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Law Enforcement Specialist (Rapid Protection Force)

Department of Homeland Security
DHS Headquarters
Federal Protective Service (FPS)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Rapid Protection Force (RPF), Grand Prairie, Texas, Kansas City, Missouri, San Diego, California, and Washington, District of Columbia.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/01/2023 to 03/14/2023
Salary
$57,941 to - $102,166 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Locations
14 vacancies in the following locations:
San Diego, CA
Washington
Kansas City, MO
Grand Prairie, TX
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
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
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
NCS/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ST-11818756-23-DJL
Control number
709090000

Duties

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The primary purpose of this position is serves as the "primary" for enhanced security operations across the country.

Duties performed:

  • Reinforce Regional capabilities to protect federal facilities by quickly and efficiently responding to threats, critical incidents, special events, natural disasters, and surge operations
  • Rapidly deploy to protect federal property, and augment the initial response by an FPS Region during crises and supporting recovery
  • Provide protection and/or law enforcement responsibility where unpredictable factors require resources which exceed day-to-day operations
  • Protection of federal property and personnel on the property, in areas where normal infrastructure has been adversely affected
  • Assist Regions requiring inter-regional support during disasters and/or national coordination
  • Mitigate threats and assist in returning the Regions to sustainable operations
  • Reinforce Regional capabilities to protect federal facilities, employees, and those conducting government business while on FPS jurisdiction
  • During Steady State Status, remain under the operational control of the local Regional leadership and carry out the duties within their job description
  • Maintain required RPF quarterly and annual training requirements, in addition to quarterly and annual training requirements for all FPS law enforcement officers
  • Also, the incumbent will serve as a Law Enforcement Specialist and will be responsible for traditional Inspector duties (FSAs, PSO oversight, patrol-and-response, etc.):

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
  • One-year probationary period may be required.
  • Must meet Time-In-Grade requirements.
  • Pre-Employment Drug Testing: This position requires a pre-employment drug test and a negative drug test result prior to appointment into the position must be achieved.
  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
  • DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • License required: Yes, Valid State Driver's License
  • Pre-employment physical required: Yes
  • Bargaining Unit Position: Yes
  • Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.
  • Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.
  • Essential Personnel: This position is designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. § 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable).
  • Random Drug Testing: The incumbent of this position is subject to random drug testing.
  • Travel: The incumbent of this position will be required to travel frequently.
  • Tour of Duty: Must be available for overtime and shift work.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below.

Minimum Qualifications:
GS-09: Applicant must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties:

  1. Assisting with on-site inspections and audits of regulated facilities;
  2. Conducting investigations using accepted inspection, enforcement, and investigative procedures; and
  3. Performing law enforcement work to protect facilities and personnel.
OR

A 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., in a related field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) to support your claim.

OR

A combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (beyond one year) as described above that when combined; equal 100% of the qualification requirement. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of on year (generally 18 semester hours) may be used in this calculation. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience to support this claim.

GS-11: Applicant must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties:
  1. Conducting security/vulnerability inspections and incident investigations on the physical and technical security of regulated facilities;
  2. Conducting investigations using accepted inspection, enforcement, and investigative procedures; and
  3. Performing law enforcement work by conducting investigations to protect critical infrastructure, key resources, and personnel.
OR

Completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR successfully completed three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such degree or LL.M., if related. NOTE: A copy of your transcripts must be included with your application to support this response.

OR

A combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (beyond 2 years of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement. Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience to support this claim.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

NOTE: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Additional Requirements
Training: This position will be a Team Member for the FPS Rapid Protection Force. As such, the incumbent of this position will receive advanced training and tactics to meet the challenges of being deployed anywhere in the nation at a moment's notice with or without established infrastructure. The incumbent must meet the established experience, RPF basic training requirements and all FPS in service training requirements established for the enforcement of police powers.

Incumbent must successfully complete the designated, required training which includes the basic Criminal Investigators Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) or the Uniformed Police Training Program (UPTP), the Advanced Individual Training Program (AITP), and the Physical Security Training Program (PSTP). Additionally, the selectee must successfully complete the Field Training and Evaluation other in-service requirements and weapons qualifications for the enforcement of arrest authority as conferred under 1315 authority.

Occupational Safety and Health Requirement: The incumbent will be required to comply with all pertinent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements including use of all personal protective equipment (PPE) provided, in accordance with training, work instructions, and as required by the task at hand.

Security Clearance: This position will require a Non-Critical Sensitive/SECRET clearance to perform the full range of duties.

Law Enforcement: This position will possess law enforcement authority under Title 40 of the United States Code, Section 1315, exercising such authority to provide investigative and law enforcement services to customer agencies, Federal employees, and members of the general public located and/or conducting business in government-owned or leased properties.

Pre-employment Medical Requirements: Prior to appointment the person selected for this position must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties which may include protecting citizens, taking suspects into custody using reasonable physical force in the face of physical resistance and responding to situations requiring physical agility and quick and legally sufficient decision making. Also successfully pass a pre-employment medical examination (which includes, but is not limited to vision, hearing, cardiovascular and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. This position may be subject to periodic incumbent examinations in the future.

Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. Person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for this position.

Firearms Requirements: The incumbent will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory.

Mobility Agreement: This position may require the incumbent to be reassigned to different geographic locations. Accordingly, the incumbent will be required to sign a mobility agreement, which will remain in effect through the duration of the assignment.

Motor Vehicle Operation: The incumbent must possess a valid automobile driver's license at the time of appointment and be available for frequent travel.

Education

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Note: DHS continues to take necessary steps to keep our workforce safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If you receive a final job offer to onboard, please complete the onboarding forms and submit them electronically in an expeditious manner. Your start date may be delayed if the action above is not completed.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for a Secret clearance as a condition of placement in this Non-Critical Sensitive position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12654 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP): This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).

If you are unable to apply online contact Philadelphia@opm.gov.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using an Assessment Questionnaire. The questions are related to the following fundamental competencies (or Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) needed to perform the duties of this job:

  • Communication
  • Compliance Inspection
  • Public Safety and Security


Based on your responses, you will receive a score from the Assessment Questionnaire. Those applicants who score the highest will be referred to the hiring manager and may be called for an interview. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you will be removed from consideration or your score will be lowered.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned.

For Competitive Merit Promotion and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Applicants: The highest rated candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

For Noncompetitive Appointment Eligibles: All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions (you must submit a DD214-member copy 4).

Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above.

To preview the assessment questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11818756

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