Immigration and Personnel Security Associate

The expected hiring range for this position is:

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such the scope and responsibilities of the position, qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

This position is not available for relocation assistance, sponsorship assistance or our referral bonus program.

About the Role:

Fermilab is seeking an Immigration and Personnel Security Associate who under general supervision, will provide a combination of immigration case support and global services/front‑desk processing for visitors, users, employees, and affiliates. This role supports the Laboratory’s immigration program by coordinating case documentation, assisting with compliance reviews, supporting export control screening workflows, and facilitating communication with internal stakeholders. The role also performs duties including badging, access processing, visitor intake, appointment scheduling, customer service, and record‑keeping in support of Campus Access and Visa Office operations, ensuring adherence to DOE, FFDG, and Laboratory policies.

What your day-to-day as an Immigration and Personnel Security Associate at Fermilab will look like:

• Assists with collection, review, and organization of immigration case documentation for foreign nationals, users, affiliates, and employees.
• Prepares and maintains case files for visa sponsorships, work authorization renewals, and compliance‑related updates under the direction of the Immigration Specialist and Global Services Supervisor.
• Coordinates with internal partners (HR, Legal, Export Control, Division Administrators) to ensure timely receipt of required documents and information.
• Supports immigration‑related reporting, including tracking expiration dates, collecting updates, and communicating timeline requirements to stakeholders.
• Assists with export control compliance screening steps related to foreign nationals, maintaining confidentiality and adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Provides customer service to foreign nationals, answering routine questions regarding documentation requests, timelines, and case process steps.
• Schedules immigration‑related appointments and assists with monitoring workflow queues in internal systems.
• Performs front‑desk intake, badging, registration, and identity verification for employees, users, affiliates, and guests in alignment with Personnel Security procedures.
• Issues, updates, and manages laboratory badges, access levels, and entry privileges; ensures all required documentation is collected and validated prior to granting access.
• Provides guidance on campus access requirements, including citizenship documentation, training prerequisites, sponsor requirements, and visit durations.
• Schedules and manages appointments for visitor processing, ensuring timely throughput of daily customer volume.
• Maintains accurate records, logs, and correspondence for visitor processing, access approvals, and badge renewals.
• Supports Visa Office workflows by assisting with visitor tracking, appointment notifications, communications to sponsors, and document intake.
• Provides customer service for walk‑in and scheduled visitors, resolving routine questions, and escalating complex cases to supervisors or senior staff.
• Ensures adherence to DOE, FFDG, and Fermilab access policies; assists with compliance‑driven documentation review.
• Performs administrative tasks including email correspondence, data entry, file maintenance, and routing information to appropriate internal stakeholders.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Abides by and is responsible for performing all duties in accordance with all environmental, health and safety regulations and practices pertinent to this position.

Skills and Attributes for Success:

• High school diploma or equivalent required. Associate degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• 3+ years of administrative, customer service, or compliance‑related experience; experience working with confidential information strongly preferred.
• Prior experience in immigration, global mobility, visa processing, international services, higher education, or government access programs is a plus.

Applicable Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and confidentiality in handling sensitive personal data.
• Ability to interact professionally with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to prioritize multiple requests, manage interruptions, and maintain steady workflow in a front‑desk environment.
• Familiarity with document handling, regulatory compliance, or case‑management processes preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn internal systems for access processing, visitor tracking, and case documentation.

Work Arrangement:

Please note that the described work arrangement is subject to change based on business needs and is not guaranteed to be final.

• Onsite: This is an onsite role, and the candidate must be able to work from our Batavia office.

Benefits/Perks:

Fermilab offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid time off
• Life insurance
• Short and Long-term disability insurance
• Retirement benefits
• Onsite day care

Why Fermilab: 
Fermilab is America’s premier laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. We support discovery science experiments in Illinois and locations around the world, including deep underground mines in South Dakota and Canada, mountaintops in Arizona and Chile, CERN in Europe and the South Pole.

Pre-Employment Screening:

Drug-Free Workplace & Pre-Employment Screening  

Fermilab is dedicated to fostering a safe, productive and drug-free environment. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening.

HSPD-12

In accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) new employees are required to obtain and maintain a HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credential. To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a federal background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.

Foreign Government Sponsored Activities

Fermilab employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. Such individuals will be asked to disclose any participation for review by Fermilab's Office of General Counsel.

REAL-ID Requirement for access to Fermilab Campus
Fermilab requires all members of the public to produce a REAL-ID, or equivalent, to access the Fermilab Campus for interviews or career events. A list of acceptable forms of ID can be found here: https://get-connected.fnal.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/REALID-Documents.pdf. If a candidate is selected for an interview but does not possess any of the equivalent documents, we may schedule a virtual interview. 

Equal Opportunity Statement   

Fermilab is an equal opportunity employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.