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Security Specialist

Department of Defense
Washington Headquarters Services
Security Enterprise Services Directorate

Summary

The position is located in the Security Policy, Appeals, & Performance Oversight Office , Security Enterprise Services Directorate, Washington Headquarters Services. SPA&PO performs personnel security adjudication, security clearance appeal, administration, and policy functions for the Defense Agencies and Field Activities falling under the purview of the Director of Management and Administration, which includes the Office of the SOW and those Agencies administratively supported by WHS.


Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 05/27/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27, 2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$70,623 - $91,815 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DE-12960265-26-MM
Control number
869585300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is open to U.S. Citizens who have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying bachelors or higher degree from a qualifying educational institution; OR will complete an advanced degree by June 30, 2026; OR, Uniformed Service Members who have completed at least four years of obligated service AND was awarded a bachelors or higher degree by an institution of higher education not more than four years before the employment start date.

Duties

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Condition if Employment: This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret/Special Sensitive (SCI) security clearance.

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice for the DoD Direct-Hire Authority for Pathways Recent Graduates. Recent Graduates will be placed on a career or career-conditional appointment and MUST meet the definition of a recent graduate at the time of appointment OR will complete an advanced degree by June 30, 2026 in order to be appointed under this direct hire authority; OR, Uniformed Service Members who have completed at least four years of obligated service AND were awarded a bachelors or higher degree by an institution of higher education not more than four years before the employment start date.
Recent Graduates conferred transcripts must confirm a degree was obtained no more than two years prior to the date of your appointment or anticipated completion date of NLT June 30, 2026.

This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section 1116 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31 ), "Extension of Direct Hire Authority for the Department of Defense for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates"


Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Incumbent's typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Serves as Security Specialist performing security administration duties and providing operational support to PSAB operations.
  • Manages case files in internal and/or external databases and updates personnel security records.
  • Participates with the Specialist in planning and development of long and short range technical and automation efforts for strategic business planning endeavors.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
  • This position may require you to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
  • This position may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station via military or commercial aircraft.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information. A Special Background Investigation (SBI) is required with favorable adjudication by a determining authority
  • The employee assigned to this position is designated as a MISSION ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEE.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below.

Who May Apply:
Positions are open to:

  • U.S. Citizens who have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying bachelors or higher degree from a qualifying educational institution; OR will complete an advanced degree by June 30, 2026; OR, Uniformed Service Members who have completed at least four years of obligated service AND was awarded a bachelors or higher degree by an institution of higher education not more than four years before the employment start date.
  • Applicants can be selected at GS-09 grade level. The target grade of this position is 12.

You may qualify at the GS-09 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
Have one year of experience in the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Candidates for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess previous experience in assisting in: 1) Providing routine information; receiving incoming files; reproducing material on copying machines; scanning and setting up case files; scheduling meetings; 2) supporting office operations; producing a variety of documents and reports; and assisting with monthly/quarterly metrics.
OR
Education:
Have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field related to the position or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Education must have been completed in an U.S. college, university, or other educational institution that has been accredited by one of the accrediting agencies or associations recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Transcripts are required at the time of application.
OR
Combination of Experience and Education:
A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.
Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages
. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

Education

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?
You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

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: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Probationary Periods: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

Note: Under this DHA, veteran's preference does not apply.

Your eligibility and qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

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

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.

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures:

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-3) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-2) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference.

Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-1) to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference.

Washington Headquarters Services

Recent Graduates will be placed on a career or career-conditional appointment and MUST meet the definition of a recent graduate at the time of appointment;
OR will complete an advanced degree by June 30, 2026 in order to be appointed under this direct hire authority;
OR, Uniformed Service Members who have completed at least four years of obligated service AND was awarded a bachelors or higher degree by an institution of higher education not more than four years before the employment start date.


The Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) is a world-class service organization, with a dynamic workforce and unwavering commitment to service excellence. WHS is the essential services provider for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, and offices in the National Capital Region.

The WHS Internship Programs are planned, progressive, education programs that provide for integration of a recent graduate's academic studies and federal work experience with the potential of noncompetitive conversion into the federal career service. Work assignments are designed to permit the knowledge acquired through education/training to be applied to particular work situations with on-the-job training and/or self development.

Agency contact information

Washington HQ Services
Email
whs.job.application.assistance@mail.mil
Address
WHS Executive Services Directorate
Human Resources Directorate
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350
US

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