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Lead Personnel Security Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
VISN 20 Northwest Human Resources Network

Summary

This position serves as a Lead Personnel Security Specialist, and the work assigned is of a very confidential, complex and highly sensitive nature. This position performs the security-related functions in support of a Network Personnel Suitability and Credentialing Program (hereinafter, Personnel Security Program) within a Shared Services Unit, and assures that all appointees have the appropriate level of security/suitability clearance commensurate with their assignment.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/16/2025 to 12/26/2025
Salary
$83,104 to - $108,029 per year

Salary range listed is GS-11 step 1 to GS-11 step 10 on the Seattle, WA GS pay scale

Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Seattle, WA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CAZK-12853538-26-AC
Control number
852599300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

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Duties

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Duties include but not limited to:

  • Conducts security and suitability adjudications related to background investigations.
  • Reviews completed suitability investigations with the purpose of providing recommendations on pre-employment and continued employment considerations.
  • Determines the impact of potential adverse or derogatory information; exercises personal judgement and discretion to evaluate the nature of information received and recommends or takes appropriate action.
  • Implements the policies and procedures for the Personnel Security Program.
  • Provides authoritative information and assistance by administering programs for continuous evaluation of personnel; developing guidelines, procedures, and other materials for use by operating officials.
  • Recommends or takes action on cases where the facts are not completely ascertained, or where there is contradictory evidence or incomplete, inconclusive or controversial material.
  • Drafts and issues Proposed Action Letters (PALs) to applicants and appointees whose investigative results contain actionable suitability information.
  • Obtains and adjudicates investigations conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and other certified investigative agencies of agency personnel.
  • Processes and oversees the submission of higher-level investigations to the VA-Adjudication Center (VA-AC).
Lead duties
  • Articulate and communicate to the team the assignment, project, problem to be solved, actionable events, milestones, and/or program issues under review, and deadlines and time frames for completion.
  • Train or arrange for the training of team members in methods and techniques of team building and working in teams to accomplish tasks or projects, and provide or arrange for specific administrative or technical training necessary for accomplishment of individual and team tasks.
  • Prepare reports and maintain records of work accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and coordinate the preparation, presentation and communication of work-related information to the supervisor.
  • Report to the supervisor periodically on team and individual work accomplishments, problems, progress in mastering tasks and work processes, and individual and team training needs.
  • Resolve simple, informal complaints of employees and refer others, such as formal grievances and appeals, to the supervisor or an appropriate management official.
  • Performs related duties as required.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position. This position requires applicant to work on station
Position Description/PD#: Lead Personnel Security Specialist/PD99953S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 12/26/2025.

Preferred experience: Completion of Adjudication certification

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience conducting security and suitability adjudications related to background investigations, Reviewing completed suitability investigations; Determining the impact of potential adverse or derogatory information, Implementing the policies and procedures for the Personnel Security Program, Resolves difficult and complex security problems such as overlapping and conflicting requirements within the Personnel Security Program. OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have at least a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or a LL.M., if related, in an accredited college or university that demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled (e.g., Human Resources, Business, Public Administration, or Management. OR,
  • Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

VA uses eVerify, an Internet based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Accountability
  • Analysis and Problem Solving
  • Attention to Detail
  • Critical Thinking
  • Customer Service
  • Database Management Systems
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Information Systems/Network Security
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Lead or Supervise
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


USA Hire Assessments include 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.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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; religions; 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

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