Summary
Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America's transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.
Clarification from the agency
Government-Wide: Current and former permanent civilian Federal employees. Applications also accepted from Individuals with Disabilities; Veterans' Preference eligibles OR Veterans who were or will honorably discharge from the Armed Forces after completing at least 3 years of continuous active duty by the closing date of this announcement. Veterans' Preference eligibles will compete under TSA's Merit Promotion procedures for which Veterans' Preference is not a factor in the selection process.
Duties
This Transportation Security Specialist - Explosives position is located at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to:
- Serving as a key component of a multi-layered security approach.
- Applying experience and technical knowledge of explosives to assess threats.
- Educating the screening workforce in the detection of threats.
- Supporting explosive vulnerability assessments in all modes of transportation.
- Responding to and assessing all unresolved checkpoint and checked baggage alarms involving possible explosives, IED components or actual IEDs, rendering a final decision on alarm resolution.
- Assessing the interrelationships between initiators, power supplies, and chemicals. Determining if devices are improvised explosives, commercial explosives, or mixed explosives (fuel mixtures).
- Deploying in support of risk mitigation efforts to deter, detect, and prevent the introduction of IEDs, IED components or other deadly or dangerous items into the airport environment.
- Participating with evaluation teams in conducting covert drills to determine effectiveness of the training programs, recommending individuals remediation, and identifying potential security vulnerabilities.
- Mentoring and training the front line screening workforce to increase their operational knowledge of explosives and IED components.
Emergency Essential Position: This position is designated as an Emergency Essential (EE) position. This designation requires the employee to remain in a duty status if an emergency arises.
Conditions of Employment
- You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
- You must have reached the minimum entry age of 18 years at the time of application.
- You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
- You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level security clearance.
- Selective Service registration is required.
- You must pass pre-employment Drug Screening AND you will be subject to post-employment random drug and alcohol testing.
- You must meet and maintain medical requirements as stated in the TSA Medical Guidelines for Transportation Security Specialist - Explosives (for more information, click here).
- You must be available to work various shifts and overtime, as needed.
- You must be willing to undertake extensive travel, at times overnight, as required.
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.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (0MB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
Qualifications
To qualify for the SV-H Pay Band (equivalent to GS-12) you must have:
- Completed formal accredited IED/bomb disposal coursework resulting in a Graduation Certificate from at least one of the accredited bomb disposal schools. The accredited bomb disposal schools are the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD) and the FBI's Hazardous Devices School (HDS)
AND
- One year of specialized experience at the SV-G or GS-11 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector as a Bomb Appraisal Officer, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, Bomb Technician, or similar position. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:
- Assisting with bomb program management responsibilities such as participating as a team member on a bomb squad to include ensuring program requirements were followed, making recommendations on procedures or helping implement processes under the direction of a program manager.
- Responding to alarms involving possible explosives, IED components, or actual IEDs. Assessing the interrelationship between initiators, power supplies, switches, and chemicals to determine if the device is an improvised explosive, commercial explosive, or military explosive.
Quality Ranking Factor: Specialized experience acquired within the last five years immediately preceding application has been identified as a Quality Ranking Factor for this position. This means that applicants who have specialized experience within the last five years will receive additional credit for this experience as part of the candidate evaluation process.
Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer 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). 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.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Resumes must include the following:
- Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including the month and year) for work experience.
- State the 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)
You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our 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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of the competencies required for this position. We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your category placement may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.
Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Grouping procedures. Under Category Grouping, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:
- Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies as determined by the job analysis.
- Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies as determined by the job analysis.
- Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies as determined by the job analysis. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
- Ammunition and Explosives
- Incident Management
- Training Instruction
You may preview the questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12307198
In addition to a resume and the assessment questions, you must submit copies of any of the following documents if you are applying based on current or former Federal Government Status, Veterans' Preference or eligible Veterans' Service (a veteran who was honorably discharged from the armed forces after completing at least three (3) years of continuous active duty service), or education or a combination of education and experience:
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action - Current TSA employees are strongly encouraged to submit the most recent non-Award SF-50, at the time of application, to support eligibility for Status consideration. TSA employees who do not submit the SF-50 with the application must document their current TSA position in their resume and may be required to provide the SF-50 document during the selection process. TSA employees may obtain a copy of their most recent non-Award SF-50 at https://eopf.opm.gov/dhs/.
If you are not a current TSA employee: you must submit your most recent Notification of Personnel Action SF-50 (or equivalent document) to support your eligibility for Status consideration.
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.
DD-214 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference or eligible Veterans' Service, provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4), Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other appropriate documentation to prove your entitlement and to provide verification of an Honorable Discharge.
SF-15 and VA Letter - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference based upon a Compensable Disability, Widow or Spouse Entitlement, or as a Purple Heart recipient, you must submit your DD-214 or other proof of entitlement; an SF-15, and the required proof of disability, i.e., Department of Veterans Affairs letter dated 1991 or later.
Individuals with Disabilities (IWD) Letter - In order to be eligible for employment through TSA's Individuals with Disabilities Appointing Authority, documentation of the disability is required. Such documentation is used to verify that the individual being hired is indeed a person with an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability. This documentation must be provided with your application before an individual can be hired. Documentation of eligibility for employment under this hiring authority can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits.
If you do not submit required documentation described in this job opportunity announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy.
All of the following must be received in our office by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard time) on the closing date of this announcement. If we do not receive all required information by the closing date, your application may not be considered.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. Your application must include:
- Resume
- Self-Assessment Questionnaire for this position
- Applicable supporting documents (see Required Documents Section)
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 your résumé and/or other supporting 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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
- It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
- Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
- We encourage you to apply online. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact HC-ServeU@tsa.dhs.gov .
Next steps
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We will notify you of the outcome of these steps when they have been completed.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
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