Summary
Joining the Secret Service, Office of Technical Development and Mission Support, Technical Security Division will allow you to participate in the planning, management, and execution of projects to enhance operational program procedures and equipment.
Direct Hire Authority: This position will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating and Veterans Preference will not apply to this vacancy.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens through Direct Hire procedures
Duties
The selectee will serve as a Chemist in the Technical Security Division. Typical work assignments include:
- Testing, evaluating, and developing technologies and procedures for detection and mitigation of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE), hazardous materials, and other material-based threats.
- Providing training and technical briefings to end-users regarding the use, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of equipment.
- Delivering recommendations for the resolution of complex chemical or scientific issues to ensure that agency objectives and technological development efforts are successful.
- Collaborating with subject matter experts and project managers to coordinate and identify applicable requirements based on assigned program areas.
- Serving as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in managing awarded contracts; performing or overseeing contract management functions such as monitoring and ensuring compliance on all assigned contracts.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- One-year probationary period may be required.
- Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
- Obtain and maintain a Top Secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page here.
- Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
- Submit to a full scope polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
- Undergo occasional travel.
- Financial disclosure report required: This position requires the employee to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry and annually thereafter. The incumbent is required to complete annual ethics and procurement integrity training.
- Certification Requirements: All Chemists will be required to obtain FAC-COR Level 2 certification with the Federal Acquisition Institute within their first 12 months of onboarding. A FAC-COR Level 3 is desired. Failure to meet the certification requirements may result in separation of employment from the USSS.
- Travel: Domestic travel is required on a regular basis and foreign travel is required on a limited basis.
- Shift work may be required. The incumbent must be able to work holidays, evenings, weekends and during inclement weather and government shutdowns as required to support operations. This position is an emergency essential position. The incumbent will be subject to on-call and irregular work hours.
- This position also requires the incumbent to engage in acquisition continuous learning activities achieving 40 continuous learning points every 24 months.
Qualifications
Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic Requirements AND Specialized Experience requirements as noted below
Basic Requirement
Applicants must meet one of the following basic requirements to qualify:
A. Degree: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that includes 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Note: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience to support your claim.
AND
GS-12: You qualify for the GS-12 level (starting salary $99,200.00) if you possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 level performing the following duties:
- Applying knowledge of chemistry and chemical analysis to assist with work related to environmental monitoring, investigative operations, or mitigation of hazards toward persons and infrastructure;
- Providing reports, briefings, or trainings to maintain awareness of threat detection and mitigation protocols; and
- Assisting in the planning and management of procurements, contracts, or agreements for scientific projects.
GS-13: You qualify for the GS-13 level (starting salary $117,962.00) if you possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-12 level performing the following duties
- Contributing to the testing, evaluation, and/or developing of protocols for threat detection and mitigation systems;
- Providing technical guidance and recommendations to support the development of initiatives related to environmental monitoring, investigative operations, or mitigation of hazards toward persons and infrastructure; and
- Participating in the implementation of project plans, including coordinating a team, identifying needs, ensuring compliance with regulations, procuring resources, etc.
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.
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.
Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.
Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP): This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.
Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary and is mostly done while seated at a desk in an office setting or standing at a processing table in a laboratory or test environment. However, some standing, walking, bending, stooping, stretching and ladder-climbing are required to perform various activities in a laboratory or other screening environment, or to survey machinery, equipment, weapons, and vehicles to obtain information. On occasion, the carrying and lifting of heavy items, weighing approximately 40-75 pounds, may be required. The position sometimes involves working an extended period of time, particularly when responding to threats to internal and external stakeholders.
Work Environment: Work is performed in a variety of settings including, but not limited to office environments, lab operations centers, rooftops, airports, outdoor fields, test ranges and various buildings where equipment is located. The work may involve exposure to sites and materials requiring special safety precautions (e.g., safety glasses, gloves and protective clothing) and may need to be performed outdoors in extreme weather conditions during various times of the day. During assistance missions, the incumbent may work with a variety of recurring exposures and hazards including chemical, biological, radiological and explosive materials, unidentified substances and exposure to various levels of noise. Work may also need to be performed in close quarters or confined spaces. The work may require the incumbent to respond to urgent or emergency conditions.
Education
This position requires specific coursework and/or a degree to meet the basic education requirement. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the qualification requirement section. If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent.
If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
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.
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.
Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating and Veterans Preference will not apply to this vacancy. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.
Veterans: Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for Veterans Preference are still encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). View information on veterans' preference.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you are qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.
To preview the assessment questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12531488
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume showing a detailed description of your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates with the month and year and hours worked per week (if less than 40) for each paid and non-paid work experience job title listed.
2. Other supporting documents (only submit if applicable to you):
- Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed.
- Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP)? If so, submit:
- A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
- A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
- A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
- Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
- Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title;
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
- Agency; and
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/08/2024 to receive consideration.PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. The application process is as follows:
- To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. 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/.
Next steps
Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on your USAJOBS account throughout the process. We expect to make a selection within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
For more information on applying for Federal employment, please click here.
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