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Program Officer (Chief of Protective Services)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Agency Wide

Summary

As the Chief of Protective Services (CPS), you will be responsible for providing supervision, direction and oversight of the administration, planning, design, organization, services, operation, review, and analysis of security and law enforcement, and emergency management.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/16/2025 to 12/22/2025
Salary
$168,930 to - $195,200 per year

Range reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries of the locations and varies by location. Salary shown reflects the 2025 rates of pay.

Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Locations
3 vacancies in the following locations:
Edwards AFB, CA
Moffett Field, CA
Houston, TX
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
15
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
JSC-26-IMP-12841896-SF
Control number
852486600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current NASA federal employees serving on a career, career-conditional, Schedule A for individuals with disabilities, or NASA term appointment that provides eligibility to convert to a permanent appointment.

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Duties

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  • Plans, manages, and continually analyzes complex NASA protective services core functions that have national significance and impact.
  • Coordinates mission-critical planning and evaluations with organization’s management. Conducts a variety of comprehensive studies and detailed analyses to determine the effectiveness of all security, fire services, and emergency management functions.
  • Oversees and directs programs designed to prevent and respond to terrorist acts, workplace violence, and other threats.
  • Assesses any and all threats and leads in the formulation and execution of comprehensive plans to prevent or mitigate vulnerabilities or failures.
  • Participates on Agency-wide committees, task forces, or working groups formulating guidance for the implementation of emerging Federal policy.
  • Perform a full range of supervisory duties which includes assigning and evaluating work; recommending personnel actions; taking disciplinary actions; and identifying training needs and developing employees.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
  • Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • A one year supervisory probationary period may be required.
  • This position requires the selectee have the following current License and/or Certification: Completion of NASA Protective Services Academy within 12 months of assignment to position.
  • Selectee is required to meet the criteria for use of a firearm in accordance with the Federal Arrest Authority.
  • Selectee must meet the standard and training qualifications in strict compliance with 14 CFR, Chapter V, Part 1203b.103, Security Programs Arrest Authority, and Use of Force by NASA Security Force Personnel.
  • The location will be determined upon selection but must be at one of the locations indicated within the announcement.
  • Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.


To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:
  • Providing oversight or guidance for the day-to-day operations of protective services for an organization in the areas of security, law enforcement, and emergency management;
  • Implementing and managing programs designed to prevent information, personnel, property, facilities, or operations from unauthorized disclosure, misuse, theft, assault, espionage, sabotage, or loss;
  • Developing security policy guidance to ensure organizational requirements are achieved.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.

If you are a current federal employee, you must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible for this position. To be eligible, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in a position no more than 1 grade lower than the advertised position. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. If your eligibility for both merit promotion and/or time-in-grade cannot be determined, your application will be rated ineligible.)

Note: Time-in-grade requirements also apply to applicants who have held a non-temporary, competitive service GS position in the past year.

If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:
- Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
- Be well qualified for this position to receive consideration. Candidates rated in the 'Best Qualified' category are considered well-qualified. Please see 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for more information.
- Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents'

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

Qualified NASA term employees who have term conversion eligibility (Term Appointments | NASA) under the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004 will be referred and considered equally with other NASA permanent employees under internal competitive placement procedures.

Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

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.

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 for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or assessment questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments. They may also be evaluated during a structured interview:

  • Security and Program Protection
  • Physical Security
  • Employee and Team Leadership
  • Planning and Evaluation

NASA considers 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.

Under NASA's quality grouping process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of three groups identified and defined below:
  • Best Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
  • Highly Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria.
  • Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Candidates eligible for ICTAP/CTAP, reemployment priority or priority consideration will be referred before other candidates, as necessary. If no such candidates apply or are eligible to be referred, the following candidates will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration:
  • Best Qualified merit promotion candidates. Highly Qualified merit promotion candidates may also be referred, if additional candidates are needed.
  • Qualified candidates eligible for consideration under Schedule A or VRA in accordance with veterans' preference rules, as applicable.
  • Qualified candidates that are eligible for special hiring authorities or non-competitive hiring authorities.
NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.

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