Instructional Systems Specialist
What you'd do
Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud. As an Instructional Systems Specialist (Senior), you will lead the design, evaluation, and management of complex training programs, drive agency-wide instructional initiatives, and collaborate with stakeholders to advance USCIS workforce development.
Major duties
Lead the design and implementation of complex training programs using advanced instructional models and adult learning theories. Direct agency-wide needs assessments and task analyses to identify performance gaps and recommend strategic training solutions. Develop and oversee assessment tools and evaluation strategies to measure training effectiveness and recommend improvements. Serve as principal liaison with SMEs and leadership to ensure training aligns with USCIS regulations, technologies, and goals. Manage the life cycle of multiple high-impact training projects, ensuring timely delivery, quality, and alignment with agency goals. Mentor junior staff and lead initiatives to build instructional capacity and foster professional growth within USCIS.
What you need to qualify
The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 07/30/2026. 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 07/30/2026. Application Limit: This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received. All applications received prior to midnight 11:59 PM (ET) of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. If the application limit is not reached by the closing date of the announcement, all applications received during the open period will be considered. Any required documents must be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted past the day the application limit is reached, if applicable. If you choose to edit your application after it has been submitted, it will be removed from consideration until you re-submit your application. The date your application is last submitted will be used to determine whether you meet the cut-off criteria. Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet the following basic requirements: (Must be supported in Transcripts from an accredited institution, Resume and/or Applicable Certificate). Degree: That included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours appropriate to the work of the position to be filled. The course work must have included study in at least four of the following five areas: Learning theory, psychology of learning, educational psychology: Study of learning theories as they relate to the systematic design, development, and validation of instructional material. Instructional design practices: Study of the principles and techniques used in designing training programs, developing design strategy and models, and applying design methods to the improvement of instructional effectiveness. Educational evaluation: Study of the techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of instructional/educational programs, including developing written and performance tests and survey instruments, and determining reliability and validity of evaluation instruments. Instructional product development: Study of the techniques appropriate for developing training materials, including identifying learner characteristics, specifying objectives, applying training strategy, validating training materials, and evaluating training. Computers in education and training: Study of the application of computers in education and training, including selecting appropriate computer software. 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 majority of the following duties: Creating and updating professional development programs to ensure they meet high educational standards and follow best practices in training. Planning and managing all major phases of the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process, including needs analysis, curriculum design, media selection, and evaluation. Assessing job task analysis methods and results to improve instructional program development. Identifying and ensuring availability of resources required to accomplish intake, design development, implementation, and evaluation. Preparing and managing development and implementation plans and budgets. Developing and evaluating programs for staff and faculty development, administering evaluations at various levels. 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 07/30/2026. You must upload your resume under the "Resume" category. Resumes submitted under the "Other Documents" category will not be considered. Your most recently submitted 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.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
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