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Personnel Security Specialist

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for DC
Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for DC - Agency Wide
Office of Security

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Security at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA). The Agency is responsible for creating and maintaining coherent and effective programs that increase public safety, prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and support the fair administration of justice. The Office of Security is responsible for ensuring that all personnel have obtained a favorable background investigation and other effective security programs are implemented at CSOSA.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/03/2026 to 04/17/2026
Salary
$85,447 - $111,087 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
OA-26-12923881-DE-KD
Control number
863889900

Duties

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Review and evaluate background investigations, security questionnaires, and supporting documentation to identify discrepancies, assess the completeness of investigative information, and determine whether additional inquiry or adjudicative action is required.

Apply personnel security policies, regulations, and adjudicative guidelines to analyze derogatory or conflicting information, develop recommendations, and support suitability, fitness, or credentialing determinations in accordance with federal standards.

Conduct follow-up inquiries, request supplemental documentation, and coordinate with applicants, investigators, or supervisors to resolve issues identified during the review of investigative files or security forms.

Use automated personnel security and credentialing systems to track case progress, validate data accuracy, process investigations or clearances, and ensure compliance with established timelines and procedural requirements.

Perform HSPD-12 credentialing functions, including identity-proofing, fingerprinting, enrollment, and issuance or maintenance of PIV credentials, ensuring adherence to federal identity management requirements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable
  • Background security investigation, drug test, and favorable adjudication
  • May be required to successfully complete a one year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments directly deposited into a financial institution of their choosing.
  • CSOSA uses E-Verify, if you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.
  • Bargaining Unit Status: Not Eligible
  • This is not a virtual or remote position; you must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location in Washington D.C.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill one of the following qualification requirements:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates your ability to provide guidance to employees, applicants, or supervisors on personnel security requirements, documentation, and processes to ensure compliance with federal security and credentialing standards, review and evaluate background investigations to identify issues and determine suitability or fitness, apply personnel security and adjudicative guidelines to resolve discrepancies and make or recommend determinations, and use personnel security systems and performing HSPD-12 credentialing functions, including identity-proofing, fingerprinting, and PIV processing. OR

B. Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or successful completion of three (3) full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. Examples of qualifying fields include security studies, criminal justice, intelligence, homeland security, public administration, or cybersecurity. OR

C. A combination of education and experience as listed above. Qualifying experience is converted to a percentage of the required experience and education is converted to a percentage of the required education. When the two percentages add up to at least 100 percent, the minimum qualification requirements can be met.

NOTE: Transcripts are required for all claimed education.

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.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

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. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

If you are an eligible Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the CTAP or ICTAP must be well qualified for the position. To be well qualified, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and meet the mid-level (scoring between 85 and 89) of the rating criteria for all factors or the established cutoff score. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill future vacancies for identical positions within the next year.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

CSOSA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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 (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Communications Security Management
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Oral Communication
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence

The USA Hire Assessments includes 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.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Your application will be rated under Category Rating Process and be placed in one of three categories: Highly Qualified (highly proficient with an overall comprehensive level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job based on a complete review of experience, education and training), Well Qualified (competent in the position with an overall accomplished level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job based on a complete review of experience, education and training), or Qualified (an overall basic level of knowledge, skills and abilities of the job based on a complete review of your experience, education and training).

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher)

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for DC - Agency Wide

A FEDERAL CAREER LIKE NO OTHER!!! Are you ready to increase public safety, prevent crimes, reduce recidivism, and support the fair administration of justice in close collaboration with the District of Columbia's community? The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) has an opening for a Personnel Security Specialist to join our dedicated team and gain invaluable experience working in the public interest to support the fair administration of justice. For more information, please see the link https://youtu.be/7cPNl7w-Ha0

Agency contact information

Kiran Dasti
Phone
202 220-5765
Email
kiran.dasti@csosa.gov
Address
CSOSA
800 North Capitol Street NW Suite 700
Washington DC, DC 20002
US

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