Clarification from the agency

Status candidates (current or former Federal employees with career or career-conditional tenure in the competitive service), Former Overseas Employees, CTAP/ICTAP, VEOA, 30%+ Disabled Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, Peace Corps, Vista, and Interchange Agreement eligibles.

As a Lead Investigator, GS-1801-14, your typical work assignments may include:

• Serves as an Insider Threat Program Investigative Team Lead.
• Communicates and integrates the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values into the team's strategies, goals, objectives, work plans, and work products and services.
• Communicates assignments, projects, problems to be solved, actionable events, milestones, and/or program issues under review, and deadlines and time frames for completion.
• Analyzes new legislation, emerging policies, and investigative trends to determine where policy formulation, refinement, or clarification is indicated.
• Briefs investigative officers as to methods and guides their ongoing efforts.
• Assists with establishing, revising, and reviewing policies, procedures, mission objectives, and organization for the staff, as necessary to eliminate work problems or barriers to mission accomplishments.
• Facilitates ongoing investigations and participates with other law enforcement and intelligence personnel in planning, conducting and supporting investigations into criminal, administrative and security incidents.
• Directs the monitoring of various data feeds to the Insider Threat Programs, assists in the evaluation of this intelligence to determine and identify potential insider threats.
• Streamlines operations and refines analytical techniques.
• Conducts User Activity Monitoring (UAM) and other cyber forensic activities to detect insider threat activities and suspicious behavior.
• Ensures computer forensic best practices are utilized in all aspects of the Insider Threat Programs investigative activity.

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.
• Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• 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 required to undergo periodic drug testing.
• You must be able to obtain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information Security Clearance.
• May be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
• May be required to work in shifts on a rotational basis in support of 24-hour operations.

Qualifications

You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the federal government, performing duties such as:

• Having advanced knowledge of identifying, receiving, ingesting, examining, and integrating data on potential insider threat incidents from various sources to evaluate potential insider threat indicators.
• Advanced experience in monitoring computer networks for anomalous or unauthorized activities and familiarity with user activity monitoring (UAM) capabilities for automated information systems.
• Knowledge of collecting and aggregating information from various sources to evaluate potential insider threat indicators, and
  demonstrated expertise in testing hypotheses, prioritizing alternatives, and contextually framing findings and conclusions.
• Advanced expertise in documenting, classifying, and properly handling insider threat information, and reporting and/or referring potential insider threat incidents to relevant stakeholders, in accordance with established guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Extensive knowledge of Executive Order 13587 and the requirements of all federal departments and agencies for insider threat deterrence, detection, and mitigation.

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.

Time-in-grade: Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note: Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

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.

Essential Personnel Position - This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events 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:

• Investigative methods
• Exercising initiative
• Attention to detail
• Judgment and Problem Solving
• Ability to analyze and evaluate data or evidence
• Ability to partner with or lead others

Structured Resume Review. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume). Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

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.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

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

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 certifying accuracy of your application package.
3. Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases or accessions.
4. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
5. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit the following:
   • A copy of your agency notice,
   • A copy of your most recent performance rating, and
   • A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
6. 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,
   • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
7. Are you applying under special hiring authorities as a military spouse? Provide a copy of your:
   • Marriage certificate, and
   • Your spouse's PCS orders or a completed SF-15 with supporting documentation.
8. Are you applying under Schedule A hiring authority for persons with severe disabilities? Provide evidence of your intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability 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 benefit. Information on documentation can be found here.
9. If you are referred, you may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

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