Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

This is an Excepted Service position. This appointment will not confer Competitive Service career-conditional or career tenure status. This means that if you are selected, you would have to compete with other applicants in open competition to meet requirements for another Federal position, unless you meet the requirements for reinstatement. Applicants who voluntarily convert from the competitive service, Senior Executive Service, or other pay systems to a non-time limited appointment under this excepted service authority are not afforded "fallback rights" to the pay system previously assigned prior to conversion.

As a GS-13, Intelligence Research Specialist, you will:

• Analyze global energy issues, trade, investments, emerging technologies and geopolitical events that impact U.S. energy security.
• Produce and publish finished intelligence reports and assessments on various energy security topics.
• Coordinate briefings for senior DOE officials and other U.S. government stakeholders on energy security matters.
• Represent DOE's positions on foreign energy issues and liaises with the broader U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and other government agencies.
• Identify intelligence gaps and collection requirements.
• Provide comments on energy-related intelligence papers written in the Intelligence Community (IC).

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
• If selected, your appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• This position is not remote, the selectee will be expected to report to the duty station(s) listed. If selected, military spouses, veteran caregivers, and spouses of foreign service employees may be eligible for applicable workplace flexibilities.
• This position has been designated as Special-Sensitive (High Risk) and requires a security clearance at the Q level. The incumbent is required to obtain and maintain this clearance; failure to do so may result in separation from federal service.
• In addition, the incumbent is required to obtain and maintain a Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance prior to entrance on duty; failure to do so may result in separation from federal service.
• The incumbent is required to complete an initial Counterintelligence (CI) evaluation and on a recurring basis, which may include a CI-scope polygraph examination.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing thereafter. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.
• Situational telework may be approved at the discretion of the supervisor.
• This position is not included in a Bargaining Unit.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

To qualify for the GS-11 solely on SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE, experience must be equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal Service as performing 2 of the following 3:

1. Providing research and analysis of intelligence information.
2. Assisting in preparing intelligence reports, assessments or briefings.
3. Communicating findings from intelligence products to management officials.

For the GS-12, one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service as performing 2 of the following 3:

1. Assisting with briefings to senior officials on various international energy, economic, or political topics to support customer requests.
2. Reviewing information from a variety of sources to identify gaps in intelligence data.
3. Contributing to the authorship of analytic papers to inform senior policymakers on various international energy, economic, or political topics of issues.

For the GS-13, one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal Service as performing 2 of the following 3:

1. Briefing senior level officials on various international energy security sources, to include, emerging technologies, energy infrastructure, economic or political topics to support customer requests.
2. Writing intelligence assessments, reports or briefings to inform senior level policymakers on various international energy security sources, emerging technologies, energy infrastructure, economic or political issues.
3. Collaborating on a variety of energy related projects among interagency counterparts to advance information in the Intelligence Community.

To qualify based solely on EDUCATION at the GS-11 grade level, an applicant must possess one of the following:

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

OR

3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in the following fields that would provide the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. For this position, this is defined as a degree in Intelligence Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science or similarly related major

OR L.L.M., if related

OR
Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.)

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. Your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred.

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

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement, as demonstrated in your application and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application or cheating on the assessment may result in removal from consideration. Responses to assessments must be prepared solely by the applicant. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, CoPilot) to draft, edit, or generate responses is strictly prohibited and may result in removal from consideration.

The Department of Energy, Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official. This position is in the excepted service and is being filled in accordance with 50 U.S.C. 3024(v). All candidates that meet all of the minimum requirements of this position as stated in the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement will be referred to the selecting official.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (03/09/2026) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, clickhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12890526.

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:

• Your two (2) pageRESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
• Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
• Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
• Veterans' Preference documentation,if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
• Military Spouse, if applicable, Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders authorizing you to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

Incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.

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