DCSA's National Center for Credibility Assessment is seeking a highly motivated and skilled polygraph examiners. This job requires a change agent with the ability to foster relationships with multiple stakeholders and provide guidance to agency leadership and staff during any emergency or any hazard threat event. Consider DCSA, and be a part of America's Gatekeeper Team!
Summary
DCSA's National Center for Credibility Assessment is seeking a highly motivated and skilled polygraph examiners. This job requires a change agent with the ability to foster relationships with multiple stakeholders and provide guidance to agency leadership and staff during any emergency or any hazard threat event. Consider DCSA, and be a part of America's Gatekeeper Team!
This announcement is open to: All U.S Citizens; Retained Grade Preference (RGP) eligibles, and Military Reserve and National Guard Technician eligibles may also apply
As a POLYGRAPH SPECIALIST you will be responsible for the following duties:
- Mentors CA students for the federal CA community with law enforcement, intelligence, and security missions.
-The instruction staff recommends new and state-of-the-art polygraph courses for initial CA education that directly impacts the policies, guidelines, and procedures for federal law enforcement, intelligence, and security agencies that conduct polygraph examinations in performance of their mission, functions, and/or activities.
-Incumbent provides input for planning, development, and implementation of continuing education activities for the federal CA community.
-Incumbent is responsible for providing assistance to the supervisors of CA federal community to assist them in conducting polygraph examination that comply with federal laws, congressional mandates, and NCCA CA procedures.
- The NCCA is innovative and involves state-of-the-art CA procedures that are to be applied federal government wide directly impacting all federal agencies' CA education and often their operations.
-Incumbent has the responsibility for providing technical expertise in the development and implementation of course curriculum for PDD/CA examinations for federal criminal investigation, intelligence and security agencies. Has the responsibility for recommending new and revised state-of-the-art PDD/CA course material to allow for the successful implementation of PDD/CA procedures conducted by the federal CA community.
- Participates in highly technical, professional psychophysiological research and investigative studies of unusual depth/intensity, difficulty, and variety.
Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. For more information http://www.sss.gov
Resume and supporting documents received by 11:59PM EST will be considered
This is a Drug Testing designated position
Position is a (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under U.S.C. 1601
Work Schedule: Full Time
Overtime: Occasionally
Tour of Duty: Flexible
PCS (Permanent Change of Station): Not Authorized
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
Financial Disclosure: Not Required
Telework Eligibility: Supervisors may approve situational telework on a case-by-case, temporary basis for limited situations.
If selected, the incumbent must obtain and maintain appropriate security clearance as indicated in job announcement.
Must be a subject matter expert in polygraph, serves as a polygraph specialist, and mentors credibility assessment (CA) students.
Must be a graduate of the National Center for Credibility Assessment, and be a currently certified federal polygraph examiner.
Must provide copies of proof of NCCA graduation.
Qualifications
This position has a Basic Requirement for the Polygraph Specialist: All polygraph examiner candidates must graduate from the National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) training program. Candidates must be current, certified federal polygraph examiners.
*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.
The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened from the Office of Personnel Management's (OPMs) basic qualifications requirements. See:General Inspection Investigation Enforcement and Compliance Series 1801 (opm.gov) for OPM qualification standards, competencies and specialized experience needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the MAJOR DUTIES and QUALIFICATIONS sections of this announcement by 10/15/2025
Applicant must have directly applicable experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.
You must have specialized experience sufficient to demonstrate that you have acquired all the competencies necessary to perform at a level equivalent in difficulty, responsibility, and complexity to the next lower grade (GS/ GG-12) in the Federal service and are prepared to take on greater responsibility.
Generally, this would include one year or more of such specialized experience.
Specialized experience for this position includes:
Providing instruction to federal employees and administering psychophysiological detection of deception (PDD)/polygraph security screening examinations worldwide to applicants;
Communication skills as an instructor;
Mentoring individuals;
Developing partnerships and relationships with leadership;
Anticipating mission requirements and identifying problems to recommend viable solutions for the NCCA Chief of Instruction and/or Chief of Quality Assurance and the credibility assessment community.
Specifically you will be evaluated on the following competencies:
1.Technical Competence
Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
2. Compliance Inspection
Knowledge of the guidelines, regulations, and procedures associated with compliance inquiries, including application of compliance rules and criteria and ability to make appropriate decisions and issue citations, fines, or orders.
3. Reasoning
Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
4. Oral Communication
Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
5. Writing
Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.
6. Team Work
Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
Education
***NOTE: All polygraph examiner candidates must graduate from the National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) training program.
A copy of the NCCA certificate and/or federal polygraph cert are required to be submitted with application.
Admission to the NCCA PDD training program requires:
U.S. Citizenship
At least 25 years of age
Earned baccalaureate degree from a four-year college or university accredited by the U.S. Department of Education (transcripts must be provided.
At least two years investigative experience with a recognized U.S. Government agency or other law enforcement agency.
Successful completion of a Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) examination.
Minimum of five years of experience conducting operational polygraph.
Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.
Additional information
VETERANS PREFERENCE/CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL
In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, veterans preference is not required to be applied when considering candidates with prior Federal competitive or excepted service who have completed a probationary or trial period and have not been separated for cause. Therefore, veterans preference will not be applied to applicants with current federal service, or former federal civilian service meeting the above criteria.
Applicants selected from this announcement may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
If selected, Federal employees currently serving in the competitive service must acknowledge that they will voluntarily leave the competitive service by accepting an offer of employment for a DCIPS excepted service positions.
If selected, non-DCIPS candidates must acknowledge in writing that the position they have been selected for is in the excepted service and covered by DCIPS.
All Defense Intelligence positions under the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) are in the excepted service by specific statue, 10 U.S.C. 1601. This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status.
For more information on the DCIPS occupational structure click here.
For more information about career advancement in DCIPS click here.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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) and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire.
Application Questionnaire: Applicants must complete a screen out questionnaire as part of the application process. Applicants identified as meeting the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications for the position may move on.
EXCEPTED SERVICE PILOT REVIEW: Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.
You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.
Top ranked candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further review and consideration.
A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified'.
Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
All eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date 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.
Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
The following documents are REQUIRED:
1. Your resume:
All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 0.5" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration.
If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you will not be considered for this vacancy.
Narrative responses in the assessment questionnaire do not replace content in your resume or vise a versa. Experience must be described in both places for qualification determinations.
Resumes should NOT include: Classified information/SSN/Photo of yourself/personal information (gender, religion, affiliation etc., Encrypted digitally signed docs). Resumes with this prohibited information will be automatically ineligible for consideration.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain the dates of employment (i.e., Month/Year to present. Hours per Week).
If your resume does not clearly outline details for each position as noted, you may be deemed "not referred" for this position.
This position has a degree or education requirement, so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript
College transcript(s) required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the lists of classes and credits earned.
3. Veteran's Documents
If applying for Veteran's preference, please provide a copy of your DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.
NOTE: Active duty military members are not eligible for appointment unless currently on terminal leave.
4. SF-50:
All current and former Federal employees must submit a copy of your latest SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. Failure to provide latest SF50 may result in you being rated ineligible for this position.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.).
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package as described in REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
1. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
2. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
3. Applications must be received by the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To review the status of an application through USAJOBS:
1. Log into your USAJOBS account
2. Click Application Status within your profile to expand your application
3. Locate the job announcement and click the more information link under the Status column for this position. You will be routed to Application Manager. The Details tab displays by default. The Details tab displays comprehensive information about the selected Application Package including: assessment(s) and the status, supporting documents and their status, correspondence sent to you by the hiring agency, and your application processing status.
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
27130 Telegraph Road
Quantico, VA 22134
US
Next steps
Once you successfully complete the application process, you will receive a notification of receipt. Your application package will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic eligibility and qualifications requirements, and you will receive a notification. A review will be made of your online questionnaire and the documentation you submitted to support your responses. A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter.
The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.
*NOTE: If you submit a resume but no questionnaire, you cannot be considered for the position. If you submit a questionnaire but no resume, you cannot be considered for the position. Your application will be appropriately documented and you will be removed from further competition against this announcement.
REGARDING INTERVIEWS: Interviews may be required for this position. Accommodations may be made to conduct telephonic interviews to preclude travel hardships for applicants. Note: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact for this job announcement. Your requests for reasonable accommodation will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
The following documents are REQUIRED:
1. Your resume:
All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 0.5" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration.
If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you will not be considered for this vacancy.
Narrative responses in the assessment questionnaire do not replace content in your resume or vise a versa. Experience must be described in both places for qualification determinations.
Resumes should NOT include: Classified information/SSN/Photo of yourself/personal information (gender, religion, affiliation etc., Encrypted digitally signed docs). Resumes with this prohibited information will be automatically ineligible for consideration.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain the dates of employment (i.e., Month/Year to present. Hours per Week).
If your resume does not clearly outline details for each position as noted, you may be deemed "not referred" for this position.
This position has a degree or education requirement, so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript
College transcript(s) required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the lists of classes and credits earned.
3. Veteran's Documents
If applying for Veteran's preference, please provide a copy of your DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.
NOTE: Active duty military members are not eligible for appointment unless currently on terminal leave.
4. SF-50:
All current and former Federal employees must submit a copy of your latest SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. Failure to provide latest SF50 may result in you being rated ineligible for this position.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.).
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package as described in REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
1. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
2. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
3. Applications must be received by the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To review the status of an application through USAJOBS:
1. Log into your USAJOBS account
2. Click Application Status within your profile to expand your application
3. Locate the job announcement and click the more information link under the Status column for this position. You will be routed to Application Manager. The Details tab displays by default. The Details tab displays comprehensive information about the selected Application Package including: assessment(s) and the status, supporting documents and their status, correspondence sent to you by the hiring agency, and your application processing status.
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
27130 Telegraph Road
Quantico, VA 22134
US
Next steps
Once you successfully complete the application process, you will receive a notification of receipt. Your application package will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic eligibility and qualifications requirements, and you will receive a notification. A review will be made of your online questionnaire and the documentation you submitted to support your responses. A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter.
The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.
*NOTE: If you submit a resume but no questionnaire, you cannot be considered for the position. If you submit a questionnaire but no resume, you cannot be considered for the position. Your application will be appropriately documented and you will be removed from further competition against this announcement.
REGARDING INTERVIEWS: Interviews may be required for this position. Accommodations may be made to conduct telephonic interviews to preclude travel hardships for applicants. Note: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact for this job announcement. Your requests for reasonable accommodation will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
