Nurse (Intensive Care Unit)

Basic Requirements for the GS-7 (or equivalent) Grade Level:

• Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing and eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement provision; or
• Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing and at least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-5 grade level); or
• Possession of a diploma or associate degree in professional nursing and two full years of professional nursing experience; or
• Completion of at least one full year of graduate education in a professional nursing educational program

Basic Requirements for the GS-9 (or equivalent) Grade Level:

• Possession of a master's degree in professional nursing; or
• At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-7 grade level or above) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, or bachelor's degree in nursing from a professional nursing program

Basic Requirements for the GS-11 (or equivalent) Grade Level:

• Successful completion of a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree from a professional nursing educational program or related medical science field; or
• At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, or master's degree from a professional nursing educational program

Minimum Qualifications:

• Specialized experience GS-07: Implementing and evaluating a plan for care for assigned patients; and monitoring life support equipment for sudden changes in condition. Use established clinical guidance/orders and escalate abnormal findings or urgent issues to higher level of nursing staff or providers
• Specialized experience GS-09: Initiate treatment/medications and emergency/resuscitative measures based on facility and ACLS protocols. Conduct a thorough nursing assessment and recognize abnormal findings. Able to interpret data, document, and initiate treatment based on ICU equipment such as, invasive monitoring, defibrillators, ventilators, and other monitoring devices. Coordinates care with the multidisciplinary team
• Specialized experience GS-11: Provides comprehensive nursing care to patients by utilizing the nursing process to assess the needs of patients, prioritizing and organizing the plan of care from admission through discharge. Collaborate with other health care professionals to identify individual patient needs and to develop, implement and evaluate plans of patient care for critically ill patients. Administers therapeutic measures as prescribed by the physician to include, but not limited to, monitoring life functions, administering prescribed medication, and monitoring for compliance. Provides local leadership in the unit such as charge nurse duties that the applicant coordinates and directs patient care and patient disposition

Benefits

• Recruitment/relocation sign-on bonus, if eligible
• Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave
• Student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines (a competitive process separate from the hiring process)

Important Details

• Schedule: Rotating shifts; days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Shift rotations may vary from 8-, 10-, and 12-hour shifts. The majority of positions to be filled under this announcement are full-time. This announcement may also be used to fill various work schedules, including full-time, part-time (less than 40 hours per week), and intermittent (as needed)
• Locations: Chinle, AZ; Phoenix, AZ; Gallup, NM; Shiprock, NM
• Appointment type: The majority of positions to be filled under this announcement are permanent. This announcement may also be used to fill time-limited appointments such as TERM and Temporary
• Probationary period: Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
• On-call hours or standby duty may be required
• Travel: Occasional travel may be expected for this position
• Relocation expenses reimbursed: You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy
• Promotion potential: GS-11 grade level (at management's discretion and based on demonstrated ability, continuing need, and Regulatory/Administrative approval)
• Application deadline: September 30, 2026, 11:59 PM ET

Eligibility

• This job is open to U.S. Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• This job is open to Native Americans or Alaskan Natives with a tribal affiliation
• The IHS is required by law to give absolute preference to qualified applicants who meet the Secretary of the Interior's definition of Indian for appointment to vacancies within the IHS in accordance with established IHS policy as outlined in the Indian Health Manual Part 7, Chapter 3

Application Process

• Complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement
• Click the Apply Online button
• Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation
• Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date
• If required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application via the application submission screen and email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link and completion deadline. In USAJOBS, you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice
• Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link and USAJOBS login credentials
• Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended
• Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; most applicants complete them in less time. If you need to stop and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link
• Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications require the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused
• To update your application, including supporting documentation during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed
• To view the announcement status or your application status, visit your USAJOBS Account status page
• You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. Upon application, you will be provided a testing window to complete additional assessments. This testing window may stipulate a completion deadline before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to complete the additional online assessments within the timeline provided to remain in consideration for this vacancy announcement
• If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a Reasonable Accommodation (RA) in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement
• You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. Results are used as part of the overall evaluation process. If you do not take the assessment within the assessment window timeframe you will be found ineligible for this position
• Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position
• You will be assessed on the following competencies: Attention to Detail, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork
• Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration
• Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS
• This position will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and Veterans' Preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants
• All documents must be received by 11:59pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of 09/30/2026, to be considered
• Resume: Visit the USAJOBS Help Center before submitting a resume
• Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions provided by OPM
• Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application. You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer. Applicants who have not yet completed their educational requirements within 9 months of applying, must submit documentation from the educational institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official that attests to the applicable timeframe for completion of the professional program/coursework AND a copy of the most recent unofficial transcript
• Licensure, Certifications: List license/certifications on your resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable. Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer
• Superior Academic Achievement: If claiming eligibility for Superior Academic Achievement, candidates must provide copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) at the time of initial application. If unable to obtain transcripts, candidates must provide sufficient evidence to validate courses completed and credit hours earned. Eligibility is based on one of the following: Class standing (upper third of the graduating class), Grade-point average (G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0, or 3.5 or higher based on required courses in the major field), or Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society
• Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant
• The first Cut-off date for receipt/referral of applications to be considered for available vacant positions will be 5 business days after the announcement open date. Subsequently, applications will be referred as vacancies occur which can be at any time
• Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications. Standard messaging rates may apply
• You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required
• Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement
• If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate

About the Company

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is guided by its mission to raise the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people.

The Indian Health Service, an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services, works to ensure that all American Indian and Alaska Native people receive comprehensive health care services and all Indian health facilities are staffed with well-trained, compassionate, committed health care professionals.

Headquarters

Chinle, AZ

Open jobs

1117

Website

ihs.gov