Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Physical Security Specialist

Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Internal Security Division
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/09/2025 to 06/16/2025
Salary
$69,923 to - $109,975 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
OS-6051-25-RU-103(MP)
Control number
838346500

Duties

Help

This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Office of Law Enforcement and Security, OLES, Internal Security Division (ISD), Washington, DC.

The incumbent serves as a member of the OLES ISD. All work is performed to meet the federal requirements as outlined in Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12. Continually evaluates, and monitors implementation and compliance with HSPD-12 associated security program policy and procedures.

At the full performance level (GS-11) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Develops and executes project plans for the implementation of Access Control best-practice methodology including implementing and managing the Internal Security efforts in granting government and contract personnel access to the Interior Building. This includes credentialing, ID card issuance, key management, and management of Interior Division's access systems. Ensures compliance with established procedures and policies associated the federal requirements of presidential order HSPD-12.

2. Performs work concerned with the physical measures designed to safeguard employees and other personnel to prevent unauthorized access to equipment, facilities, material, and documents and to safeguard against espionage, sabotage, damage, terrorist activity, and/or theft. Promotes security safeguards to deter and prevent terrorist attacks and provide technical guidance and assistance to mitigate any impact of terrorist incident.

3. Maintains and/or updates established security policies and provides assistance to ensure policies and plans are properly coordinated and implemented in relation to DOI's mission and associated functional roles and responsibilities.

4. Remains engaged on new and emerging security developments, technologies, and systems for integration into existing systems or development/improvement of Access Control procedures.

5. Works with existing physical security access systems, closed circuit television systems, intrusion detection systems and associated networks, databases and infrastructure. Responsible for implementing and maintaining such systems.

6. Arranges for and participates in facility security training/drills for building employees (i.e., Occupant Emergency Procedures (OEP), and Active Threat (AT).

This position is Critical-Sensitive. You will be subject to a favorable background investigation and must be eligible for a TOP SECRET security clearance. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.

This work can also require you to be available after hours, weekends and holidays in emergency situations. Occasional travel, including local travel, may be required.

The OS-OLES has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for situational/ad-hoc telework.

Salary Information
GS-11: $84,601 to $109,975 * per annum
GS-09: $69,923 to $90,898 * per annum
*First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
  3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  4. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
  5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:
GS-09: To qualify for the GS-09 position, you must meet the (1) Specialized Experience OR (2) Basic Educational Requirement OR (3) Combination of Education and Experience for the grade to which you are applying.

(1) Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Assisting with the implementation and compliance with HSPD-12 or equivalent badging program policies and procedures; and

2. Analyzing physical security data to improve physical security systems and/or access control procedures; and

3. Assisting with the implementation of physical security measures to safeguard personnel and facilities.

MUST MEET ALL

Note: If qualifying in whole on specialized experience, applicants must meet all three statements defined above and clearly written in your resume in your own words.

-OR-

(2) Educational Requirement: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Physical Security Specialist.

-OR-

(3) Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement.

Note: Only progressively higher-level graduate education is creditable. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

GS-11: To qualify for the GS-11 position, you must meet the (1) Specialized Experience OR (2) Basic Educational Requirement OR (3) Combination of Education and Experience for the grade to which you are applying.

(1) Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Assisting with the implementation and compliance with HSPD-12 or equivalent badging program policies and procedures; and

2. Analyzing physical security data to improve physical security systems and/or access control procedures; and

3. Assisting with the implementation of physical security measures to safeguard personnel and facilities; and

4. Performing risk assessments and/or audits of intrusion detection and security systems.

-MUST MEET ALL-

Note: If qualifying in whole on specialized experience, applicants must meet all four statements defined above and clearly written in your resume in your own words.

-OR-

(2) Educational Requirement: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Physical Security Specialist.

-OR-

(3) Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement.

Note: Only graduate study beyond the first 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education is creditable.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/articles/29112781465108-Reasonable-Accommodation-Overview

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

DUE WEIGHT
Due Weight Consideration is a review process used to provide consideration to performance appraisals and awards submitted with each application on a used merit promotion certificate and factoring the results into the merit promotion selection process.

Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

It is your responsibility to obtain and upload your performance appraisal/evaluation and/or list of awards prior to the closing of the vacancy announcement.

To preview the application click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12744801

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.