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Security Specialist

Department of Defense
Washington Headquarters Services
Security Enterprise Services Directorate

Summary

This position is located in Washington Headquarters Service (WHS), Security Enterprise Services Directorate (SESD), in the SCI Management Division (SMD) and will serve as a Security Specialist responsible for providing WHS security support. The SESD provides security support to senior managers in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, WHS, The Director of Administration and Management (DA&M) and to DoD, Congressional, and Presidential established boards, commissions, and task forces.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Location
many vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$70,623 - $133,142 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 12
Promotion potential
12
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 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-13053345-26-NMP
Control number
883353300

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all U.S. Citizens

Duties

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The SESD operates in a fast-paced, high demand environment, providing support to some of the senior-most leadership of the Department of War. Security responsibilities include Industrial Security. Information Security, Operations Security, Personnel Security, Physical Security, SCI Administration, Mission Assurance, Controlled Unclassified Information, Insider Threat, Classification Review, and Counterintelligence Awareness and Reporting. Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) programs, providing authoritative advice and recommendations to senior leadership on security vulnerabilities, risk mitigation, and program effectiveness.
  • Plan, implement, and monitor comprehensive security programs across multiple disciplines, including personnel, physical, information, and industrial security, ensuring compliance with all policies and regulations.
  • Interpret high-level security directives, such as Executive Orders and Intelligence Community Directives (ICDs), to develop and implement local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and security plans tailored to specific operational needs.
  • Conduct comprehensive security assessments, inspections, and sensitive security inquiries to identify deficiencies, ensure compliance, and recommend corrective actions for facilities and programs.
  • Develop and conduct security training, briefings, and educational programs for employees and contractors to ensure a high level of security awareness across the organization.
  • Adjudicate complex personnel security cases involving significant derogatory or conflicting information and support the full lifecycle of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) operations, including build-outs and indoctrinations.

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)
  • 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
  • Selections from this notice are subject to provisions of the DOD Priority Placement Program for displaced employees.
  • This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance with SCI and SAP components. A Special Background Investigation (SBI) is required with favorable adjudication by a determining authority
  • This position may require occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft
  • This position may require you to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime

Qualifications

Promotion Potential: If you are selected below the full performance level, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if performance is satisfactory, you successfully complete all requirements and are recommended by management. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

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

You may qualify at the GS-09 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to
  1. Applying foundational security principles to perform routine assignments in at least one security discipline (e.g., personnel, physical, or information security); and
  2. Supporting the administration of security programs by performing assigned administrative and tracking functions.
OR
Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Criminal justice, Security Management, or Law Enforcement and Administration.

OR
Combination of Education and Experience

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.

You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:
  1. Applying security principles across multiple disciplines (such as personnel, physical, and information security) to resolve conventional security problems; and
  2. Assisting with the administration of specialized security programs (such as for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), conducting security awareness training for employees, and performing reviews of classified contracts to ensure compliance with security requirements).
OR
Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Criminal justice, Security Management, or Law Enforcement and Administration.

OR
Combination of education and experience.

You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:
  1. Serving as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on security programs by analyzing and resolving complex security problems that may involve conflicting information or overlapping requirements; and
  2. Providing authoritative advice and recommendations to senior leadership on security vulnerabilities, program effectiveness, and risk mitigation strategies; and
  3. Independently planning and/or managing security projects or programs.
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.

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures:

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-4) dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference.

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.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-12 level.

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 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.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility.

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.

Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, 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 after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the following quality categories: The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.
Well Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies listed above.
Best Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies listed above.

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.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

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


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 service-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).

Washington Headquarters Services

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.

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

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Washington Headquarters Services, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.whs.mil/

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