NSEPnet-Job Detail

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REGIONAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans/Office of International Affairs - North America
Department of Homeland Security

Overview

NSEP Exclusive

Open & Closing Dates
06/04/2026 to 06/19/2026

Pay Scale & Grade
GS9 per year

Work Schedule
Full-Time

Promotion Potential
GS13

Appointment Type
Permanent

Location

City
Washington, DC

State
DC Metro Area

Duties

Summary
The incumbent will serve as a Regional Affairs Specialist within the Office of International Affairs. The analyst will work with DHS, interagency partners, foreign government officials and other international stakeholders to resolve or advance issues linked to Mexico, Canada, and the air, land, and maritime borders between those two countries and the United States.

Responsibilities
The incumbent will work with DHS operational components including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, United States Secret Service, United States Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Transportation Security Administration, and external agencies (e.g., Departments of State, War, Justice and others) to advance DHS’s goals and objectives related to Mexico and Canada. More specifically, the incumbent will work on the full range of DHS-related issues, from border and immigration enforcement to biometrics-sharing protocols, to trade and travel facilitation. The incumbent will thus develop cross-cutting policies in response to emerging threats and challenges that confront the homeland security enterprise and our foreign partners.

The incumbent will assist in developing position papers, briefing materials, strategies, and other policy recommendations for consideration by DHS leadership. The incumbent will research, review, and analyze new and proposed legislation, executive orders, strategies, and policy initiatives to assess the impact on DHS programs and operations with a nexus to Mexico and Canada. The incumbent will provide logistical support for and, as appropriate, participate in meetings with U.S. and foreign government officials and stakeholders.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment
• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position.

• You must be able to obtain/maintain a Secret security clearance.

• Relocation Expenses WILL NOT be paid.

Qualifications
o Background in international affairs, public policy, public administration, or related fields

o Experience articulating complex problems and developing creative solutions within aggressive deadlines

o Experience researching complex public policy subject areas from diverse sources and recommending policy options

o Experience drafting public policy papers

o Excellent communication, research, and writing skills

o Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with an executive audience

o Demonstrated interest in homeland security/DHS missions

o Experience working on policies related to North America, international affairs, national security, and/or immigration enforcement

o Spanish-language skills desired but not a requirement

Security Clearance

Required
Secret

Required Application Materials

Resume, Academic Transcripts, DD-214 (veterans or active duty military only), SF-50 (current or former federal employees only), NSEP Letter of Certification, Writing Sample

Application Instructions

Your application is due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the application close date indicated above. Failure to follow the application instructions may result in rejection of your application.

Cover letters should be tailored to the position and generically addressed to the division mentioned above.

Resume and Supporting Materials

You will need to submit your application through the vacancy posting on the NSEPnet Job Board. Please upload each of the required documents in the appropriate location. Files should be in Word, Excel, PDF, Text or Html formats only. When naming each file, please follow the following naming convention:

Document Type_Last Name, First Name

For example, the applicant John Smith would submit a resume named “Resume_Smith, John”.

To access the NSEPnet Job Board, you will need to login to https://www.nsepnet.org. The link to NSEPnet Job Board is at the top of the page under the “Job Search” tab. Please select the position you are interested in, read over the application instructions carefully, and upload all required documents.

If you cannot login or do not remember your login credentials, please use the Forgot Username tool at https://nsepnet.org/ForgotUsername.aspx or the Forgot Password tool at https://nsepnet.org/ForgotPassword.aspx.

SF-50 and DD-214

If you are a current or former federal employee, you will need to include your SF-50 (or similar document proving federal employment) in your application. If you are a veteran or active duty member of the U.S. military, you will need to include a DD-214 in your application.

Letter of Certification

You will need to request a Letter of Certification for this exclusive position. To request a Letter of Certification from the NSEPnet home page, hover over the blue “Request a Letter” option at the top of the page and click on “Certification Letter” from the drop-down options. Requests for Letters of Certification are generally processed within 1-2 business days.

HIRING AUTHORITY

The Department of Homeland Security will utilize the Schedule A (r) and/or NDAA’13 hiring authorities afforded to all NSEP award recipients with outstanding service requirements to make appointments to this position in the excepted service. NSEP award recipients who have already completed their service requirement to NSEP in full are not eligible to apply.

Additional Notes

This opportunity is only open to NSEP award recipients who have not yet fulfilled their service requirement to NSEP in full. If you have completed work which may fulfill part or all of your service under the terms of your Service Agreement with NSEP, please submit a Service Agreement Report (SAR) requesting service credit for that work as soon as possible. Feel free to reach out to the NSEP Service Team at nsep@nsep.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

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