of crime

Qualifications: 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, B, or C): A. Possess a degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (Must provide transcripts) B. Possess a combination of education and experience -- that provided you with the knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (Must provide transcripts) C. Possess four years of appropriate experience that demonstrates acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. AND Specialized Experience: GS-13: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, performing 3 or more of the following: Assisting victims with submitting victim compensation applications; Providing crisis intervention to victims, including referral to services requested; Conducting outreach to victim assistance organizations to ensure services align with needs; Developing cooperative working relationships with representatives of other agencies, such as Federal, state, or local officials. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. 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. 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.

How to Apply: 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 closing date. 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. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/28/2026. Please Note: Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. 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. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. 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: 2026-01-28