Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results
 

Security Officer

Department of Energy
Western Area Power Administration
Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Security and Emergency Management (A7030)

Summary

This position is part of the WAPA Headquarters. As a Security Officer, you will serve as the WAPA Chief Security Officer and Continuity Officer (CSCO), and Vice President, Office of Security & Emergency Management (A7030), with oversight of Security Operations (A7031) and Physical Security (A7032) program elements.

**This is not a remote position. The selectee will be required to be physically present at the Lakewood, CO duty location.**

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/10/2026 to 02/23/2026
Salary
$164,956 to - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Lakewood, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel of up to 25% annually is required with overnight travel possible during all or part of that time.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Q Access Authorization
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-WA-00198-12882991-MP
Control number
857083000

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees with competitive status or other eligibility; Former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; Veterans with VOW, VEOA, or 30% disability; Military Spouses; Individuals with Disabilities Schedule A; Peace Corps, Vista (AmeriCorps) eligibles; Those eligible under an OPM interchange agreement or other special appointing authority.

Duties

Help

As a Security Officer, you will:

  • Direct, lead, control, oversee, monitor, align, prioritize, and restructure WAPA's Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Key Target, Continuity of Operations, and Emergency Response Programs, enabling uninterrupted operation of energy systems, facilities, administrative operations, rapid recoveries (in the event of disruption), and "best in class" program administration.
  • Manage, lead, direct development, formulation, interpretation, implementation of WAPA OSEM policy, ensuring compliance with DOE, Department of Homeland Security, NERC/FERC, OPM, OSEM, and WAPA Security and Continuity of Operations legislation, program authorities, directives, policies, regulations, objectives, standards, procedures, guidelines, funding requirements, best practices, federal and industry requirements.
  • Oversee a comprehensive Physical Security program to include:
    • Site security for Bulk Electrical System (BES) facilities, offices, sites, and control centers, to include physical security perimeter management, alarm systems, physical access points, and Physical Access Control System management.
    • Performing risk assessment, vulnerability evaluations, analyses, and mitigations against threats and physical attack.
  • Manage a broad Personnel Security program to include:
    • Security clearances, temporary access, badging, background investigation, cleared personnel management, and Personal Identity Verification.
    • Manage the Insider Threat Program (ITP).
  • Oversee an expansive Emergency Management program to include
    • Response, Recovery, Continuity, and Incident Response Programs.
    • Training, drills, exercises, documentation, notification, enterprise level incident commanders, Region Emergency Coordinators, and Incident Management Teams.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
  • Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
  • In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
  • Position is subject to random drug testing.
  • You must pass pre-employment drug testing.
  • Security clearance and associated requirements - Special Sensitive/High Risk.
  • Position requires the incumbent to have access to highly classified/restricted data documents and/or materials, thus the position demands the highest degree of public trust and requires the incumbent to possess a DOE "Q" security clearance, with access to Special Sensitive Information.
  • Employee must complete a confidential financial disclosure report (OGE Form 450).
  • May be required to complete a supervisory managerial/probationary period.
  • This position is designated as Emergency Essential.
  • This position requires the ability to operate a Government vehicle. The incumbent must be at least 18 years of age, able to obtain and maintain Defensive Drivers certification and have a valid state driver's license. Defensive Driver's Training will be completed upon employment.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

GS-15: A qualified candidate's online resume and personnel records must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS14) or equivalent pay band in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following:

  1. Developing, implementing, and leading Security and Emergency Management Programs for an organization within the energy, water, wastewater, nuclear, dams, or defense Critical Infrastructure sectors to include response and restoration planning;
  2. Resolving incidents involving physical security problems, security methods, technology, or procedures; AND
  3. Managing a Continuity of Operations program, to include administration, operations, exercises, and devolution activity.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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: Current career or career-conditional GS employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional GS employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current career or career-conditional federal employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Physical Demands:
Works comfortably seated at a desk or table. Some walking and standing occurs during a normal workday with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site. The employee may carry light objects, briefcases, notebooks, and data processing reports. The work requires no special physical effort or ability.

Work Environment:
Work occurs in an adequately lighted, heated, ventilated, office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts, requiring normal safety precautions typical of offices, meeting and training rooms, private or commercial vehicles, using safe work practices with office equipment, avoiding trips or falls, observing fire regulations and traffic signals, etc.

Education

For this position, education cannot be substituted for experience.

Additional information

  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov.
  • Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
  • Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level.
  • Upon reporting, and annually thereafter, the selectee may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification. These certifications may be subject to public disclosure.
  • The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
  • This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual 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. DOE 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.
  • Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

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.

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).


The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the scores provided from the SME resume review to place you into an initial quality category via OPM's Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified."

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Incident Management
  • Leadership
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Security



All qualified Non-competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified".

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (02/23/2026) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12882991.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.