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Supervisory Personnel Psychologist

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Secret Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Joining the Secret Service, Office of Human Resources, Human Resources Research and Assessment Division will allow you to oversee the research, development, implementation, maintenance and safeguarding of effective human capital tools for personnel assessment (entry-level and promotional), career/talent development, metrics and organizational effectiveness to support the talent management of a superior law enforcement workforce. 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/13/2023 to 09/26/2023
Salary
$155,700 to - $183,500 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—The agency's Telework Policy allows up to 80% telework, which is at the discretion of management and based on roles and responsibilities. Additionally, compressed and flexible work schedules are offered with appropriate approval. 
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Announcement number
HUM-NHP316-23-MP
Control number
748748000

Duties

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The selectee will serve as a Supervisory Personnel Research Psychologist in the Office of Human Resources, Human Resources Research and Assessment Division. Typical work assignments include:

  • Identifying, planning, developing, and organizing human capital research and planning activities, concepts, tools, and resources used in the recruitment, selection, and promotion of employees. Defining strategies, sets policies, and implements best-practices within the field of Industrial/Organizational Psychology and related fields.
  • Developing, recommending, and utilizing state-of-the art psychometrically sound assessment tools to evaluate the requisite knowledge, skills, abilities, and other job-related characteristics of candidates for law enforcement and administrative, technical, and professional positions. Making authoritative determinations based upon these expert evaluations and providing information to senior-level stakeholders.
  • Serving as an authority and expert on the interpretation of program policies, regulations, guides, standards, and priorities to assure coordinated program efforts and the interchange of information is consistent and transparent to all stakeholders.
  • Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of programs by reviewing the accomplishments as a metric in measuring the extent of achievement goals and objectives and in evaluating the effectiveness of methods, techniques, and best practices.

This Supervisory Personnel Research Psychologist position starts at a salary of $155,700 (GS-15 step 01), with potential to $183,500 (GS-15 step 10). For more information on the Secret Service click here. For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship is required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment:

If selected for this position, you will be required to:

  • Obtain and maintain a top secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.

NOTE: The person selected for this position may be subject to a one-year probationary period for supervisors/managers.

Qualifications

Basic Education Requirement: 

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major or equivalent in psychology.

In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, you must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements. 

You qualify for the GS-15 level (starting salary $155,700) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level performing duties such as: 

  • Managing staff, providing guidance and overseeing activities related to the development, implementation, maintenance and adherence to policies and best practices involving human capital assessment and development procedures.
  • Overseeing and directing the research, development, implementation and management of effective human capital assessment and development tools.
  • Contributing to the development of innovative, accurate, timely and high quality organizational and workforce solutions.
  • Executing best practices and services on all matters relating to the management of assessment and talent development tools; and ensuring compliance with applicable professional guidelines.

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.

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 competitive service 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, "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). You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to comply.

Qualifications Must Be Met: The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

Education

See Basic Education Requirement under Qualification Section.

Additional information

Building on a Tradition of Excellence and Meeting the Challenges of the Future The Secret Service is a premier law enforcement organization with two critical national security missions: protect our nation's leaders and to conduct criminal investigations. Our team members continue a tradition of excellence - whether investigating financial crime or protecting national and visiting foreign leaders. In the Secret Service, we serve the country with duty, loyalty, justice, integrity and courage. In the Secret Service, we:

  • Protect the President, the Vice President, and other leaders; investigate threats against them; and safeguard their residences and other facilities
  • Plan and implement security designs for National Special Security Events
  • Investigate financial crimes including fraud, identity theft and computer-based attacks on banking or telecommunications infrastructure

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

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, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. 

This position will require a credit check after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted.

Other incentives may be authorized.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. 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 or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone) (exception: a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring is authorized on one finger).

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the duties of the position. A score will automatically be calculated based on your answers to the vacancy specific questions. All answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered.  If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

  • Supervision
  • Assessment & Evaluation 
  • Consultation
  • Program Quality Assurance and Evaluation

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85.0 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veteran’s preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.

An interview may be required for this position.  If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.  

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).


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