Clarification from the agency

Your application will be considered if you are a: Current or former career/career-conditional; Reinstatement eligible; Special Appointing Authority (i.e., Military Spouse, Land and Base Management), 30% Veteran, Sch A) eligible; VEOA eligible Veteran; ICTAP eligible; or OPM Interchange Agreement eligible.

This position is located under the Office of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations, Personnel Security Division, Adjudications Branch in Washington, D.C.

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Personnel Security Specialist (Adjudicator) responsible for adjudicating background investigations and making security and suitability determinations.

As a Personnel Security Specialist (Adjudicator), GS-0080-12/13, your typical work assignments may include:

• Reviews information developed during a background investigation and Continuous Evaluation to determine if investigation and/or information is adequate and complete.
• Prepares comprehensive adjudicative summaries outlining issues developed during review of completed investigations.
• Conducts review of information to recommend whether to grant, suspend, or revoke security clearance and/or access to the agency.
• Corresponds with applicants and employees with detailed inquires to resolve suitability or security issues.
• Determines whether all requirements of an investigation has been completed and satisfies all investigative requirements.

Conditions of employment

The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. The qualification requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process.

Key Requirements:

1. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
2. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
3. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
4. May be required to serve a one year probationary period.

Qualifications

You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement.

To qualify for the position of Personnel Security Specialist (Adjudicator), at GS-0080-12/13, you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below.

To qualify for GS-12, candidates must also have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-11.

GS-12 - You qualify if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal, State, or Local government or equivalent public or private sector experience, performing the following duties:

• Adjudicating background investigations and making basic security and suitability determinations; and
• Utilizing standard operating procedures, manuals, and checklists to evaluate derogatory information, determining the appropriate action and resolving moderately difficult issues; and
• Documenting key investigation findings on required forms and corresponding with applicants or employees to provide information and resolve suitability or security issues.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

To qualify for GS-13, candidates must also have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12.

GS-13 - You qualify if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal, State, or Local government or equivalent public or private sector experience, performing the following duties:

• Adjudicating background investigations and making security, suitability and reciprocity determinations that involve complex issues; and
• Recommending policy changes and developing and implementing new methods or techniques to meet policy and operational requirements; and
• Providing authoritative advice and assistance to personnel security leadership and corresponding with applicants or employees to resolve suitability or security issues; and
• Developing informational and/or instructional materials and manuals for the personnel security program.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a Veteran Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under the VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure your ability in the following competencies:

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading
• Reasoning
• Self-management
• Stress-Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Written Communication
• Technical Competence
• Problem Solving

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

"The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment."

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

• ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a detailed resume containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

1. Official position title;
2. Employer name and contact information;
3. Start and end dates (including month and year);
4. Your Pay Plan/series/grade and step and a detailed list of duties & accomplishments

Resumes must be limited to two pages in length. Applicants with resumes longer than two pages will not be considered.You can only submit one resume; Only the most recent resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes.Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions.

• SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
  • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
  • An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
  • Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
  • Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

• Veterans' preference documentation (Member Copy 4 of DD-214, Revised October 2013 SF-15 https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf and VA letter, if applicable. NOTE: The revised October 2013 SF-15 is the latest copy and all others are not usable.
• CTAP/ICTAP documentation, if applicable.
• Schedule A documentation, if applicable. Note: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Qualified applicants with disabilities may be eligible for special hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A eligibility. Please visit http://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/individuals-with-disabilities or contact the Selective Placement Program Coordinator at 202-648-7454.
• Military Spouses (if applicable) - You MUST submit verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage) AND: (1) a copy of your spouse's active military orders; OR (2) verification of your spouse's 100% service-connected disability (VA Letter and/or DD-214); OR (3) verification of the service member's death while on active duty (DD-1300/Death Certificate). You are not eligible if you were not married to the veteran at the time of death or have since remarried.
• Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.
• Other noncompetitive or special appointing authorities (e.g., Peace Corps, VISTA, Public Land Corp, Military Spouse, VRA, 30% Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas Employees, Foreign Service, etc.) must provide substantiating documentation as required.
• Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.

It is your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are legible. If applying on-line poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Paper applications submitted without prior approval from the agency point of contact may be handled as incomplete. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process.

Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/ validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. All required materials must be uploaded using the supporting documentation instructions described in the announcement.

Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.

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