Asylum Officer
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 Asylum Officer, you will engage in the administration of Immigration and Nationality laws pertinent to the Asylum Program, serve as a USCIS representative on asylum matters, and support the strategic mission and resource management of the Asylum Division.
Major duties
The responsibilities described are for the full performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope performed with less independence, and limited complexity. Perform quality assurance activities to ensure compliance with relevant immigration laws, regulations, operational policy, administrative, and judicial decisions. Prepare or edit written reports, analyses, procedures, briefings, memoranda and correspondence in support of program management. Engage with stakeholders to execute priorities with diligent adherence to policies and achievement of goals. Coordinate the short- and long-term planning and management of new, substantive agency programs. Provide technical policy and procedural guidance and assistance to subordinate organizations, other government agencies, Congress and the public.
What you need to qualify
The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 08/10/2026. 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 08/10/2026. GS-12: You qualify at the GS-12 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-11 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: Making final adjudicative determinations on complex immigration benefits. Applying relevant laws, regulations, guidelines and procedures to make lawful determinations on immigration benefits. Liaising with governmental or nongovernmental partners, including the public, to gather pertinent information for adjudicative review. GS-13: You qualify at the GS-13 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-12 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: Providing technical guidance to staff who review or process immigration-related applications or protection screenings. Making recommendations to program areas that support immigration processes. Engaging with stakeholders to execute priorities of a program area. 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: Developing short and long-range goals for program area(s) that include evaluations and recommendations of ongoing functions. Overseeing implementation of programs and providing technical support as needed. Representing agency or organization in interactions with high-level officials or the public to garner trust and credibility. San Francisco Location Only: Employment at the San Francisco Asylum Office provides an exciting opportunity for staff to work in both downtown San Francisco and our newly established Oakland Branch. Both locations are accessible through public transportation, and travel between the two offices is quick and convenient. While staff members will be assigned to the SF duty station, employees may be expected to work out of the Oakland Branch. 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 08/10/2026. 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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