Instructional Systems Specialist

Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud. As an Instructional Systems Specialist, you will plan, design, develop, and manage all the phases of instructional design for job-related training. The incumbent will also analyze various methods for performance and job-based training and learning.

**Qualifications:**
The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 04/17/2026. Time in Grade does not apply to Delegated Examining Announcements, any reference to Time in Grade in the questionnaire will not apply to the rating and ranking of applicants. Selective Placement Factor: You must have a minimum of one year of experience designing and developing eLearning content. This experience must be documented in your resume. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet the following basic requirements: (Must be supported in Transcripts from an accredited institution) Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours appropriate to the work of the position to be filled. The course work must have included study in at least four of the following five areas: Learning theory, psychology of learning, educational psychology: Study of learning theories as they relate to the systematic design, development, and validation of instructional material. Instructional design practices: Study of the principles and techniques used in designing training programs, developing design strategy and models, and applying design methods to the improvement of instructional effectiveness. Educational evaluation: Study of the techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of instructional/educational programs, including developing written and performance tests and survey instruments, and determining reliability and validity of evaluation instruments. Instructional product development: Study of the techniques appropriate for developing training materials, including identifying learner characteristics, specifying objectives, applying training strategy, validating training materials, and evaluating training. Computers in education and training: Study of the application of computers in education and training, including selecting appropriate computer software. GS-11: You qualify at the GS-11 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-09 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 following duties: Designing and developing effective instructional programs. Planning, coordinating, designing, and validating instructional materials. Using features of a Learning Management System (LMS) to build out training content. Researching, evaluating, and recommending new learning technologies and tools to enhance training programs. OR You may substitute a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent degree) or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or L.L.M. if related for experience at the GS-11 grade level or such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise three years of graduate study. If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours. 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 following duties: Developing and reviewing training materials to ensure compliance with federal laws and standards. Implementing digital tools and software to support blending learning approaches, including eLearning and microlearning. Utilizing various features of the Learning Management System (LMS) to build out and deploy training content. Collaborating with stakeholders to identify and address training needs. 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 following duties: Planning, examining, and helping manage the major phases of the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process, including needs analysis, course/program/curriculum design and development, selection of instructional media and methods, and evaluations. Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of various training methods such as classroom, eLearning, and on-the-job training to help determine what changes may be needed and to identify what methods would be appropriate for individual training programs. Communicating with training professionals and organizational leadership on LMS process changes and resolution of operational concerns. Utilizing training survey tools to capture and analyze training data, metrics, and reports for leadership and portfolio managers. 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 04/17/2026. Your 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 critical 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 experience.