Clarification from the agency

Competitive service Federal employees with career or career-conditional tenure, Military Spouses, Veterans Employment Opportunities Act and Land & Base management.

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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.

This announcement is designed to attract a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants. Candidates with Federal law enforcement experience are strongly encouraged to apply. This role offers an excellent opportunity for individuals with a background in law enforcement to leverage their skills and expertise in a challenging and rewarding environment.

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. Applicants may be referred up to their 40th birthday. Referral is defined as the point at which minimum qualification determinations are completed. 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.
• To be eligible for the 11-week expedited training, candidates must pass PT/Firearms assessment pre hire. Failure to pass the assessment will result in the full 18-week course. 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

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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.

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 Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current competitive service employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to comply.

The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

Applicants must successfully pass the Phase 1 recruitment process (see below) to receive a Conditional Job Offer (CJO). In addition, applicants must successfully pass the Phase II recruitment process to receive final consideration for employment, unless otherwise indicated below.

Note: Following the CJO, applicants will be required to participate in a PT and Firearms assessment to assess the type of training you'll participate in upon completion of the hiring process.

Phase I:

• National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
• Structured Interview

Phase II:

• Security Interview
• Polygraph examination
• Drug screening
• Medical examination
• Background investigation (a top-secret security clearance - reciprocity will be granted)
• Physical Fitness and Firearms Assessment (does not impact employment opportunity)

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 to view our Drug Policy.

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.

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience relevant to the duties of the position. Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered. If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified.

The competencies needed to perform this job are:

• Investigative methods
• Protective methods
• Law enforcement techniques
• Exercising initiative
• Attention to detail
• Judgment and Problem Solving
• Ability to analyze and evaluate data or evidence
• Ability to partner with or lead others

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 as shown above. 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.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

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.