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Security Specialist

Department of Defense
Defense Media Activity
Department of War Information Activity (DWIA)

Summary

This position is part of the Department of War Information Activity. The incumbent will be responsible for serving as a principal security advisor to the Director, DWIA with responsibility for planning, managing, and coordinating the full range of security programs and services for the DWIA world-wide organization.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/04/2026 to 03/18/2026
Salary
$121,785 to - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fort Meade, MD
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term - NTE 3 years, may be extended in any increment of time to reach a maximum of eight (8) year's total service, but not more than 8 years. Potential exists to convert to Permanent but is not guaranteed. Previous incumbent has return rights.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
DWIA-26-12900586-DE
Control number
859838100

Duties

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As a Security Specialist at the GS-0080-13 some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Serves as principal security advisor to the Director, DWIA with responsibility for planning, managing, and coordinating the full range of security programs and services for the DWIA world-wide organization.
  • Participates in formulation of policies, standards, procedures, and methods, and their application.
  • Providing expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations regarding OPSEC/CUI/INFOSEC and other technical specialists on security issues, security concepts, methods, standards, and practices in compliance with security policies, procedures, laws, regulations.
  • Incumbent maintains continuing responsibility for development, installation and management of an effective OPSEC/CUI/INFOSEC Program within DWIA.
  • Develops and conducts initial, annual, and topic-specific training to individuals and groups as required.
  • Provides foreign travel briefings, employee training, and communicating threat and situational awareness information to DWIA leadership and workforce.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service http://www.sss.gov
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Work Schedule: Fulltime
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Flexible
  • Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Not Required
  • Telework Eligibility: This position is not telework eligible
  • Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain a top secret (with access to sensitive compartmented information) clearance.
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug screening test, and periodic drug screenings thereafter.
  • Temporary duty travel may be required.
  • This position is emergency-essential (E-E).

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service:

  • Assisting with planning, managing, and coordinating security programs and services for a world-wide organization.
  • Participating in formulation of policies, standards, procedures, and methods, and their application.
  • Providing expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations regarding OPSEC/CUI/INFOSEC and other technical specialists on security issues, security concepts, methods, standards, and practices in compliance with security policies, procedures, laws, regulations.

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; 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.

This position is emergency-essential (E-E). In the event of a crisis's situation, the incumbent, or designated alternate, must continue to perform the E-E duties until relieved by proper authority. The incumbent, or the designated alternate, may be required to take part in readiness exercises. This position cannot be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the organization to function effectively; therefore, the position is designated "key" which requires the incumbent or designated alternative, to be screened from military recall.

This position has been identified for the Security Professional Education Development (SPeD) Certification Program. This is the Department of Defense (DoD) Security Certification Program directed by DoD Instruction 3305.13. The SPeD certification is DoD's initiative to professionalize the security workforce by establishing a common set of competencies for security practitioners that promotes interoperability, facilitates professional development and training, and develops a workforce of certified security professionals. This position requires the incumbent to obtain the SFPC certification within their first two years of employment. Subsequent SPeD certifications are required with the requirement to complete one per year each consecutive year thereafter in the order mandated by the SPeD certification sequence and/or as mandated by the position supervisor and/or organization leadership.




Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

*This is a term appointment NTE 3 Years. It is time-limited and may be extended in any increment of time to reach a maximum of eight (8) year's total service, but not more than 8 years. Potential exists to convert to Permanent but is not guaranteed. Previous incumbent has return rights.

This position may be converted to permanent career or career-conditional appointment without further competition as long as all requirements are met. To be eligible for conversion, employees must complete at least 2 years of current continuous service under a term appointment in the competitive service and employee must have a current performance rating under such term appointment of at least fully successful or equivalent.

Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoW criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs (
ICTAP eligibility): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Military Spouse Preference: If you are entitled to military spouse preference, in order to receive this preference you must choose the spousal eligibility in your application package referencing MSP Military Spouse Preference. Your preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are claiming military spouse preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed below preference eligible veteran candidates and above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. To claim Military Spouse Preference (MSP) please complete the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist, save the document and attach it to your application package.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP): In order to receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the "Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP)" eligibility. If you are claiming RGP and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant. Information and required documentation for claiming MSP may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below. To be eligible as a RGP, you must submit the following supporting documents with your application package: a signed Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 (whs.mil)); a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) effecting the placement in retained grade status; or a copy of the notification letter you received regarding the RIF or classification downgrade.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the minimum qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.

Competencies:

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Security
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Assessment. This additional online assessment is required and must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

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.

Based on the results of this evaluation, you will be placed in one of the following quality categories:

Best Qualified:
This highest category will be used for those candidates who possess the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s), as determined by the job analysis.
Highly Qualified: This higher category will be used for those candidates who possess the type and quality of experience that exceed the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s) as determined by the job analysis.
Qualified: This lowest category will be used for those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications of the position, including all selective placement factors and appropriate quality ranking factor(s) and are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the position. Candidates may require extensive training and/or orientation in order to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Category-Rating

Names of the candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent first to the hiring manager for employment consideration. Applicants in other categories will be referred in accordance with category rating procedures.

Veterans Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are entitled to veterans' preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. Qualified veterans' preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category depending on the position and grade level of the job.
For information on entitlement seeFeds Hire Vets - Job Seekers - Veterans.

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