Historian

Duties

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.

• Demonstrate a high degree of resourcefulness, ingenuity, tenacity and creative thinking in conducting research.
• Synthesize and contextualize research findings for varying audiences.
• Organize, track, and account for documents and sources reviewed or collected on a large‑scale research project.
• Analyze primary source materials to prepare status reports detailing progress in investigative research.

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation, which may include a credit check, a review of financial issues (such as delinquent debts, child support, or tax obligations) and certain criminal offenses and illegal drug use.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Probationary Period:
  This is a full‑time permanent position. Upon appointment, you may be required to serve a one‑year probationary period.

Applicants must meet one of the following items (A or

B):

Applicants must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS‑13 level in the Federal service that included experience such as:

• Conducting academic research or similar field research in the Middle East or North Africa.
• Conducting research in archives or repositories that house foreign records, documents, and materials and/or oral history interviews related to post‑1950 conflicts where Human Rights violations were perpetrated.
• Assembling detailed research findings and recommending next steps to be taken to further a research project.
• Presenting research findings for varying audiences.

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. Applicants who possess this skill are…