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Supervisory Security Specialist

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located in the Special Security Operations Division, Office of Information Security, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS/IS/SSO).

The Special Security Operations Division is responsible for implementing plans, policies, and procedures to ensure that intelligence information, including Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and intelligence sources and methods, is protected in accordance with Intelligence Community policies and procedures.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/02/2026 to 03/10/2026
Salary
$169,279 to - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Arlington, VA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - May require domestic and international travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Announcement number
M/DS-MPI-2026-0012
Control number
859289600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Department of State career or career conditional status employees in the competitive service; employees who are on temporary or other non-status appointments who have reinstatement or non-competitive eligibility for a competitive service appointment (e.g., tenured Foreign Service employees, employees on an excepted service appointment at the USUN who have previous career status, etc.); and CTAP

Duties

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  • Represents the Department at Intelligence Community (IC) committees and working groups to develop policies for the protection of intelligence information, including SCI, and intelligence sources and methods.
  • Serves as the Cognizant Security Authority (CSA) for coordinating certification and accreditation of all SCI Facilities (SCIFs) and SCI automated information technology (IT) systems within DOS facilities worldwide.
  • Plans, organizes, directs, and manages the functions and activities associated with the Department's program to protect all intelligence information.
  • Plans, manages, and oversees the work of a blended workforce of federal and contractor security specialists assigned to the Division.
  • Advises senior management on methods and approaches for protecting intelligence information in the possession of or being generated by Department personnel.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Obtain/maintain eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information
  • Statement of Employment & Financial Interest required prior to appointment.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. 

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience evaluating policies regarding the protection of classified National Security Information and intelligence information, including Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
  • Experience advising on the development of policy decisions related to information security.
  • Experience developing and implementing long range strategies.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-15 position.

In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities:

  • Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others;
  • Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances;
  • Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress;
  • Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and
  • Capacity to "see the job through."

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov. 
  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.  
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

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.

A review of your resume  will be conducted and compared against your responses to the crediting plan questions to determine if you are qualified for this job.  Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. The evaluation process consists of an online assessment and a subject matter expert  resume review of applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates based on the crediting plan assessment. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.  

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: 

  • Ability to advise on policies regarding protection of Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
  • Ability to liaise with internal and external partners.
  • Skill in program management.
  • Knowledge of current security practices, procedures, and systems.
  • Knowledge of Information Assurance methods and practices to protect SCI.
  • Skill in strategic planning.

In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. 

Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.  Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. 

Resume review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Your resume should demonstrate how you meet all aspects of the specialized experience statement. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened.).  If meeting basic qualifications through education only or a combination of education and experience, applicants will not be referred to the SME panel but will be reviewed by the HR Specialist for referral. 

Agency Career and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be considered well-qualified for the position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement to receive consideration for selection priority. To be considered well-qualified, in addition to earning a score of 85 or above and meeting minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all of the major aspects of the position. 


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