Historian

Organizational

Location:

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, in Washington, District of Columbia.

Proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable for completing research-related tasks and may enhance the applicant's ability to perform the duties of this position.

The selected historian will join the Human Rights Violators Law Division (HRVLD) of OPLA as a specialist on the Middle East and be part of a team that investigates and prosecutes human rights violators and war criminals. HRVLD historians are experts on the history of post‑1950s conflicts or regimes in which human rights abuses were perpetrated and have broad knowledge of relevant historical literature and of domestic, foreign, and international archives, and similar repositories containing records pertinent to the investigations of human rights violations and war crimes.

HRVLD historians conduct case‑related investigative research as part of regionally focused teams at the Homeland Security Investigations‑led Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. The teams work to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal and immigration cases against individuals in the U.S. who have been involved in persecution, genocide, extrajudicial killing, torture, severe violations of religious freedom, female genital mutilation, the use or recruitment of child soldiers, war crimes or other human rights violations, as well as to seek the subsequent removal of these individuals from the United States.

As a Historian, you will perform the following duties:

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
• 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.
• Probationary Period:
  This is a full‑time permanent position (Career/Career‑Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one‑year probationary period.