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Physical Security Specialist

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Summary

Lead proactive counterintelligence and security activities across the United States government, integrating the instruments of national power to detect, report, deter, disrupt, investigate, exploit, and defeat foreign intelligence threats.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/15/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 15, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year

Not applicable for detailees

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
None
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
Multiple
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-12973657-DNI/NCSC
Control number
871053800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Internal to an Agency = Open to current permanent ODNI employees Federal Employees = This detail opportunity is for current competitive and excepted service employees only. If you are not a current federal civilian employee you will not be eligible for this position. ODNI Joint Duty Assignments do not apply to members of the Military service or contractors. Applicants from federal agencies may be considered for this position as a reimbursable detailee, if endorsed by the employing agency.

Duties

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The NCSC/Security Directorate (SD) protects the nation's security interests by providing comprehensive security solutions. SD develops and implements policies, guidance, and standards for personnel security, IC-wide and SCI security-relevant issues, and security clearance reform. SD also engages with government and industry partners to protect national security equities against foreign intelligence and security threats and advance the U.S. Government's risk management environment to safeguard against adversarial and insider threats. The NCSC/SD directly supports the DNI's responsibilities as the Security Executive Agency (SecEA) across the Executive Branch and serves as the DNI's designee for oversight of national security programs across the Intelligence Community (IC).

The Center for Security Evaluation (CSE) is embedded within NCSC/SD. CSE assesses physical and technical security risks to diplomatic posts and facilities worldwide. This includes: reviewing construction security plans, overseeing and setting standards for SCIFs, identifying and preventing technical vulnerabilities, driving R&D of countermeasures to address technical threat, and supporting modernization of the Technical and Signals Security Countermeasures (TSCM) mission to introduce new technologies securely.

The Physical Security Specialist will:

Plan and manage the construction of United States (US) diplomatic facilities abroad in critical threat environments and for domestic facilities requiring high levels of security to ensure that technical, physical, procedural, and transit security elements are successfully addressed.

Plan, coordinate, and provide direction to Department of State (DoS) planning and construction teams, domestic construction teams, technical security staffs and general contractor security staffs to ensure adherence to construction plans.

Develop, coordinate, and prepare Office of the Director of National Intelligence's (ODNI) strategic and tactical planning efforts and use the developed plans to ensure the sound security of construction projects in critical threat environments.

Plan and direct the development and review of security plans, procedures, and countermeasures for on-going and proposed projects in the areas of domestic and overseas building construction and transportation issues.

Oversee the identification, analysis, and mitigation of risks in dynamic and unpredictable construction projects.

Plan and execute construction security plans in compliance with DoS, Intelligence Community (IC), and the Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB) security requirements.

Plan, participate, and facilitate construction coordination and issue resolution meetings to ensure that IC best-practice methodologies are implemented in the construction of US diplomatic facilities abroad.

Plan, coordinate, and facilitate meetings with senior ODNI officials to provide security status reports and structured recommendations for improving ODNI's effectiveness in providing security for current facility construction projects in critical threat environments.

Initiate, cultivate, and maintain productive working relationships with security colleagues, IC security experts, senior Foreign Service staff, construction personnel, and ODNI management to provide security briefings, status reports and structured recommendations regarding the security of construction projects.

Other duties, as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Must be a current permanent ODNI employee OR must be a current permanent Federal employee with supervisory approval to apply to the Joint Duty Assignment (JDA). JDA applicants must be currently at the grade level specified in the advertisement. No temporary promotion opportunities will be granted for this position. The program does not apply to members of the Military service or contractors.

Joint Duty applicants may be considered for this position as a reimbursable detailee, if endorsed by the employing agency. Joint Duty applicants must have a current TS/SCI clearance with polygraph or have the ability to obtain one. The ODNI does not conduct polygraphs or provide security clearances for detailees.

FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS

All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).

  1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
  2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
  3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
  4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Qualifications

Mandatory Requirements:

Extensive knowledge of domestic IC and DoS overseas building operations and diplomatic security systems, standards, and requirements, including technical, physical, procedural, transit security elements, and technical security countermeasures.

Extensive knowledge of construction security policies related to domestic and DoS overseas facilities, including demonstrated ability to manage, analyze, and synthesize classified material regarding security standards, policies and procedures.

Extensive foreign field experience in security, program management, and/or other IC security activities as well as availability for foreign and domestic travel.

Demonstrated ability to communicate, both verbally and in writing, complex information in a clear, concise manner that is targeted to and meets the needs of varied audiences with different perspectives and objectives.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and in a team or collaborative environment, mentor junior colleagues, and utilize strong organizational and interpersonal problem-solving skills.

Extensive knowledge of physical security in an overseas diplomatic environment and of overseas construction security standards (OSPB, Director of Central Intelligence Directive, and IC Directives).

Extensive knowledge of IC components, security programs, processes, practices, and methodologies, as well as extensive knowledge of how physical and technical security is incorporated into US facilities both domestic and overseas.

Demonstrated ability to establish regular contact with high-level internal and external resources and customers, supplying or seeking information on security programs and issues; demonstrated ability to tactfully express ideas or opinions to senior leaders, customers, contractors, and other stakeholders.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Additional information

JOB INTERVIEW TRAVEL

Candidates from outside the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) may be selected for a telephone, teleconference, or in-person interview.

SALARY DETERMINATION

A current Federal Government employee, selected for this position, will be assigned to the position at their current grade and salary.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

The ODNI provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodations Officer by classified email at dni_reasonable_accommodation_wma@cia.ic.gov, by unclassified email at DNI_COO_HRM_RA_ALL@odni.gov, by telephone at (703)275-3900 or by FAX at (703)275-1277. Your request for reasonable accommodation will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS EMAIL ADDRESS. THIS EMAIL IS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS ONLY.

The ODNI is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.



Office of the Director of National Intelligence

You can help protect the nation at ODNI by working in an environment that provides our nation's leaders with intelligence they require to make decisions and protect the nation. We are integral to forging partnerships and building trust between all 18 intelligence agencies from the Central Intelligence Agency to the Office of Naval Intelligence. Come be a part of the team that ensures our nation's leaders have the intelligence information they require to make the decisions necessary to keep the nation safe.

Agency contact information

ODNI HRM HOST
Email
ODNI_HRM_HOST_Team@odni.gov
Address
NATIONAL COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY CENTER
Director Of National Intelligence
Washington, DC 20511
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of the Director of National Intelligence, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.odni.gov/index.php/careers

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