Early Career Recruitment Specialist

Summary 6-month non-reimbursable assignment. The only compensation for this assignment is the federal salary you are already receiving. DHS Office of Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) Early Career Recruitment Specialist Series Requested: 0201 Security Clearance: None Virtual/Remote: You may perform this assignment from your current federal employing office anywhere in the country. This assignment does not confer any new telework benefits. Only current, full-time federal employees are eligible. Major Duties DHS is advancing a Department-wide effort to build reliable early career talent pipelines that expand access to employment opportunities for students, recent graduates, Job Corps participants, and other emerging talent. This requires sustained coordination across DHS Components and with partners such as the Department of Labor's Job Corps, colleges and universities, career and technical education programs, workforce-development organizations, and other external stakeholders. The Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer's (OCHCO) Merit-Based Engagement, Recruitment, Integration and Talent (MERIT) Team seeks a skilled detailee to support the development and implementation of a sustainable early career recruitment and outreach program. The detailee will provide programmatic, analytical, and operational support to strengthen talent pipelines, improve candidate experience, and help DHS attract early career talent for mission-critical occupations. This role will help transition DHS early career recruitment from event-based outreach to an integrated, repeatable, and results-oriented program by developing outreach frameworks, standard processes, partnership strategies, candidate support tools, tracking mechanisms, and program assessments informed by workforce needs, data, and stakeholder feedback. A dedicated detailee is needed to provide the capacity and recruitment expertise required to sustain partner engagement, prepare candidates for DHS opportunities, track participants through the hiring process, and evaluate recruitment outcomes. Program Development, Analysis, Reporting, and Executive Support Develop and maintain candidate tracking tools, status categories, referral processes, dashboards, and follow-up procedures to monitor candidate progression from initial engagement through application, assessment, selection, onboarding, or final disposition. Analyze pipeline activity, candidate progression, mentorship participation, curriculum feedback, and stakeholder input to identify trends, barriers, process gaps, and opportunities for improvement. Prepare executive-level products, including briefing papers, executive summaries, decision memoranda, talking points, presentation slides, status reports, dashboards, and recommendations for DHS senior leaders and key stakeholders. Synthesize workforce data, program information, implementation risks, resource considerations, outcomes, challenges, and decision points into clear and concise materials for leadership review. Coordinate input from DHS Components and program stakeholders, resolve inconsistencies, respond to follow-up questions, and assist in translating leadership decisions into program actions. Early Career Mentorship and Candidate Support Assist in designing and implementing a structured DHS mentorship program for Job Corps students interested in homeland security careers. Develop mentorship program materials, including eligibility criteria, mentor and mentee expectations, matching procedures, orientation resources, engagement schedules, discussion guides, feedback tools, and success measures. Support mentor and mentee engagement through career-exploration activities, progress check-ins, referral procedures, and recommendations to improve program effectiveness and scalability. Career Readiness Support Act as a liaison for Enterprise Services with Job Corps and other relevant DHS offices to: a. Assess Job Corps curricula, training materials, and career-readiness activities for alignment with DHS occupational needs, technical competencies, professional skills, and federal employment-readiness requirements. b. Conduct gap analyses and recommend enhancements to existing curricula or supplemental modules on DHS careers, federal résumé development, USAJOBS navigation, application requirements, interview preparation, workplace expectations, security and suitability considerations, and career advancement. c. Coordinate with DHS subject-matter experts, recruiters, program offices, and Job Corps representatives to validate curriculum recommendations, support implementation, and establish feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement. Early Career Outreach and Recruitment Program Development Support the development and implementation of a department-wide early career outreach and recruitment framework focused on Job Corps students, students, recent graduates, and other emerging talent populations. DHS Recruitment Strategy Action Planning Coordinate with DHS National Recruitment Advisor to strategize overall DHS recruitment to include Component and stakeholder engagement, long-term planning, short-term execution, and ways to position DHS as an employer of choice for top talent. Education EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution for this position. Evaluations We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using a job questionnaire based on the competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this Joint Duty Assignment. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. After reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination will be made. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. What to Expect Next Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the selecting official for further consideration and a possible interview. We will notify you by email at various stages in the process. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a final JDA offer within 90 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. Telework: Telework eligibility is based on the needs of the office and is subject to change. Additional information pertaining to your interest and availability for this position may be needed after the closing date of the Joint Duty Assignment vacancy announcement; therefore, a timely response to these requests must be adhered to in order to remain in consideration. Required Documents Resume: Do not include any personally identifiable information (PII) i.e., home address, social security number, or date of birth. Your resume must clearly demonstrate you have experience which meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section. SF-50: Submit a copy of your official SF-50 (no text version) or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document which shows the following information: Your appointment in the Federal service Tenure Grade and Step Full performance level If your SF-50(s) does not provide the information needed to make a final determination for qualification, you will be found ineligible for the position. DHS Joint Duty Assignment Application Form signed by your supervisor. Please click on the following link to access the required form DHS Form 250-02. Other Information DHS does not offer any additional benefits beyond that which the Federal employee is already receiving. If the position requires a security clearance, employees must have a SECRET or TOP SECRET clearance to placement AND must maintain that level of clearance while performing in the position. Selected applicants for a JDA are requested to fulfill the items below during the JDA: Complete the DHS Training Course 15 days prior to the arrival to the JDA. Complete the DHS Joint Duty Assignment Progress Plan to include: Phase 1: Establish assignment objectives within the first 30 days of the JDA. Phase 2: Complete a self-assessment of the duties performed at the mid-point of the JDA. Phase 3: Complete a final review within the last 30 days of the JDA. #J-18808-Ljbffr Usajobs