Technical Writer/Editor (O-5 Billet) Supervisory

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer. USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

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Duties

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervises a technical editing team that writes technical materials, such as policy directives and guides, scientific or technical articles, regulations in technical areas; technical manuals; clinical guidelines, brochures, and pamphlets; award submissions.
Reviews technical materials to ensure they are written clearly without sacrificing thoroughness and accuracy; ensures materials are consistent with agency policy, meets style requirements of the agency, ensures materials are written at an appropriate level for the intended audience.
Works closely with outside and in-house authors, edits texts to ensure clarity and logical presentation of material, consistency and effectiveness of style, and accuracy of spelling and grammar.
Advises and assists authors during the writing stage; verify information supplemented by research and consultation with other subject experts; examine the organization, length, and tone of the material; edit the text for clarity and accuracy; consult on design and graphics.
Reviews the work of authors, freelance editors, proofreaders, translators, and indexers. Reviews all stages of proofs while considering accuracy, and timelines.
Collaborates effectively with internal stakeholders, such as publications and communications coordinators, research associates, web developers, design and production staff, brand and content strategists, and others.
Communicates expectations, including workflow and deadlines, and developments to various stakeholders and resolves problems or conflicts with good judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
Reviews publications for style, design, layout, and editorial aspects before release.
Edits, rewrites, and reorganizes materials to ensure information is presented in a clear, concise, and logical form.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
You must successfully pass a background investigation.
You must successfully pass a drug screen.
Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer. USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

Qualifications

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Requires physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
Must have the ability to assist sick, injured, or aging staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency, such as running a short distance, prolonged standing.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Officer must possess a qualifying degree for the officer's category and an advanced degree (e.g., M.A. or M.S.) from an accredited institution. Previous supervisory experience preferred. Officer must have experience in technical writing, project management, and policy development for at least three years to successfully perform duties for this position.

Such experience should encompass a broad range of communications-related activities, which may include but are not limited to the following:

Supervision and oversight of Technical Editing Team, assign workload and tasks as appropriate, evaluate staff performance, and determine staff training needs.
Command of grammar, punctuation, and spelling to convey information in plain language. This may include shifting sentences within paragraphs, corrections of sentences for faulty syntax or poor choice of words, and conformance to IHSC Style Guide.
Communication skills to collaborate with staff for document contents. The incumbent's ability to communicate with others ensures they can successfully work with others to write documents. Problem-solving skills to accurately describe processes and functions within IHSC's health care system. Research topics and organizes findings in easy-to-understand language. Conducting in-depth research can help you write more thorough instructions for others.
Time management skills to stay on schedule for multiple projects with competing work levels and requirements.
If the incumbent holds a clinical license, it is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position may be required to perform clinical activities with the scope of clinical license in times of critical needs within the agency.

Additional information

This is a U.S. Public Health Service position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff (OCoS), IHSC Communications Unit (ICU). This is a supervisory position.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,700 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, IHSC administered and managed a health care system that provided direct care to over 88,000 detainees housed at 21 designated facilities throughout the nation, to include medical, dental, mental health care, and public health services. IHSC oversaw health care for over 169,000 detainees housed in 150 non-IHSC-staffed facilities, totaling over 53,000 beds. In FY 2021, there were a total of 205,242 individuals in ICE custody, with an average length of stay of 37 days. IHSC also directly supports ICE field office directors on medical issues within their area of responsibility. IHSC oversees the financial authorization and payment for off-site specialty and emergency care services for detainees in ICE custody. IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Incumbent reports to the chief, IHSC Communications Unit. The chief, IHSC Communications Unit, reviews written products to ensure they meet guidance and specifications.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.

Required Documents

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To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position.A complete application includes:

U. S. Public Health Service Officers

Cover Letter/Letter of Interest.
Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
Professional license. (If applicable)
Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
- You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience.
A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
For current IHSC PHS officers, IHSC Recruiting requires applicants to provide a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement. If you do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Help

To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/26/2025.

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 the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting

Email: IHSCrecruiting@ice.dhs.gov

Address: ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. 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 job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

Required Documents

Help

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position.A complete application includes:

U. S. Public Health Service Officers

Cover Letter/Letter of Interest.
Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
Professional license. (If applicable)
Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
- You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience.
A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
For current IHSC PHS officers, IHSC Recruiting requires applicants to provide a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement. If you do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Help

To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/26/2025.

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 the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting

Email: IHSCrecruiting@ice.dhs.gov

Address: ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. 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 job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.