The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations.
Summary
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations.
The Security Specialist is a valuable member of the Office of Inspector (OIG), Office of Management, Assets, Security, and Readiness Division. Typical assignments include:
Provides cross-functional support for ASR enterprise services - integrating and providing security, property, safety, and facility actions and expertise to provide services and support to OIG customers and stakeholders.
Provides security support in a wide range of administrative and security functional areas to help ensure the protection of OIG employees, assets, and information.
Manages the operation of classified discussion, processing, and storage spaces.
Implements security policy and guidance to protect unclassified, sensitive, and national security information.
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position
You must successfully pass a background investigation
You must be able to obtain a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance
Financial disclosure is required
Selective Service registration required
Completion of one year probationary may be required
Completion of USA Hire assessment is mandatory.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications for GS-9:You qualify for the GS-9 position if you possess one year of specialized experience at the equivalent to GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience at this level includes:
Demonstrated responsibility executing a portion of one of the following security disciplines at a federal agency or contractor activity protecting sensitive or national security information: physical security (PHYSEC), personnel security (PERSEC), information security (INFOSEC), operational security (OPSEC), communications security (COMSEC), industrial security, or security education, training, and awareness (SETA)
Limited analytical, evaluative, and technical skills assessing security posture, guidance, and controls to achieve compliance.
Minimum Qualifications for GS-11:You qualify for the GS-11 position if you possess one year of specialized experience at the equivalent to GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience at this level includes:
Demonstrated responsibility executing portions of at least two of the following security disciplines at a federal agency or contractor activity protecting sensitive or
national security information: physical security (PHYSEC), personnel security
(PERSEC), information security (INFOSEC), operational security (OPSEC),
communications security (COMSEC), industrial security, or security education, training, and awareness (SETA).
Limited experience analytical, evaluative, and technical skills assessing security
posture, guidance, and controls to achieve compliance and protect from unauthorized disclosure, misuse, theft, espionage, sabotage, or loss.
Minimum Qualifications for GS-12: You qualify for the GS-12 position if you possess one year of specialized experience at the equivalent to GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience at this level includes:
Demonstrated responsibility executing portions of three (or more) of the following security disciplines at a federal agency or contractor activity protecting sensitive or national security information: physical security (PHYSEC), personnel security (PERSEC), information security (INFOSEC), operational security (OPSEC), communications security (COMSEC), industrial security, or security education, training, and awareness (SETA)
Limited analytical, evaluative, and technical skills assessing security posture,
guidance, and controls to achieve compliance, recommend improvements,
mitigate risks, and protect from unauthorized disclosure, misuse, theft, espionage, sabotage, or loss.
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.
The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date 06/21/2024of 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
MINIMUM EDUCATION FOR GS-9:
Successful completion of 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.
OR
Combinations of education and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements.
MINIMUM EDUCATION FOR GS-11:
Successful completion of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree,
OR
LL.M., if related.
OR
Combinations of education and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements
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:
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.
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.
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.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Additional identical positions may be filled from this announcement at a later date.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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 minimum qualification requirements. Your experience, education, and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:
Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Influencing/Negotiating
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Technical Competence
I
f you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:
Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.
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 eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following information must be received by 11:59 EST on the 06/21/2024.
Content of Resume: Your resume to describe your job-related experiences are used to verify your qualifications. It is important that your resume reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total number of hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified, and you will no longer be considered for this position.
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action- If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a SF-50 showing the highest grade level held in the position for which you are using to qualify. Your SF-50 must also include the Position Title and Series, Step, Salary, Tenure, Position Occupied, and promotion potential (if applicable) to verify your status and eligibility. If you are unable to provide your most recent SF-50, you should submit a written statement explaining why it was not obtainable. This explanation should include your Position Title and Series, Step, Salary, Tenure, Position Occupied, and promotion potential. Failure to submit the required SF50 document or statement of explanation will result in an ineligible rating under merit promotion procedures.
Recent Performance Appraisal (If Applicable) -If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit your current Fiscal Year (ex. FY2023) Performance Appraisal showing you have performed at an acceptable level. If you are unable to submit your current Fiscal Year Performance Appraisal you must submit a written explanation as to why it was not obtainable. In this explanation you should include your final rating. Failure to submit your current Fiscal Year Performance Appraisal or a written statement explaining why it was not obtainable will disqualify you from further consideration.
DD-214 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other equivalent documentation to prove your entitlement and to verify your type of discharge. Failure to provide this information may result in your application not receiving preference.
VA Letter and SF-15 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference based on a Compensable Disability, Widow or Spouse Entitlement, or as a Purple Heart recipient, you must submit your DD-214 or other proof of entitlement as described above; and SF-15, and the required proof of disability, i.e., Department of Veterans Affairs letter dated 1991 or later. Failure to provide this documentation may result in your application not receiving preference. (Please see veteran eligibility documentation for more information on veterans' preference in federal hiring).
Active-Duty Service Members - If you are veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veteran Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Agencies are required to accept, process, and grant tentative veterans' preference to those active-duty service members who submit a certification (in lieu of a DD-214) along with their job application materials. Agencies must verify the individual meets the definition of 'preference eligible' under 5 U.S.C. 2108 prior to appointment. A '"certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active-duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documentation, if applicable. For more information, please go to https://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx.
If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, if you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.
Note: Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Office of Inspector General
245 Murray Lane SW
Washington, DC 20528
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
We will notify you by email after each step has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information."
We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following information must be received by 11:59 EST on the 06/21/2024.
Content of Resume: Your resume to describe your job-related experiences are used to verify your qualifications. It is important that your resume reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total number of hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified, and you will no longer be considered for this position.
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action- If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a SF-50 showing the highest grade level held in the position for which you are using to qualify. Your SF-50 must also include the Position Title and Series, Step, Salary, Tenure, Position Occupied, and promotion potential (if applicable) to verify your status and eligibility. If you are unable to provide your most recent SF-50, you should submit a written statement explaining why it was not obtainable. This explanation should include your Position Title and Series, Step, Salary, Tenure, Position Occupied, and promotion potential. Failure to submit the required SF50 document or statement of explanation will result in an ineligible rating under merit promotion procedures.
Recent Performance Appraisal (If Applicable) -If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit your current Fiscal Year (ex. FY2023) Performance Appraisal showing you have performed at an acceptable level. If you are unable to submit your current Fiscal Year Performance Appraisal you must submit a written explanation as to why it was not obtainable. In this explanation you should include your final rating. Failure to submit your current Fiscal Year Performance Appraisal or a written statement explaining why it was not obtainable will disqualify you from further consideration.
DD-214 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other equivalent documentation to prove your entitlement and to verify your type of discharge. Failure to provide this information may result in your application not receiving preference.
VA Letter and SF-15 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference based on a Compensable Disability, Widow or Spouse Entitlement, or as a Purple Heart recipient, you must submit your DD-214 or other proof of entitlement as described above; and SF-15, and the required proof of disability, i.e., Department of Veterans Affairs letter dated 1991 or later. Failure to provide this documentation may result in your application not receiving preference. (Please see veteran eligibility documentation for more information on veterans' preference in federal hiring).
Active-Duty Service Members - If you are veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veteran Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Agencies are required to accept, process, and grant tentative veterans' preference to those active-duty service members who submit a certification (in lieu of a DD-214) along with their job application materials. Agencies must verify the individual meets the definition of 'preference eligible' under 5 U.S.C. 2108 prior to appointment. A '"certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active-duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documentation, if applicable. For more information, please go to https://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx.
If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, if you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.
Note: Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Office of Inspector General
245 Murray Lane SW
Washington, DC 20528
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
We will notify you by email after each step has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information."
We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
