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SECURITY SPECIALIST (LEAD INDUSTRIAL SECURITY OPERATIONS SPECIALIST)

Department of Defense
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
Industrial Security Operating Component

Summary

DCSA's Industrial Security (IS) Operating Component is seeking a highly motivated individual with knowledge and experience as a Lead IS Operations Specialist who will bring excellent communication, internal and external agency collaboration, and strong customer service skills. The position will serve as Advisor to the Associate Director, IS, in a fast-paced, dynamic front office environment.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 14
Promotion potential
14
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 Excepted 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
DCSA-26-13052011-MP
Control number
883605600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to: All Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) who reside or currently employed in the MCB Quantico local commuting area (which also include the Maryland, Virginia, and District of Columbia cities/counties listed in the Duties section of the Announcement).

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Duties

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This announcement is open to: All DCSA employees who reside or currently employed in the MCB Quantico local commuting area, which includes the Virginia counties of Albemarle, Arlington, Caroline, Chesterfield, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Greene, Hanover, Henrico, King George, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Prince William, Spotsylvania and Stafford Counties, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Richmond; Maryland counties of Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and Saint Mary's; District of Columbia; and all cities existing in Virginia or Maryland within the geographic area bounded by the outer boundaries of the combined areas of the aforementioned counties.


As a SECURITY SPECIALIST (LEAD INDUSTRIAL SECURITY OPERATIONS SPECIALIST) you will be responsible for the following duties:
  • This position is not mission essential, the incumbent serves as a Lead Security Operations Specialist advising the Associate Director for Industrial Security
  • Executive Advisement: Serves as a Lead Industrial Security Operations Specialist advising the Associate Director for Industrial Security on mission planning, organizational improvements, and operations.
  • Cross-Agency Coordination: Leads staff functions and coordinates complex, cross-organizational actions and projects within DCSA and with key Department of War (DoW) staff.
  • Executive Communications: Develops senior-level briefings, formulates executive talking points, and reviews materials to support senior leader engagements and negotiations.
  • Operational Analysis: Conducts analysis of industrial security operations to develop courses of action (COAs) and recommend solutions to operational challenges.
  • Strategic Planning: Applies strategic thinking and vision to evaluate current operations, oversee assigned actions, and manage large organizational projects.
  • Change Management: Utilizes influencing and decision-making skills to build teams, drive change management, and implement effective organizational improvements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a US citizen
  • Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. For more information http://www.sss.gov
  • Resume and supporting documents received by 11:59PM EST will be considered
  • This is a Drug Testing designated position
  • Position is a (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under U.S.C. 1601
  • Work Schedule: Full Time
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Flexible
  • PCS (Permanent Change of Station): Not Authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Not Required
  • Telework Eligibility: Supervisors may approve situational telework on a case-by-case, temporary basis for limited situations.
  • If selected, the incumbent must obtain and maintain appropriate security clearance as indicated in job announcement.
  • Incumbent must obtain Security Professional Education Development (SPeD) Certification for Security Fundamentals Professional Certification (SFPC) within 2 years of onboarding.

Qualifications


The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened from the Office of Personnel Management's (OPMs) basic qualifications requirements. See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0000/security-administration-series-0080/ for OPM qualification standards, competencies and specialized experience needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the MAJOR DUTIES and QUALIFICATIONS sections of this announcement by 09/09/2026

Applicant must have directly applicable experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.

You must have specialized experience sufficient to demonstrate that you have acquired all the competencies necessary to perform at a level equivalent in difficulty, responsibility, and complexity to the next lower grade (GS/GG-13) in the Federal service and are prepared to take on greater responsibility.
Generally, this would include one year or more of such specialized experience.

Specialized experience for this GG-14 position includes:

  • Advising Senior Executives and staff on mission planning, organizational improvements, and operations.
  • Supporting senior leader engagements, staff functions, and planning cross-organizational actions
  • Managing large organizational projects, developing senior leader talking points and briefings, reviewing executive material, and tracking quick-turn actions.
  • Coordinating with DCSA, Department of War, and Congressional Staffs to manage assigned tasks and actions.
  • Proactively identifying operational challenges, providing recommendations and/or implementing solutions to resolve

Specifically you will be evaluated on the following competencies:
1. Change Management- Knowledge of change management principles, strategies, and techniques required for effectively planning, implementing, and evaluating change in the organization.

2. Decision Making- Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.

3. Influencing/Negotiating- Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.

4. Planning and Evaluating- Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.

5. Strategic Thinking- Formulates objectives and priorities and implements plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment that takes into consideration the environment, resources, capabilities, constraints, and organization goals and values. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks and contingencies, recognizing the implications for the organization and stakeholders.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

VETERANS PREFERENCE/CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL
In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, veterans preference is not required to be applied when considering candidates with prior Federal competitive or excepted service who have completed a probationary or trial period and have not been separated for cause. Therefore, veterans preference will not be applied to applicants with current federal service, or former federal civilian service meeting the above criteria.

Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

Applicants selected from this announcement may be required to serve a two-year trial period.

If selected, Federal employees currently serving in the competitive service must acknowledge that they will voluntarily leave the competitive service by accepting an offer of employment for a DCIPS excepted service positions.

If selected, non-DCIPS candidates must acknowledge in writing that the position they have been selected for is in the excepted service and covered by DCIPS.

All Defense Intelligence positions under the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) are in the excepted service by specific statue, 10 U.S.C. 1601. This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status.

For more information on the DCIPS occupational structure click here.

For more information about career advancement in DCIPS click here.

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 based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your 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 SME Resume Panel review.

Application Questionnaire: Applicants must complete a screen out questionnaire as part of the application process. Applicants identified as meeting the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications for the position may move on.

EXCEPTED SERVICE PILOT REVIEW: Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Top ranked candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further review and consideration.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified'.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

All eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency

Our Mission
Through vetting, industry engagement, education, and counterintelligence and insider threat support, secure the trustworthiness of the United States Government's workforce, the integrity of its cleared contractor support, and the uncompromised nature of its technologies, services, and supply chains.

Our Vision
DCSA's elite security experts illuminate national security risks to empower faster, smarter decision-making that protects American innovation and resilience to enable mission success.

DCSA Strategic Execution Plan
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency stands at the intersection of government-wide trusted workforce, national security, and industrial base protection. Guided by the Secretary of War's National Defense Strategy, Deputy Secretary's Warfighting Acquisition Transformation efforts, and Trusted Workforce 2.0, our mission is to deliver data-driven, threat-informed, and customer-trusted security services at scale.

The FY2026 - 2028 DCSA Strategic Execution Plan defines six strategic priorities for the agency:
  1. Deliver NBIS
  2. Deploy NI2 to Modernize Industrial Security
  3. Modernize and Sustain Trusted Workforce Determinations
  4. Rebuild the Workforce Compact
  5. Operate as a Customer-Centric Business
  6. Drive Audit-Ready Integration and Agency Efficiency with AI

Agency contact information

DCSA Servicing Team
Phone
614-693-4444
Email
DHRS-DDCSA@dla.mil
Address
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
27130 Telegraph Road
Quantico, VA 22134
US

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Learn more about what it's like to work at Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.dcsa.mil

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