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Security Guard (Gallery Protection Officer II)(SPO)

National Gallery of Art
AOP-OPS
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Nearly four million people come through our doors each year—with millions more online—making us one of the most visited art museums in the world. Our renowned collection includes nearly 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/29/2025 to 09/12/2025
Salary
$51,442 to - $66,872 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 06
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
06
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NGA-25-083-DE
Control number
844463300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

US Citizens

Duties

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The position of Gallery Protection Officer II is located in the Office of Protection Services. Gallery Protection Officers II are armed and commissioned as United States Special Police Officers, have arrest authority, and normally serve in uniform in the performance of his/her duties. They serve in various assignments over a period, during hours when the National Gallery of Art is open to the public and during non-public and non-operating nighttime hours.

  • Deny admission to undesirable or unauthorized persons, prevents unauthorized removal of Gallery property, answers inquiries from visitors and aids persons in distress.
  • Serve at stationary posts or patrols heavily trafficked public areas or locations that are vulnerable to crimes against persons, theft, vandalism and other damage.
  • Detect and prevent offenses, pursue and arrest violators.
  • Make thorough inspection after closing hours of exhibit areas, building facilities, and perimeters to detect and report breaches of security, damage to property, fire, and other safety hazards. 
  • Assist coworkers, Gallery Staff, supervisors and the public with information, instructions, and directions while maintaining a pleasant and tactful manner at all times. 

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must pass a drug test and will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain the ability to carry a firearm.
  • Possess and maintain a valid state drivers license.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Must pass background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.

Conditions of Employment

  • Incumbents are required to annually re-qualify with the department's service weapon and recertify in First Aid, CPR, and physical assessment. Failure to re-qualify or re-certify will result in removal from the position.
  • All applicants appointed to Law Enforcement positions must attend and successfully complete NGA training program. Applicants who fail to successfully meet this requirement will be subject to termination.
  • You must be able to become Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) and First Aid qualified and have the ability to read and understand written material in language of the security force.
  • Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. A person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence is not eligible for the position.
  • Incumbent has 90 days after date of hire to obtain a valid state driver’s license.
  • Must be able to stand at fixed post for a maximum of 2 ½ hours continuously without a break.
  • Must be able to lift and cany safety equipment that may weigh up to 20 lbs. such as a fire extinguisher.
  • Must be able to wear an equipment belt consisting of a weapon, keys, flashlight, radio, and other items that may have a total weigh of 10 pounds during his/her tour of duty.
  • Must be able to ascend and descend stairways, fixed vertical ladders, and spiral stairways.
  • Must be able to walk patrols in low light areas, on uneven surfaces, in both the interior and exterior of the Gallery for up to 2 ½ hours continuously without a break.
  • Must be able to push, pull, slide or lift doors, hatches or gates that may weigh up to 60 lbs.
  • Must be able to climb over or crawl under fixed obstructions such as utility pipes, ventilation ducts and other objects in non-public areas.

Note: Competition for Security Guard positions is restricted by law to persons entitled to veterans' preference as long as such applicants are available for appointment.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience

Specialized Experience StatementYou qualify for this position if you have one year of experience equivalent in responsibility to the federal GS-5 level, that involved the protection of property against such hazards as fire, theft, damage, accident, or trespass; or maintaining order and protecting life. 

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.

Medical Requirements

The duties of these positions require moderate to arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature. The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, and ability to hear the conversational voice. Agencies may establish additional, job-related physical or medical requirements provided that the specific position(s) involves the arduous or hazardous duties to which the requirements relate.

Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules.

Education

There are no education requirements for this position. 

Additional information

The National Gallery of Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.

AN EXTERNAL SELECTED CANDIDATE MUST BE FINGERPRINTED AND RECEIVE A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, RESULTING IN A SATISFACTORY SUITABILITY DETERMINATION BEFORE BEING HIRED FOR THIS POSITION.

All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

EEO Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/equal-employment-opportunity

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/reasonable-accommodation

Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans


Reasonable Accommodation Requests:

To learn more, please consult the following resources:

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.

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above.  The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

  1. Ability to maintain the physical security of a building and its contents and visitors
  2. Knowledge of emergency procedures and how to apply them
  3. Skill in communicating with peers, management and the public

Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:

Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above.

Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above.

Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree.  

This 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 category.  A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.

Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher.

Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.  

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.


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