Physical Security Specialist (Law Enforcement) Job in Alexandria, VA

Vacancy No. 26-HUD-13006986 Department Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Salary $74,999.00 to $136,830.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/15/2026 Close Date 7/28/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Alexandria, VA


Physical Security Specialist (Law Enforcement)

Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.

Clarification from the agency

All candidates who meet the following are eligible to apply for this job: Current or former federal employees qualifying as Status Candidates, Federal employees currently serving on a VRA, VEOA eligibles, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles, eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., the Schedule A appointment for persons with disabilities, or covered by an Interchange Agreement, or VRA eligibles or Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47).

Duties

HUD's Mission
The mission of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is to foster strong communities by supporting access to quality, affordable housing, expanding the housing supply, and unlocking homeownership opportunities for the American people. The Department is committed to furthering the promise of self-sufficiency in every American while promoting economic development to revitalize rural, tribal, and urban communities across the country.

This position is located in the Office of Administration, where you can ignite your career in public policy and information management with the only federal agency dedicated to ending homelessness and building strong, inclusive communities across America. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gives the most vulnerable Americans the opportunity to thrive and succeed. HUD's Office of Administration (OA) propels that mission by giving HUD programs what they need to work faster, smarter, and better. HUD's Office of Administration is making that vision a reality every day, because the vulnerable and homeless deserve no less. Join us in inventing the future of government today.

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

As a/an Physical Security Specialist (Law Enforcement), you will:

  • Provide close personal protection to a Presidential Cabinet member [SOHUD] or designated official. Participate and/or lead efforts required to plan and perform protective service operations.
  • Establish and maintain effective liaison with local, state, federal, and foreign law enforcement representatives, working closely to acquire or exchange protective intelligence information, update security and movement plans, secure cooperation, assistance and/or additional security resources, vehicle assets, weapon and foreign country clearances, local security, coordinate joint activities, assignments and operations, and identify and resolve related problems.
  • Liaising with other federal agencies, such as the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Capitol Police, in regard to investigations involving threats against the Secretary or Deputy Secretary, whether written, verbal, or implied.
  • Use investigative techniques, which include collecting relevant data from various sources, examining collected data to identify patterns, connections, motives and discrepancies to form a complete picture; questioning victims, witnesses, and suspects to gather information and elicit a confession; and recording findings to create a reliable record that can withstand scrutiny in formal settings, such as a court of law.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

The official duty station for this position will be in Alexandria, Virginia. Failure to report to duty at this location may be grounds for a disciplinary action, including removal.

Key Requirements:

  • Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
  • A probationary or trial period may be required. Continued employment is contingent upon supervisory certification that continued employment will benefit the Federal Service; the certification will occur no less than 30 days before the end of the probationary/trial period.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
  • Pass a pre-employment physical examination.
  • Possess a valid state motor vehicle operator's license and maintain a valid license while you occupy the position.
  • Required to be able to obtain and maintain Special Deputation as a U.S. Marshal, through the U.S. Marshal's Service.
  • Please refer to "Additional Information Section for additional Conditions of Employment."

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-12 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes:
  • Investigating security problems and developing alternative solutions; AND
  • Applying risk and threat assessment with physical security practices to develop and improve programs that protect critical assets.
Specialized Experience for the GS-11, you must have one year (full 52 weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:
  • Applying risk assessment methods to evaluate physical security program components and make recommendations.
OR Education: You may substitute education for general or specialized experience as follows: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M.; if related.

OR Combination: You may qualify on a combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the educational requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours), may be used to combine education and experience.

Specialized experience for the GL-09 is one year (52 full weeks) of experience at the GL-07 grade level that is directly related to the position, and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position includes:
  • Assisting with or working as part of a team to apply physical security practices in order to make recommendations.
OR Education: You may substitute education for general or specialized experience as follows: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to Master's Degree, LL.B. or J.D., if related;

OR Combination: You may qualify on a combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the educational requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours), may be used to combine education and experience.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.

Time-in-Grade: In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:
For the GS-12 you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-11 you must have been at the GL-9 level for 52 weeks.
For the GL-9 you must have been at the GL-7 level for 52 weeks.

Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Education

EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:

  • For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
  • If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION:

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • Relocation expenses will not be paid.
  • Relocation incentive will not be paid.
  • Recruitment incentive will not be paid.
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • This position is Non-Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
  • HUD offers alternative and flexible work schedules.
  • This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies for similar positions across HUD. During the online application process, you will be asked to specify if you would like your application information shared with other hiring managers in the Program Office listed in this announcement or in other HUD Program Offices. Opting to share your application information will not impact your application for this announcement, nor will it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED):

HUD employees are subject to a number of government-wide and HUD specific ethics laws and regulations, including restrictions on working in a real estate related business, and having Section 8 tenants, along with other prohibited interests and activities. To review applicable ethics rules and HUD specific restrictions, please visit https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/general_counsel/ethics.

Additionally, you must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Maximum Entry Age

This is a law enforcement position with a maximum entry age requirement of 36 years of age.

This requirement does not apply to preference-eligible Veterans or individuals with enough previous experience in non-military Federal positions covered by special law enforcement retirement to complete 20 years of creditable service by the last day of the month in which they turn 57 if hired for this position.

Individuals with some, but not enough experience in non-military Federal positions covered by special law enforcement retirement to complete 20 years of service by the last day of the month in which they turn 57 if hired for this position, may request consideration for a waiver to the age requirement.

Mandatory Retirement Age

The mandatory retirement age is 57 for individuals serving in Federal civilian law enforcement officer positions.

However, an individual may remain in a Federal LEO position:

  • Until the day they turn 60 if they receive advanced approval from the Agency head (or designee) or
  • After age 57 until they complete 20 years of non-military Federal service in a position covered by special law enforcement retirement, if they were hired with a waiver based, in part, on having some prior Federal law enforcement experience covered by special law enforcement retirement.

Employees covered by the Federal Employee Retirement System can generally retire at age 50 with 20 years of Federal civilian service covered by special law enforcement retirement or at any age with 25 years of covered service.

Physical/ Medical Requirements

As a pre-employment requirement and ongoing condition of employment, this law enforcement position requires that selectees meet the physical/ medical requirements of the position, including those who are exempt from the maximum entry age requirement or for which a maximum age waiver is approved.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and the result of the online assessments required for this position. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. 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.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Rating: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan(CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must be assigned the middle category or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

A complete application includes:

1. A resume: All applicants are required to submit a resume
either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.)

  • USA Jobs restricts resume uploads to a maximum of 2 pages. Resumes attached in other sections (such as "Documents" or "Other") will not be considered in the determination of specialized experience. If multiple resumes are submitted, the resume submitted last (based on time stamp) will be the only one reviewed as a part of your application. To ensure readability, resumes must be formatted using an easy-to-read font (such as Lato, Calibri, or Arial) with a minimum font size of 10-points and margins no smaller than 0.5 inches. Failure to follow these formatting guidelines may result in disqualification from further consideration.
  • To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume.
  • For resume writing guidance, please visit USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
2. Vacancy question responses: All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement.

3. Performance Appraisal or explanation: Submit a copy of all pages of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal, dated within 12 months of the opening date of this announcement, that includes the final rating. In cases where the performance appraisal is more than 12 months old, incomplete, missing pages, or unavailable, you must attach a written explanation of the reasons. Failure to do so may prevent you from being considered for this position. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal or have not received one in the last 12months, please submit a statement as to why it is not available when completing your assessment questionnaire.

4. Submission of any required documents identified below, if applicable: Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible)
  • CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:
    • Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive service as Tenure 1 or 2 (Block 24), Position Occupied as 1 - Competitive Service (Block 34), current Grade (Block 18) and Salary (Block 20).
    • Typically Award SF-50s do not provide the required information.
    • If the full performance level of your position is different from the grade indicated in Block 18, please provide proof of the full performance level.
    • If your highest permanent grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing that grade.
    • If you are currently on a Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 indicating that type of appointment. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
  • FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES (ELIGIBLE FOR NON-COMPETITIVE REINSTATEMENT):
    • If you are a former federal employee and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating. (Note: the Performance Appraisal or explanation requirement as stated above is in addition to this requirement.)
  • SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS: (e.g., Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see USAJOBS Help Center - Unique Hiring Paths.
    • In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
  • LAND MANAGEMENT-BASED SPECIAL HIRING ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:
    • In order to be eligible under this authority you must submit all required documentation outlined in this link: here
  • CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS:
    • If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.

How to Apply

HUD has partnered with the Department of Treasury to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Treasury's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application.

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday).

The application process is as follows:

  1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
  5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements
  6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (

https://usajobs.gov).

There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status

To preview the application questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13006986

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting: FairChanceAct@hud.gov
What are criminal history inquiries?

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Phone
304-480-7300
Email
hudinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov
Address
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Treasury Common Services Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

Next steps

After you have completed your initial application, you will be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.

Office of the Chief Administrative Officer

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Phone
304-480-7300
Email
hudinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov
Address
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Treasury Common Services Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/careers