Personnel Security Specialist Job

Vacancy No. OPR-12654647-DHA-JW Department Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Salary $66,436.00 to $131,826.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/21/2025 Close Date 1/27/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DCFarmers Branch, TX


Summary

View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement.

Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility, in Farmers Branch, Texas and Washington, District of Columbia.

These are non-bargaining unit positions.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority for the occupation and is open to all U.S. citizens.

Duties

As a Personnel Security Specialist, at the full performance level, you will perform the following duties:

  • Adjudicate background investigation reports and make national security eligibility and suitability determinations for individuals for entry and retention in sensitive, non-sensitive, and/or public trust positions;
  • Research case management systems and provide personnel security related information to internal and external parties; and
  • Implement policies and procedures for the Personnel Security and Suitability Program in accordance with applicable laws, Executive Orders, and Office of Personnel Management guidelines.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • You must successfully pass a drug screen.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
  • Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess one of the following:

Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties:
  • Reviewing personnel security questionnaires and supporting documents for accuracy and completeness;
  • Verifying previous background investigations of applicants, contractors, and other personnel;
  • Utilizing various databases to perform security checks, which may include, but are not limited to criminal history and financial records; and
  • Validating the level of background investigation and sensitivity level required for the position.
Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement. OR

Education: Successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, or possess a master's degree, LL.B, or J.D., if related, from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Public Administration, Business or another closely related field which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial). OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Possess less than one year of experience as described above and less than 2 years of education as described above. However, your combination of experience and education equals at least 100% of the total requirement. Only graduate-level education in excess of one year (generally 18 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial), and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience.

You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess one of the following:

Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties:
  • Reviewing security paperwork and database checks for completeness and accuracy;
  • Determining suitability or security eligibility of individuals;
  • Preparing adjudication summaries for suitability/fitness or security clearance findings; and
  • Making recommendations for final suitability/fitness determination or security eligibility determinations.
Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement. OR

Education: Successfully completed three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or possess a Ph.D. or LL.M., if related, from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Public Administration, Business or another closely related field which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial). OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Possess less than one year of experience as described above and less than 3 years of education as described above. However, your combination of experience and education equals at least 100% of the total requirement. Only graduate-level education in excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial), and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience.

You qualify for the GS-12 level if you possess the following:

Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties:
  • Applying adjudicative guidelines or suitability/fitness standards;
  • Obtaining sufficient evidence to support security or suitability/fitness determinations; and
  • Making complex security and suitability/fitness decisions.
Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Writing Sample: Candidates who are invited to interview for this position may be asked to provide a writing sample upon interview scheduling. Candidates will be informed of the writing sample topics, requirements, and deadline at the time of scheduling. Please note, the writing sample is not due as part of the initial application process and is only asked by candidates who are extended an invitation to interview.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Additional information

Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Top Secret as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

This announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/27/2025, or 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 100 applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date. Applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

This announcement is to create an inventory of qualified applicants. The first 100 applicants will receive first consideration. Additional applicants, beyond the first 100 may be considered, upon management 's request. Due to high volume of applicants, not all applicants will be considered.

Benefits: DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries for this position. The actual salary range will be based on the applicable locality pay for the selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.

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.

Review our 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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Database Management Systems
  • Reasoning
  • Technical Competence
  • Writing
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: Although the Direct Hire Authority permits hiring without regard to Veterans Preference, 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). This position is not considered scientific/professional. View information on veterans' preference.

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 placed in the well-qualified category for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.

Required Documents

  1. Resume showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications (for more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Resume Limit).
  2. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed. 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.
  3. Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) or notice form. Those applying for 10-Point preference must fill out the SF-15 and provide documentation that demonstrates preference eligibility. 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.
  4. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Plan (ICTAP)? If so, submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
  5. Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of 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 and accessions.
  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 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

To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

The Human Resources Operations Center will not accept applications and supporting documentation by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 01/27/2025.

To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12654647 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section.

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.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

Agency contact information

Jane Williams
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the minimally qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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