Personnel Security Specialist

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all current Federal Competitive Service, Career and Career-Conditional employees. Applicants who have non-competitive eligibility, such as, Schedule A disability, Peace Corps or VISTA, reinstatement eligibles, etc. AND those eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) or Interchange Agreements with other Merit Systems may also apply.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Performs personnel security, vetting determinations for public trust and national security related positions. Adjudicates the most complex personnel security issues covering significant derogatory information that require extensive experience and personal judgment to resolve. Incumbent is responsible for the personnel security vetting determinations of individuals for entry and retention in non-sensitive, noncritical sensitive, critical sensitive, and special sensitive positions.
• Analyzes and resolves personnel security problems for situations involving conflicting or insufficient data, evidence, or testimony. As a technical authority for personnel security vetting, develops standard operating procedures and internal policies that support federal personnel security guidelines and authorities.
• Processes personnel security inquiries (i.e. letters of inquiries) and reviews the information to determine if cases should be forwarded to the proper investigative authority. Creates Position Designation Record that assesses the duties and responsibilities of a position to determine the degree of potential damage to the efficiency or integrity of the service from misconduct of an incumbent of a position as outlined in Parts 1400 and 731 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations.
• Serves as a Proposing Official and drafts personnel security vetting administrative and adverse actions in accordance with the appropriate federal regulations relating to suitability/fitness and national security eligibility determinations. Drafts decision letters for the Deciding Official and a wide variety of other correspondence to agency management officials and applicant/employee attorneys and other representatives.
• Reviews personnel security, vetting investigations for accuracy and ensures interviews capture relevant information. Proposes the re-opening of investigations that lack the required information needed to make a personnel security vetting determination.
• Orders investigative actions as needed to ensure personnel remain eligible to maintain their suitability/fitness and/or national security eligibility. Maintains associated personnel security records and prepares reports. Assures all personnel have all requiredpersonnel security vetting.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
• This is a sensitive and national security position. If selected, this position requires the completion of the SF-86.
• Suitability Determination: If selected, you may be subject to a background investigation to establish your suitability for federal employment. The background investigation may include, among other aspects, a review of your credit and legal history.
• This position is not covered by a Union Agreement.
• This position may require serving a one-year probationary period.
• The full performance grade level for this position is GS-13.
• If you are a male applicant who is born after 12/31/59, you are required to be registered for the Selective Service.
• Top Secret - Sensitive Compartmented Information (TSSCI) clearance.

Qualifications

For the GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes:

• Expert knowledge of the theories and practical applications of personnel security to analyze and resolve the most difficult and most complex security problems, involving conflicting testimony or sources and degrees of significant information in clearance adjudication cases;
• Adjudicating complex personnel suitability and security clearances and to developing guidelines for applying general criteria covering derogatory information that requires extensive experience and personal judgment to resolve; and
• Expert knowledge of practices and procedures for reviewing suitability for employment of non-U.S. citizens and other individuals with special language skills and foreign backgrounds.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once your resume or application is submitted, a review of your qualifications will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements and competencies required for this position.
Competencies:

• Accountability
• Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Security
• Written Communication

Possession of competencies may be addressed in a cover letter and/or resume. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your qualifications. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Fair Chance Act: Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to HROperations@usagm.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

You are required to provide documentation that supports the eligibility and qualification claims made in your resume and assessment questionnaire. Failure to submit legible required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement may result in loss of consideration. Encrypted documents will not be accepted.

• Resume (2 pages only): Include contact information, education, and detailed work experience (including work schedules, employment dates, and position titles).
• SF-50's: Current and reinstatement eligible applicants must submit a Personnel Action (SF-50) indicating grade, competitive service, and career or career-conditional tenure. Merit promotion and VEOA applicants must meet time-in-grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, subpart F. Your latest SF-50 must be submitted for proof of time-in-grade.
• Performance Appraisal: Current status candidates are required to submit their latest performance appraisal.
• ICTAP: If you are an eligible Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for selection priority. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 80 or above on the rating criteria for this position. ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
• Schedule A: Applicants applying under Schedule A Disability must submit an appropriate letter from a physician.
• Peace Corps/VISTA: Applicants applying under Peace Corps or VISTA eligibility must submit a letter supporting eligibility.
• Veteran Hiring Authorities: Applicants applying for veteran hiring authorities must submit a DD-214 stating character of service, such as member 4 or service 2 copy. If applying based on disability status, must also submit proof of disability percentage such as VA letter. If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.
• Interchange: Applicants applying for consideration under an Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems must submit a recent SF-50 or other personnel action (e.g., Post Office, Non-appropriated fund), reflecting status as a current employee under an approved system.
• Military Spouse: Applicants applying under the military spouse authority must submit proof of eligibility including a marriage certificate. This must also include permanent change of station orders, proof of veteran's 100% disability, DD-1300 Report of Casualty, and/or SF-15, as applicable.
• LMWFA: Applicants under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act must submit SF-50 forms to demonstrate service in eligible appointments for more than 24 months without a break. Proof of satisfactory performance (i.e. appraisals) during this period is also required.
• Special Authority: If you are applying under a special hiring authority not listed above, please refer to the requirements for that authority and submit the necessary supporting documentation, such as an SF-50 (or equivalent) or a certificate of eligibility. For more information, visit the USAJOBS Special Authorities page.

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