Test & Evaluation plans and conducts integrated developmental, certification, operational, and acceptance testing across the Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL), Transportation Security Administration Systems Integration Facility (TSIF), and field operations to validate performance and confirm systems are ready for TSA deployment.
Summary
Test & Evaluation plans and conducts integrated developmental, certification, operational, and acceptance testing across the Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL), Transportation Security Administration Systems Integration Facility (TSIF), and field operations to validate performance and confirm systems are ready for TSA deployment.
The Executive Director, Test and Evaluation (T&E), Security Capabilities (SC), Technology & Systems (TS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) serves as the independent Operational Test Agent (OTA) on behalf of TSA as well as the Director of the TSA Systems Integration Facility (TSIF); and provides developmental, certification, qualification, and operational test and evaluation support to the TSA and other DHS components. The Executive Director, T&E serves as the primary liaison to DHS Headquarters on all T&E matters, including T&E policy, and establishes the Division's strategies, goals, and objectives, and ensures alignment with SC, TSA and DHS strategies, goals and objectives.
Duties include:
Conducting risk analysis to manage TSA acquisition programs' costs, schedules and performance baselines.
Identifying and assessing risk areas related to test activities and associated program costs, schedules, and performance, implementing appropriate mitigations and contingencies as necessary.
Developing and maintaining a robust T&E capability to support all testing for TSA to include: acquisition support, Concept of Operations (CONOPS) or process development/refinement, and threat mitigation.
Ensuring test activities are executed in accordance with T&E directives, SC/CAE Test and evaluation Policy, as well as the SC T&E Guidebook.
Conducting outreach in support of TSA and DHS acquisition executives on matters related to T&E to include engagement with TSA operational elements, industry associations, equipment manufacturers, the DHS Science and Technology (S&T)Directorate, and others as appropriate.
Serving as Supervisor of the Deputy Director of the Transportation Security Laboratory, a DHS S&T laboratory which executes developmental and independent test and evaluation in support of the certification of TSA screening technologies.
Directing the TSA-related activities at the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) Improvised Explosives Detection and Synthesis Center, a laboratory dedicated to researching, manufacturing, testing, and characterizing Improvised Explosives and Devices.
Coordinating with executives and senior executives across internal and external organizations to ensure consistency in application of communications, processes and procedures related to T&E.
Must serve a probationary period of one year unless you previously completed the probationary period in a SES/TSES position.
Must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
Must file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
Must complete a favorable Tier 5 Background Investigation (T5).
This position requires a TS/SCI (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information) clearance that must be completed prior to appointment.
You will be subject to a 5-year periodic investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance. Failure to obtain and maintain the required clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:
FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information).
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.
Qualifications
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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) related to this position within your resume. Your resume MAY NOT EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be deemed ineligible and will not receive further consideration. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs).
The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-BASED. Therefore, evidence of each ECQ and TQ must be CLEARLY REFLECTED in your resume.
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the following technical qualifications.
1. Demonstrated experience applying procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise in Testing and Evaluation of aviation security technologies, capabilities and systems.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of test methodologies and strategies, strategic risk assessment, requirements analysis, systems engineering, operations research and modeling and simulation in order to manage a Testing and Evaluation program.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES)/Transportation Security Executive Service (TSES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect the the ECQs and TQs, you will not receive further consideration for the position.
ECQ 1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ 2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
ECQ 3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ 4 - LEADING PEOPLE. This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
ECQ 5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
NOTE: If you are a member of the SES/TSES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES/TSES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES/TSES.
FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS EACH EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATION AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS IN THE RESUME WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
Education
This position does not have a positive education requirement.
Additional information
The TSA, an excepted service agency, was established by Public Law 107-71, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), on November 19, 2001. ATSA provides TSA with the authority to modify and develop its own human capital program, provided such modifications are consistent with 49 USC 40122.
This is an excepted service position. However, there is an interchange agreement with the OPM and TSA that enables Career TSES members who have been approved by the Qualifications Review Board at OPM to qualify for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions without additional competition.
You will be required to serve a probationary period of one year unless you previously completed the probationary period in a SES/TSES position.
When you enter on duty, you will be required to complete a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 278. You will need to provide this information annually.
Veteran's Preference is not applicable to the SES/TSES.
Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES/TSES leaders. Individuals selected for SES/TSES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Mobility Agreement.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES/TSES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES/TSES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES/TSES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES/TSES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES/TSES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES/TSES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES)/Transportation Security Executive Service (TSES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs.
Contact information.
Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including the month and year) for work experience.
Number of hours worked in a position (i.e., full-time or part-time). If part-time, state the total number of hours worked per week.
Performance level (i.e., band or grade).
2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.
3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:
CURRENT OR FORMER SES/TSES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility (except current TSA employees).
SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Must provide verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification (except current TSA employees).
CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee (except current TSA employees).
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Provide most recent performance evaluation.
NOTE: An award SF-50 (i.e. cash or time off award) does not indicate grade or level (i.e. pay band) or tenure to determine your eligibility for this position and will not be accepted.
To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.
Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.
If needed, applicants may request a religious accommodation as part of the hiring process from the designated contact noted in the vacancy announcement (for contact information please see 'Agency Contact Information' listed within the 'How to Apply' section of this job announcement).
Executive Resources
DO NOT MAIL
Springfield, VA 22150
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES)/Transportation Security Executive Service (TSES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs.
Contact information.
Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including the month and year) for work experience.
Number of hours worked in a position (i.e., full-time or part-time). If part-time, state the total number of hours worked per week.
Performance level (i.e., band or grade).
2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.
3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:
CURRENT OR FORMER SES/TSES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility (except current TSA employees).
SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Must provide verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification (except current TSA employees).
CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee (except current TSA employees).
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Provide most recent performance evaluation.
NOTE: An award SF-50 (i.e. cash or time off award) does not indicate grade or level (i.e. pay band) or tenure to determine your eligibility for this position and will not be accepted.
To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.
Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.
If needed, applicants may request a religious accommodation as part of the hiring process from the designated contact noted in the vacancy announcement (for contact information please see 'Agency Contact Information' listed within the 'How to Apply' section of this job announcement).
Executive Resources
DO NOT MAIL
Springfield, VA 22150
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
