Intelligence Operations Specialist (Collection Strategist)

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

As a Intelligence Operations Specialist (Collection Strategist), GS-0132-9/11/12/13, your typical work assignments may include:

• Responsible for supporting DHS I&A and the DHS Intelligence Enterprise (IE) as a functional management representative in one or more of the assigned intelligence disciplines (INTs). Ensures collection planning is consistent, coordinated, and integrated throughout the homeland defense community - IC organizations, interagency counterparts, and DHS offices.
• Assists I&A and DHS IE collection managers, analysts, and stakeholders in creating and/or refining collection strategies to satisfy intelligence gaps and ensure collection is levied against customer needs.
• Identifies opportunities for collection using national, operational, and tactical intelligence collection strategies and postures in support of priority or emerging intelligence needs.
• Monitors intelligence collection capabilities, advocating for the optimal apportionment and allocation of intelligence assets and resources in support of DHS I&A and IE missions and stakeholders.
• Presents findings and recommendations from collection postures, strategies, and functional management developments to superiors and department leadership.
• Evaluates the sufficiency and adequacy of intelligence collection capabilities against requirements, and plans and coordinates the innovation and development of new means, methods, and approaches to support collection performance.
• Conducts and supports collection assessments for continuous improvement through monitoring collection progress against identified intelligence gaps.
• Provides results of studies, analyses, and evaluations to counterpart agencies to improve coordination and improve the interchange of information on collection capabilities, deficiencies, and technology applications.
• Prepares correspondence (memoranda, briefing materials, and collection management products) addressing multiple factors impacting INT-specific collection, including the evaluation of findings and monitoring of ongoing or planned collection activities.
• Prepares correspondence (memoranda, briefing materials, and collection management products) addressing multiple factors impacting INT-specific collection, including the evaluation of findings and monitoring of ongoing or planned collection activities.
• Coordinates with Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) stakeholders to collection is completed in a timely and resourceful manner.
• Leverages DHS I&A and IE analysts, collection managers, and stakeholders to understand holistic DHS intelligence needs and gaps to develop and implement collection postures, plans, and strategies.
• Attends and serves as the DHS representative to appropriate homeland security and Intelligence Community (IC) functional management working groups, committees, subcommittees, task forces, and forums to represent DHS equities; provides preparatory materials for Division and I&A supervisors to attend senior-level meetings.
• Educates DHS stakeholders - including DHS and I&A senior leadership - on INT functional management, collection management, systems, capabilities/limitations, and PED in support of DHS missions.

All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5-business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) and is subject to random testing.
• You may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
• Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• You will be subject to a pre-employment polygraph examination and random polygraph examinations may be conducted after entry on duty.
• Must obtain and maintain a Top-Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance.
• You may be required to work in shifts on a rotational basis in support of 24-hour operations.
• You may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime, and/or 24/7 shift schedules, and/or on-call and standby duty status
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.

Qualifications

GS-09: You may qualify at this grade level by meeting one (1) of the following below:
Specialized Experience:
If you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal government, performing duties such as:

• Basic knowledge of the National Intelligence Community and associated operations, missions/functions, and inter-relationships.
• Basic knowledge of DHS I&A homeland security intelligence mission and the relationship between DHS, State/Local governments, and the Intelligence Community as it pertains to collection management.
• Basic knowledge of intelligence collection disciplines, collection management processes, and collection assets, activities, and raw reporting.
• Basic knowledge concerning the development of collection strategies and postures.
• Basic knowledge of the principles, concepts, and methodologies of collection management practiced throughout each intelligence discipline.
• Ability to make formal presentations and represent agency collection needs and equities.
• Experience in participating in working groups with supervision, including providing recommendations to goals and agendas, and documenting issues.
• Ability to understand and communicate complex intelligence issues to formulate and present briefings to branch and division leadership.

OR
Substitution of Education for Experience
You may substitute your education for your experience if you possess one of the following:

• A master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree
• LL.B. or J.D., if related.

OR
Combination of Education and Experience
A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.
NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first year may be used to qualify for the GS-09 level.

GS-11: You may qualify at this grade level by meeting one (1) of the following below:
Specialized Experience:
If you possess specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in Federal service that demonstrates the following:

• Intermediate knowledge of the National Intelligence Community and associated operations, missions/functions, and inter-relationships.
• Advanced knowledge of DHS I&A homeland security intelligence mission and the relationship between DHS, State/Local governments, and the Intelligence Community as it pertains to collection management.
• Advanced knowledge of intelligence collection disciplines, collection management processes, and collection assets, activities, and raw reporting.
• Advanced knowledge concerning the development of collection strategies and postures.
• Knowledge of developing and actioning collection plans, including through use of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
• Knowledge of Intelligence Community functional management forums, processes, and coordination.
• Ability to make formal presentations and represent agency collection needs and equities.
• Experience in participating in working groups with minimal supervision, including providing recommendations to goals and agendas, and documenting issues.
• Ability to understand and communicate complex intelligence issues to formulate and present briefings to senior personnel.

OR
Substitution of Education for Experience
You may substitute your education for your experience if you possess one of the following:

• A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
• Three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree
• LL.M., if related

OR
Combination of Education and Experience
A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.
NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first two years may be used to qualify for the GS-11 level.

You qualify for theGS-12 grade level if you possess the specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government that demonstrates the following:

• Vast knowledge of the National Intelligence Community and associated operations, missions/functions, and inter-relationships.
• Vast knowledge of DHS I&A homeland security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting in the relationship between DHS, State/Local governments, and the Intelligence Community.
• Advanced knowledge of intelligence collection disciplines, collection management processes, and collection assets, activities, and raw reporting.
• Expert knowledge concerning the development of collection strategies and postures.
• Extensive knowledge of developing and actioning collection plans, including through use of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
• Intermediary knowledge of Intelligence Community functional management forums, processes, and coordination.
• Expert in making formal presentations and representing agency collection needs and equities. Strong customer service and interpersonal skills to develop and/or maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.
• Experience in managing working groups including identifying goals, creating agendas, achieving consensus, and documenting issues.
• Ability to understand and communicate complex intelligence issues to formulate and present briefings to senior personnel.

You qualify for theGS-13 grade level if you possess the specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government that demonstrates the following:

• Expert knowledge of the National Intelligence Community and associated operations, missions/functions, and inter-relationships.
• Knowledge of Department of Homeland Security component missions, functions, and authorities.
• Expert knowledge of intelligence collection disciplines, collection management processes, and collection assets, activities, and raw reporting.
• Expert knowledge concerning the development of collection strategies and postures.
• Vast knowledge of developing and actioning collection plans, including through use of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
• Vast knowledge of Intelligence Community functional management forums, processes, and coordination.
• Expert in making formal presentations and representing agency needs and equities. Strong customer service and interpersonal skills to develop and/or maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.
• Skill in managing working groups including identifying goals, creating agendas, achieving consensus, and documenting issues.
• Strong ability to understand and communicate complex intelligence issues to formulate and present briefings to senior personnel.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.
All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

This position is designated as Emergency Essential. Emergency Essential personnel must be able to serve during a continuity of operation event without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable).

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job: Customer Service, Planning and Evaluating, Technical Credibility, and Writing

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following 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, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF), and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) 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, including all SPF's and appropriate QRFs 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, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

If you are amongst the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the job questionnaire and application, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12982891

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration or your score may be lowered.

Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience.

1. Your resume NOTE: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center
2. Your responses to the job questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12982891
3. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
4. 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.
5. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
6. Are you an IC CAE Scholar? Information on the IC CAE program can be found at https://www.dni.gov/index.php/iccae To verify you are a IC CAE Scholar, you must submit a copy of your transcript that shows you are current student at an active or legacy IC CAE institution, or an individual who has graduated from such an institution, who has successfully completed at least one course in IC CAE study areas, such as Intelligence, National Security, Critical Technologies, STEM, languages, or other areas of study as determined by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to meet Intelligence Community needs.

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