HR Specialist - Staffing & Recruitment

September 2, 2026
Remote, US

POSITION TITLE: HR Specialist - Staffing & Recruitment

LOCATION: Remote

CLEARANCE: Must be able to obtain a High-Risk Public Trust

COMPANY OVERVIEW

At APV, we’re more than a technology company — we’re a mission-driven powerhouse transforming organizations through advanced technology and human ingenuity. Our expertise spans AI/ML, data architecture, low-code/no-code development, Agile DevSecOps, and cloud services, delivering scalable and meaningful solutions.

In our Emerging Technology Lab, innovation drives progress. Our teams create intelligent chatbots, AI-powered assistants, robotic process automation (RPA), essay graders, and data analytics platforms. If you’re passionate about solving complex challenges and shaping the future, APV is the place for you. Since 2007, we’ve partnered with federal and state agencies to deliver IT, training, and consulting solutions that achieve mission-critical outcomes. Built on accountability, integrity, and quality, we go beyond expectations. With 70+ prime contracts and a proven record of client success, APV continues to grow — and we’re looking for exceptional talent to grow with us.

At APV, we Always Provide Value

POSITION SUMMARY

APV is seeking a Staffing & Recruitment Specialist to provide full-performance level support to DHS OCHCO and component HR offices. The Staffing & Recruitment Specialist independently performs the full range of routine and moderately complex federal staffing activities, including JOA drafting, qualifications determinations, certificate issuance, veterans preference adjudication, and applicant communication.

This role applies federal staffing law, OPM guidance, DHS policy, and program-specific procedures with limited supervision. The Staffing & Recruitment Specialist drafts standard work products such as JOAs, qualifications analyses, certificates of eligibles, tentative and final offer letters, and escalates complex or precedent-setting issues to senior personnel.

DUTIES

Examining & Certificate Issuance

  • Conduct routine examining under delegated examining authority, including qualifications determinations, category rating, and certificate issuance.
  • Apply the OPM Qualifications Handbook to determine specialized experience, time-in-grade, and selective placement factors.
  • Process routine Direct Hire Authority (DHA), merit promotion, and Schedule A cases.
  • Conduct veterans preference adjudication, including 5-point and 10-point preference application.
  • Maintain audit-ready case files in USA Staffing in accordance with the OPM Delegated Examining Operations Handbook.

JOA Drafting & Recruitment Support

  • Draft job opportunity announcements (JOAs) in USA Staffing using approved templates, with attention to clarity, plain language, and merit principle alignment.
  • Coordinate with hiring managers on position requirements, qualifications criteria, and assessment selection.
  • Support recruitment strategy development, hiring events, and outreach activities.
  • Process routine Pathways Programs cases (Internship, Recent Graduates, PMF), including conversions and onboarding coordination.
  • Support skills-based hiring activities, including SME-QA support and Pooled Hiring coordination under senior direction.

Applicant Communication & Offer Processing

  • Communicate with applicants throughout the hiring lifecycle, including application status, eligibility determinations, and selection notifications, using approved language
  • Draft tentative offer letters and final offer letters using approved templates.
  • Coordinate pre-employment activities, including suitability initiation, fingerprinting coordination, and onboarding handoff.
  • Coordinate entry-on-duty (EOD) processing in partnership with personnel security, onboarding teams, and component HR partners.
  • Document customer interactions, follow-up actions, and case notes accurately and consistently.

Customer Service, Coordination & Escalation

  • Respond to hiring manager, applicant, and HR partner inquiries on case status, eligibility, and process with clear, plain-language guidance.
  • Coordinate with personnel security, classification, benefits, onboarding, and HRIT partners on case-level issues.
  • Support case calibration sessions, peer reviews, and quality control activities.
  • Escalate complex examining cases, contested veterans preference matters, and unusual fact patterns to senior specialists.
  • Maintain professionalism, neutrality, and discretion when supporting applicants and hiring officials.

Process Improvement & Knowledge Management

  • Identify recurring case issues and recommend SOP updates, job aid improvements, and training enhancements.
  • Contribute to SharePoint knowledge repositories, intake forms, status trackers, and standard templates.
  • Support quality control activities, including peer reviews and certificate file audits.
  • Participate in working groups, lessons-learned reviews, and process mapping sessions.
  • Maintain current knowledge of federal staffing law and DHS-specific guidance.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field. Equivalent federal staffing experience may substitute based on contract terms.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Minimum 5-7 years of federal staffing and recruitment experience, including hands-on examining and JOA drafting
  • Working knowledge of 5 USC Chapters 31 and 33; 5 CFR Parts 300, 302, 315, 316, 330, 332, 335, 337, and 339; the OPM Qualifications Handbook; the OPM Delegated Examining Operations Handbook; and veterans preference law.
  • Hands-on experience drafting JOAs, conducting qualifications determinations, issuing certificates, and applying veterans preference in USA Staffing.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft clear documentation and respond professionally to hiring managers and applicants.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage a steady caseload with limited supervision in a fully remote environment.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a High-Risk Public Trust or equivalent federal client access. This role supports sensitive federal programs and involves elevated access to systems and data.
  • Position requires the current ability to obtain and maintain required access without interruption in alignment with long-term program needs.
  • Must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship now or in the future.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Prior experience supporting DHS or DHS component HR offices.
  • Delegated Examining Certification or active progress toward certification.
  • Experience with Pathways Programs, Direct Hire Authority, or special hiring authorities.
  • SHRM-CP, IPMA-CP, or active progress toward federal HR certification.
  • Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online experience supporting case tracking and knowledge management.

ABOUT APV

APV is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or marital status.