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Intelligence Operations Specialist (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary of Transportation

Summary

The Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response ensures the development, coordination, and execution of plans and procedures for the Department of Transportation to balance transportation security requirements with the safety, mobility, and economic needs of the Nation through effective intelligence, security, preparedness, and emergency response programs.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 07/29/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 29, 2026
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$121,785 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some travel maybe required.
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
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
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
OST.IER-2026-0005
Control number
876615300

Duties

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The Intelligence Operations Specialist:

  • Conducts research and analysis of all-source intelligence derived from Intelligence and Law Enforcement Community reporting and other interagency partners to identify specific trends and patterns that may represent an existing or developing threat to U.S. transportation systems, infrastructure, industry, or personnel.
  • Prepares written intelligence reports and intelligence briefings for the Secretary of Transportation, his/her principal staff, Operating Administrators, and other relevant DOT cleared employees to establish situational awareness and support organizational decision-making.
  • Assists in developing and preparing DOT intelligence requirements for presentation to the Intelligence Community (IC) and monitors IC actions in support of DOT requirements. Coordinates for receipt of transportation-related information with interagency intelligence entities to facilitate passage and sharing with DOT officials.
  • Collaborates and shares information with interagency partners through intelligence-sharing networks and systems to establish and maintain situational awareness of intelligence issues that affect DOT and the transportation sector. Represents the Intelligence Division through liaison activity at interagency meetings to ensure DOT remains aware of all intelligence related reporting and other information affecting DOT equities.
  • Serves as a subject matter expert on intelligence, security, and economic issues affecting the transportation sector.

The ideal candidate: The S-60 Intelligence Division seeks a professional intelligence operations specialist with detailed experience in using all-source intelligence reporting to produce tailored intelligence products in support of a broad customer base with information needs across a broad spectrum of national security, economic, and policy issues. The candidate must have detailed experience in producing finished written intelligence products and developing intelligence briefings and presentations for senior Government officials.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for consideration.
  • You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

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 the 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.

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • DRUG TEST: This position has been determined to be a critical safety/security position as defined in the Department of Transportation (DOT) Order, DOT 3910.1D entitled "Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace." Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing.
  • SECURITY CLEARANCE: You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:

  • Experience utilizing intelligence databases and analytic tradecraft to perform intelligence research, analysis, evaluation, and production of comprehensive intelligence written products and briefings to support national security.
  • Experience applying the intelligence cycle and intelligence community analytic standards to identify and assess national security issues.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:

  • Experience utilizing intelligence databases and analytic tradecraft to perform intelligence research, analysis, evaluation, and production of comprehensive intelligence products to support national security decision-making by senior Government officials. 
  •  Experience applying the intelligence cycle and intelligence community analytic standards to identify and assess physical, geopolitical, economic, and cyber threats to transportation systems, critical infrastructure, or industry.
  • Experience leveraging a wide variety of intelligence sources and partners to develop and present senior executive intelligence briefings.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

  1. Intelligence - Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools used to perform intelligence activities.
  2. Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

For all types of consideration, 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.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

IMPORTANT: Applicant must be willing to submit to a counterintelligence-scope polygraph if required.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. 

All applicants:  Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process.  Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed.  Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).


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Office of the Secretary of Transportation

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is focused on what matters most: prioritizing the safety of our transportation systems, modernizing our aging infrastructure, unleashing American innovation, and maximizing efficiency by removing bureaucratic red tape. We are looking for mission-driven professionals ready to deliver real results with discipline, urgency, and accountability to support American families, workers, and businesses.

As we usher in a Golden Age of Transportation, DOT values a results-oriented, high-performing workforce dedicated to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and a safe, collaborative environment. If you want to build big, beautiful infrastructure, scale transformative technologies, and achieve results that will serve our nation for generations to come, please consider joining the DOT family.

Did You Know? The Department of Transportation is consistently ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!

Agency contact information

Automated Staffing Office
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Address
DOT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States

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