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Protective Service Specialist- ICTAP Only- P

Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary of Transportation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary (OST), Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response (OISER), Protective Services Division (PSD). OISER provides Departmental executive leadership in government-wide initiatives pertaining to homeland security, physical security, emergency response programs, protective service operations, personnel and document security, Continuity of Operations (COOP), and Continuity of Government (COG).

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/16/2025 to 06/20/2025
Salary
$120,579 to - $156,755 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—a. 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.
Travel Required
75% or less - Travel is required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
OST.IER-2025-0013
Control number
838868300

Duties

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As a Protective Service Specialist, you will:

  • Participate as a member of teams implementing advance protective service and protective services for the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation under terms and conditions prescribed by the DOT Chief of Staff, OISER Director, and Special Agent in-Charge (SAIC); Protective Service Division (PSD). 
  • Be expected to work long and irregular hours, walking, driving, and standing to provide physical protection for the Secretary, while in Deputy U.S. Marshal status. Must cope with continuously rigid and extremely short deadlines where schedules and workload are highly variable, unpredictable, and uncontrollable. These activities will be engaged while conducting protective service and protective service advance operations. There is the potential for physical harm, based on hazards associated with reasonable enforcement response. 
  • Engage in a portion of the work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to discomforts and unpleasantness, such as substantial domestic and international travel.
  • Be required to qualify in the use of, and maintain proficiency with firearms, subduing both resistive and non-resistive persons, and law enforcement and communications equipment.

This position is designated as Emergency Essential and may require working during weather-related closures.

You will also:

  • Serve as a shift lead and specialist in providing protection both domestically and internationally, and independently takes decisive and immediate action in emergency situations requiring innovative solutions.
  • Act as liaison officer and coordinate activities between Office of the Secretary and external agency organizations.
  • Serve as a key advisor responsible for independent and extensive assessment of threat information and the coordination of information gathering activities regarding the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary.
  • Review and analyze threat information and initiates and coordinate protective activities follow up investigations with other appropriate federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
  • Conduct unique and sensitive high-level inquiries/reviews which require extra sensitivity and special handling.
  • Prepare reports and other documents relating to special protective service advances and make oral presentations on protective service advance findings to the Special Agent In-Charge, Protective Service Division, and the Director.

The ideal candidate: The Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response (OISER), Protective Services Division (PSD) is seeking a seasoned professional who is self-reliant and motivated in implementing protective service advance operations, intelligence, and protective services for the Secretary of Transportation.

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:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Current Federal employees and non-competitive selectees may need to complete a probationary period (unless already completed).
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You must possess and be able to maintain a Top Secret/SCI Level Clearance.
  • CERTIFICATIONS: You must be able to obtain and maintain current required certifications in First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and the Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • DRIVER'S LICENSE: This position requires the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle.  A valid driver’s license is required for the position
  • ESSENTIAL/NON-ESSENTIAL: This position is considered emergency essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.
  • DRUG TESTING: 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.
  • MEDICAL REQUIREMENT: Subject to successful completion of annual medical qualification determination.
  • PROFICIENCY: You must demonstrate a proficiency in: (1) subduing both resistive and non-resistive persons, defending the Secretary and others, the use of firearms with issued and/or authorized weapon(s), to include safe handling of firearms and maintaining proficiency with firearms.
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

NOTE: 

  • AGE REQUIREMENT: You must meet the maximum age of entry: 37 years of age or 40 years of age with approval of the Assistant Secretary for Administration. This requirement may be waived for individuals having Veterans’ Preference. 

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications.

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 as a shift or detail lead providing protection domestically and internationally for high-ranking officials; making staff assignments, organizing advanced security planning, and implementing travel guidelines.
  • Experience briefing and advising senior leadership on Protective Service programs, planning initiatives, and policy issues and operations.
  • Experience acting as a liaison between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies on protective service operations, investigations, and emergency procedures.

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:

  • Security - Knowledge of the laws, regulations, and guidelines related to securing personnel, facilities, and information, including the requirements for handling, transporting, and protecting classified information and proper reporting of security incidents.
  • Personnel Security and Safety - Knowledge of methods and controls of personnel, public safety, and security operations; investigation and inspection techniques; or rules, regulations, precautions, and prevention techniques for the protection of people, data, or property.

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.

Education

Additional information

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

SPECIAL DEPUTATION: You must obtain and maintain this requirement which will allow you to carry a service weapon to provide personal protection to The Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and other senior officials. In order to qualify to obtain a Special Deputation by the United States Marshals Service.  This requires that you:

  • must have successfully completed an accredited basic law enforcement training program (civilian or military);
  • must have at least one year of previous law enforcement experience; AND
  • must not have been convicted of a felony and/or crime of domestic violence as defined in Title 18, USC 922(g)(9) Lautenberg Amendment.

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.

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. 

To compete with other competitive status government employees: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this position.

All applicants: Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.  If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


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