Partnerships for Innovation
PURPOSE: To provide support for foreign nationals appointed to research participation programs to include coordinating, monitoring, and upgrading applications for immigration status; and, handling other details pertaining to foreign national participants.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
* Coordinate, implement, and interpret immigration requirements for foreign national participants and employees in order to ensure all have proper and legal status; serve as alternate responsible office regarding immigration status for Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)/Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE).
* Work with foreign national applicants and participants in SEP research program appointments concerning various tax issues they may have for United States (U.S.) versus home country policies and requirements; prepare and sign ORAU employee participant I-9 documents.
* Prepare materials for foreign national research appointments for the U.S. Department of Labor approval process involving the prevailing wage concept including state wage approvals and iCERT database; maintain public access files.
* Communicate with participants, mentors, lab education coordinators, and sponsors for administrative information and issues on a timely basis; prepare correspondence and travel documents.
* Provide administrative work for SEP including coordinating and processing special reports, maintaining confidential files and databases, handling correspondence, entering information into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and ensuring program activities meet time schedules.
* Provide guidance and developmental assistance for policies and procedures for management staff and administrative support for SEP; provide assistance in resolving problems, supporting program development and implementation activities; ensure compliance with program, ORAU, sponsor, and Department of Energy (DOE) guidelines and requirements; develop and maintain procedure manuals.
High school diploma or equivalent with a minimum of four to six years job related experience required. Knowledge of immigration policies, procedures, and documentation requirements including related U.S. Department of Labor and state prevailing wage concepts and approval process required. Extensive knowledge regarding immigration eligibility and status in order to prepare proper and valid immigration applications for participants required. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with non native English speaking individuals and participants not familiar with U.S. laws, customs, etc. required. Must have effective communication and writing skills, problem-solving abilities, and ability to prioritize and organize workloads to meet program time schedules and ensure high quality work. Ability to work with minimal supervision and modify procedures independently (unless legal advice is needed) based on changing immigration guidelines. Ability to make correct determinations to enable timely activations and/or continuation of appointments and to obtain approval for immigration petitions and/or transfers of immigration status required. The ability to continuously update immigration laws, policies, and procedures required. Must have excellent oral and written communication skills including the ability to communicate with individuals with limited English language skills. Must have the ability to relate to persons at all academic levels, especially at the postdoctoral level. Must have strong office skills to include handling confidential information and desktop computer usage. Must have proven skills for problem-solving, proof reading, work organization and priority setting, and handling large volumes of work under time pressures with minimum supervision. Must have knowledge of income tax issues for foreign nationals for U.S. versus home country income tax. Knowledge of tax treaties, the proper forms necessary for ORAU accounting, and necessary documentation for foreign nationals leaving and returning to the U.S. Knowledge of DOE, ORAU/ORISE, and SEP policies and procedures desired.