Hearings and Appeals

The 0930 series covers positions that decide cases through interviews, hearings and appeals rather than litigation: asylum officers at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services who interview applicants and adjudicate asylum claims, appeals officers in the IRS Independent Office of Appeals who settle tax disputes without going to court, and decision review officers at the Veterans Benefits Administration who review contested benefit decisions.

Recent listings have included asylum officers and supervisory asylum officers, a decision review officer, a supervisory appeals officer and a supervisory appeals officer serving as a settlement officer on a temporary appointment.

Applying tip: asylum officer announcements rate experience in applying law to facts, interviewing and writing reasoned decisions, and the job begins with extensive formal training, so read the qualification section closely rather than assuming a law degree is required or sufficient. Our USCIS guide describes the agency’s hiring, and the legal jobs guide covers the broader field.