Unemployment Insurance Program Specialist

Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (3 current openings) Washington, District of Columbia Full-time Security Clearance: Not Required
Application Deadline:
2026-08-18
Posted:
2026-08-12

6 days left to apply

Salary: $102,415 – $133,142 per year (GS-12)

Job Details

Qualifications & Requirements

You must meet the Basic Requirements listed and the "Specialized Experience" to qualify for this position, as described below. Basic Requirements (Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Undergraduate Education: Major Study - economics, industrial relations, law, sociology, political science, public administration, or other related fields. Courses in statistics or mathematics applicable to the social sciences are creditable up to a maximum of 12 semester hours. Graduate Education: Major study - one or a combination of the social sciences that included social science research methodology and techniques, and provided a knowledge of the history, concepts, methods, and techniques of social insurance and/or the social and economic conditions under which social insurance programs operate. OR Experience: Experiences related to social insurance. This includes experience applying statistics or mathematics to the social insurance field. Specialized experience must have demonstrated:- A knowledge of current social and economic conditions under which social insurance programs operate, and the principles of the Federal/State/local relationships;- The ability to extend and modify existing techniques and methods or to develop new ones to identify, isolate, and resolve special problems; and- The ability to develop effective collaborative relationships with personnel in other fields and with groups having conflicting objectives. Qualifying specialized experience may have been gained through work in the following or similar types of programs: unemployment insurance; old-age and survivors' insurance; workers' compensation; disability compensation; or other public or private programs covering common social insurance risks. In addition to the basic requirements above, you must also meet the specialized experience listed below. GS-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal Service. Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Specialized experience for this position must include at least two (2) out of four (4) of the following: (Note: Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.) Interpreting or summarizing Federal and state legislation, laws, or regulations concerning Unemployment Insurance programs. Providing technical assistance and guidance on Unemployment Insurance requirements. Assisting in the development or implementation of regulations or policy guidance for Unemployment Insurance programs. Experience working in a state Unemployment Insurance program applying operational knowledge to analyze and evaluate program issues. WHEN DOCUMENTING EXPERIENCE IN YOUR RESUME, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. NO ASSUMPTIONS WILL BE MADE ABOUT YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE. There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Position Overview

These positions are located in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Unemployment Insurance (OUI). OUI is responsible for providing leadership, direction, oversight, and assistance to state workforce agencies in the implementation and administration of state unemployment insurance (UI) programs, Federal unemployment compensation programs, and other wage-loss, worker dislocation and adjustment assistance compensation programs. These positions are inside the bargaining unit.

Duties

  • Major duties for this position are listed below: Serve as lead for the provision of technical assistance and guidance to regional staff, grantees and other stakeholder groups on specific program activities and/or legislative initiatives. Position involve the conduct of on-site reviews of the administration and internal operations of the funded programs. Position involves the review and analysis of Federal and State Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws, regulations and administrative procedures to determine grantee compliance with legal requirements or the review and analysis of project plans and proposals to determine compliance with legal requirements and/or responsiveness to the needs of the customers. Assists in coordination and collaboration with programs of other federal agencies. May administer grants and contracts. Conducts complete studies for the development of revised guideline material.