Intelligence Operations Specialist (Watchlist Analyst)

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

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

• Responsible for providing timely, accurate, and actionable intelligence analysis to inform operational decision-making in support of Homeland Security border screening and vetting operations.
• Assists in the screening, evaluation, consolidation, and analyses of a large quantity of
  information and intelligence from various sources.
• Perform all-source operational analysis in DHS and IC databases at multiple levels of security classifications.
• Communicates analytic results in both formal and informal briefings, or written reports, and in databases on topics or matters relating to national security threat actors, other threats to homeland security, or other national intelligence or DHS missions to high-level officials throughout our partner intelligence and law enforcement community.
• Supports coordination efforts with counterparts and colleagues throughout the intelligence and law enforcement community. Represents the organization on working level groups and committees.
• Supports coordination efforts with counterparts and colleagues throughout the intelligence and law enforcement community. Represents the organization on working level groups and committees.
• Training and certification as a DHS Watchlist Analyst.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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 250 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 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:
• Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, and methodology used in Intelligence and watchlisting operations.
• Knowledge of the DHS I&A Homeland Security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting.
• Basic introductory-level of understanding of the watchlisting subject-matter to include familiarity with the processes and procedures involved, sources of intelligence, awareness of various watchlisting-related databases and introductory understanding of US immigration rules and regulations; and a basic appreciation for the various types of visas.
• Skill in applying basic principles, concepts, and practices of the occupation sufficient to perform moderately difficult entry-level watchlisting assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Skill in applying basic principles, concepts, and practices of counterintelligence research sufficient to perform moderately difficult assignments.
• Ability to gather and analyze basic facts and draw conclusions. Basic skill in organizing and presenting data in a variety of formats for briefings to superiors using spreadsheets, tables, charts, and other presentation skills.
• Ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions.
• Ability to plan and organize work and consult effectively with co-workers.

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:

• Knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to participate in assessments of complex intelligence issues.
• Knowledge of the DHS I&A Homeland Security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting.
• Knowledge of established DHS and IC databases and other sources of intelligence information related to watchlisting activities.
• Knowledge of a wide range of analytical and evaluative techniques used in determining/validating personal identity and relationships.
• Working level knowledge and ability to apply the rules and regulations pertaining to watchlisting as outlined in the Intelligence Community's Watchlisting Guidance.
• Ability to communicate moderately complex ideas both in writing and verbally in order to formulate and present findings, conduct briefings, support projects, develop status reports, and foster understanding and acceptance of watchlisting findings and recommendations.

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:

• Specialized knowledge in assigned subject-matter field and the ability to apply facts and estimates derived from numerous sources to a variety of problems having different technical aspects.
• Advanced knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to participate in assessments of complex intelligence issues.
• Advanced 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.
• Extensive knowledge of DHS Headquarters and Component structure, missions, programs, and organizational relationships.
• Knowledge of established databases and other sources of intelligence information.
• Skill in making formal presentations and representing I&A positions on intelligence issues and methods.
• Ability to communicate moderately complex ideas both written and verbally in order to formulate and present findings, briefings, project papers, status reports, and correspondence to foster understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations. Incumbent must possess strong customer service and interpersonal skills in order to maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.

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 intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to lead committees or teams and represent I&A in assessments of highly complex intelligence issues. This knowledge is used to conduct intelligence research and analysis using automated systems, national level databases, hard copy studies, and open-source information.
• Advanced knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to lead assessments of complex intelligence issues. This knowledge is also used to oversee the monitoring of world-wide all-source intelligence, collection and operation
• information, and to provide Department of Homeland Security and homeland security partners with timely indications and warnings of relevant events.
• Expert 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.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the operation of the entire intelligence program of the organization to provide advisory/consultant services or monitor projects in interrelated geographical of functional fields.
• Skill in making formal presentations and representing I&A's position on intelligence issues at high level interagency and inter-governmental forums.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas both written and verbally to formulate and present findings, briefings, project papers, status reports, and correspondence to foster understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations. Incumbent must possess strong customer service and interpersonal skills to maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.

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.

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: Oral Communication, Partnering, Planning and Evaluating, Technical Competence, and Technical Credibility

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/12982906

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/12982906
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.

Next steps