Clarification from the agency

This job opportunity announcement is for Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles, as well as Persons eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998 in the Washington, DC, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Boston, Memphis, Miami, Huntsville, Fresno, Waco, Honolulu, New York, Dallas, San Antonio, Seattle and Riverside commuting areas.

Joining the United States Secret Service as a Special Agent offers a unique and rewarding career dedicated to serving the nation through our dual mission of criminal investigations and protection. Special Agents play a critical role in safeguarding the financial integrity of the United States and protecting its highest leaders, including the President, Vice President, and other designated individuals. Throughout their careers, Special Agents have the opportunity to work on diverse assignments across the country and around the globe, gaining unparalleled experience in both investigative and protective operations.

Responsibilities include:

• Conducting complex criminal investigations into financial crimes, including counterfeiting, cyber fraud, and other threats to the financial infrastructure of the United States.
• Providing physical protection for the President, Vice President, their families, visiting foreign dignitaries, and other protectees, ensuring their safety in every environment.
• Designing, planning, and implementing advanced security measures for National Special Security Events (NSSEs), such as presidential inaugurations, international summits, and other high-profile events.

As a Special Agent, you will be part of an elite team committed to excellence, integrity, and service, with opportunities to serve at multiple duty stations both domestically and internationally. This dynamic and impactful career challenges you to rise to your fullest potential while making a difference for the nation.

For more information about the Special Agent position, click here.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizenship is required. U.S. citizens are legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship and are entitled to all rights and protections under U.S. law.
• Possess a current valid driver's license. Must be REAL ID compliant.
• Use your official name on your application as it appears on your valid government identification (i.e., REAL ID Driver's License, State ID, Passport).
• Must be at least 21 years old at the time of application and under 40 at referral. Exceptions may apply for those with current or prior service in federal law enforcement positions covered by special retirement provisions. The Secret Service has determined that age is essential to the performance of this position.
• Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position. Disclose any prior drug use, attempted use, and/or experimentation.
• Obtain a Top-Secret Clearance and retain it during your career.
• This position requires an automatic credit check after initial qualifications are met.
• Carry and use a firearm. Maintaining firearm proficiency is mandatory. You will be ineligible to occupy this position if at any time you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, unless you received a pardon, or your conviction was expunged or set aside.
• Candidates may be required to complete an expedited specialized training program. Failure to pass the training program may result in separation from the Secret Service.
• Sign a mobility agreement stating your willingness to accept assignments anywhere within the United States and overseas.
• Certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so, if you are a male applicant born after December 31,1959.
• Must have uncorrected vision of at least 20/100, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. LASIK, ALK, RK, and PRK surgeries are acceptable if required post-surgery visual tests are passed: Lasik (3 months), PRK (6 months), ALK/RK (1 year) waiting periods apply.
• Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 25 decibels (A.S.A. or equivalent I.S.O.) in either ear in the 500,1000 and 2000Hz ranges.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience to qualify for the GS-11 Level (starting base salary $63,795) you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GL-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is outlined as:

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M.; OR
• Have at least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GL-9 level such as experience in, or related to planning and conducting complex criminal investigations to determine violations of Federal laws and regulations; collecting and assembling facts to identify logical conclusion; gathering, analyzing, and evaluating evidence or data; conducting interviews and interrogations; making arrests; conducting searches and seizures; taking responsibility for own actions and those of team members to ensure the goals and deadlines for the team are met; partnering with or leveraging networks or relationships from outside the organization, experience managing complex projects including setting priorities and determining resource requirements; OR
• A combination of specialized experience, as described above, and related graduate level education, beyond the first full year of doctoral level study.

Specialized Experience to qualify for the GS-12 Level (starting base salary $76,463) you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is outlined as:

• Participates as a team member, which may include planning, coordinating, and conducting Federal investigative activities. Investigations may involve surveillance assignments, developing and controlling informants, and activities concerning organized crime and/or subversive groups; OR
• Develops and uses information from a wide variety of sources such as electronic devices, informants, private citizens, victims, and officials from Federal law enforcement agencies, to investigate and, when appropriate, apprehend individuals suspected of being involved in crimes, in support of the subsequent preparation and presentation of federal court cases in collaboration with other Federal agencies.

To qualify for the GS-13 Level (starting base salary $90,925) you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is outlined as:

• Investigates violations of the laws of the United States relating to fraudulent manufacture and/or use of credit/debit cards, access devices, computers/telecommunications equipment, and Federal government identification; Or
• Coordinates investigations with Federal jurisdictions and/or assists foreign officials in cases of international scope.

Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service.

Qualifications Must Be Met: The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to meeting the basic eligibility criteria, ICTAP and CTAP applicants must be well qualified for the position. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, and abilities that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. ICTAP and CTAP applicants must possess a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria to be eligible for selection.

Those applicants who are ICTAP and CTAP eligible and Persons eligible under the VEOA and who are found to be qualified for this vacancy will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.

If your application and supporting documentation does not support your responses to the questionnaire, it may affect your evaluation or result in your name being removed from further consideration.

Applicants must successfully complete Phase I to be certified to receive a conditional offer of employment notification. In addition, applicants must successfully complete Phase II in order to receive final consideration for employment.

Phase I:

• National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
• Special Agent Entrance Exam (SAEE)
• Applicant Physical Abilities Test
• Interview

Phase II:

• Credit check
• Security interview
• Polygraph examination
• Drug Screening
• Medical examination
• Background investigation (a top-secret security clearance).

The Secret Service follows stringent guidelines relating to illegal drug usage. An applicant's history is reviewed and a determination for employment is made according to our guidelines. For more information regarding the U.S. Secret Service drug guidelines please click here.

As part of the application process the applicant will be required to complete the United States Secret Service Applicant Physical Abilities Test (APAT). It is a physical fitness assessment which consists of four components (push-ups, sit-ups, Illinois Agility Run and a 1.5 Mile Run). The APAT is designed to measure the current level of general physical fitness of an applicant, which serves as an indicator of an applicant's ability to safely complete a vigorous physical training program. It evaluates the applicant's ability to perform the physical tasks required on the job by measuring muscular and dynamic strength, endurance, flexibility, aerobic capacity and other factors related to physical aptitude. The standards are anticipated to be the same regardless of age, gender or position.

General Medical Requirements: As determined by OPM the duties of this position require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of fingers, wrist, elbows, shoulders, hips and knee joints is required. Arms, hands, legs and feet must function sufficiently in order for applicants to perform the duties satisfactorily.

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 documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of three categories: Qualified, Well Qualified, and Best Qualified, based on your experience, education, and training. If you are determined Well or Best Qualified for a grade level and successfully complete Phase 1, you will receive a conditional job offer.

The competencies needed to perform this job are:

• Investigative methods
• Protective methods
• Law enforcement techniques that provide the specific competencies to successfully perform the position's duties
• Exercising initiative
• Attention to detail
• Judgment in collecting, assembling and developing facts, evidence or other pertinent data
• Ability to analyze and evaluate data or evidence to arrive at sound conclusions including applying new information
• Ability to partner with or lead others in the accomplishment of mission activities

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP or CTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be deemed qualified as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Your on-line application will be rated on the extent, quality, and relevance of the following: your experience, education and training, and competencies. All applicants are evaluated on competencies related to law enforcement methods and techniques, protective methods and techniques, investigative methods and techniques, initiative, attention to detail, learning, problem solving, partnering, planning and organizing, and leadership. All answers in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. Upon review your resume and transcripts need to support your answer choices. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or on the application questionnaire may result in your removal for consideration.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.