Principal Mitigation and Compliance Advisor (Merit Promotion) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. BIS-ICTS-ST-26-13065291 Department Bureau of Industry and Security
Salary $169,279.00 to $197,200.00 Grade 15 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/17/2026 Close Date 9/23/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DC


Principal Mitigation and Compliance Advisor (Merit Promotion)

Department of Commerce
Bureau of Industry and Security
Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services

Summary

This vacancy is for a Principal Mitigation and Compliance Advisor in the Compliance and Adjudication Division (CAD), Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS), Office of the Under Secretary (OUS), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) within the Department of Commerce.

Duties

As a Principal Mitigation and Compliance Advisor, you will perform the following duties:

  • Serve as a senior subject matter expert and technical authority within the Compliance and Adjudication Division and is responsible for advising on regulatory compliance, national security risk adjudication, mitigation development, and enforcement matters involving foreign participation in U.S. technology, telecommunications, and data driven sectors.
  • Lead the evaluation and adjudication of national security risks involving intellectual property, data privacy, telecommunications infrastructure, cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and technology based supply chain vulnerabilities affecting U.S. interests.
  • Formulate high-impact mitigation strategies and evaluate agency programs for potential vulnerabilities; craft standard operating procedures and establish regulatory frameworks to enforce complex federal laws across industries.
  • Develop, negotiate, and implement bespoke mitigation agreements, licensing conditions, compliance measures, and prohibition orders designed to address identified national security risks while balancing operational, commercial, and legal considerations.
  • Research, analyze, investigate, advise, and contribute significantly to protecting U.S. national security interests from foreign adversarial threats and technology-related vulnerabilities through mitigation agreements and prohibition measures.
  • Conduct or oversee compliance assessments, monitoring activities, and investigative reviews involving regulated entities to determine adherence to mitigation requirements, regulatory obligations, and enforcement standards.
  • Evaluate evidence, compliance findings, audit results, and investigative materials to identify potential violations, assess material breaches, and recommend appropriate enforcement or remedial actions.
  • Represent the organization as a technical authority in interagency, law enforcement, intelligence community, regulatory, and external stakeholder engagements involving compliance, enforcement, mitigation, adjudication, and national security risk matters.
  • Coordinate with federal departments and agencies, private sector entities, legal representatives, and external stakeholders to resolve complex regulatory compliance and enforcement mission-oriented issues.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Principal Mitigation and Compliance Advisor, GS-1801-15, Full Performance Level (FPL) GS-15 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

This position is also advertised under BIS-ICTS-DE-26-13066160, which is open to Delegated Examining eligible applicants. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • This position requires a TOP SECRET/SCI CLEARANCE: Any required investigations and clearances must be completed before the selectee can be placed in the position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
  • A probationary or trial period may be required.
  • Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
  • 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.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No
  • Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): Yes
  • License required: No
  • Drug Test Required: Yes. This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing thereafter.
  • Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: will not be paid
  • Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Leading the analysis or adjudication of national security risks in a legal or regulatory setting; and
  • Drafting regulatory determinations or advising organizations subject to such regulatory determinations; and
  • Developing or negotiating regulatory mitigation agreements or formulating risk mitigation recommendations for regulated entities; and
  • Advising on compliance monitoring and/or enforcement actions regarding regulated entities affecting national security.

Education

There is no positive education requirement for this position.

Additional information

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that do not fall under competitive examining procedures; however, they may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

  1. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
  2. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)
  3. Military Spouse Non-Competitive Hiring Authority
  4. Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA)
  5. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
  6. 30% or more disabled veterans
  7. Persons with disabilities

ICTAP and CTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

Military Spouse: The spouse of a member of the armed forces seeking eligibility under the non-competitive hiring authority of certain military spouse MUST submit various required documentation by the closing date of the announcement in accordance with one of the three below eligibilities:

  • Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty,
  • Spouse of service member who incurred a 100% disability, or
  • Un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while performing active duty.

Please review the "Required Documents" Section for specific documents pertaining to each of the above eligibilities that MUST be included with your application, if you are applying as a Military Spouse.

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.

Reasonable Accommodations (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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.

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.

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., two-page resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, the result of the USA Hire assessment and Structured Resume Review required for this position.

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. 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.

For Certain Military Spouses: All applicants who meet the qualification requirements and military spouse noncompetitive eligibility requirements (see "Additional Information" section above") will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration on a separate referral list. While veterans' preference is not a consideration when filling positions under the military spouse non-competitive hiring authority, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214, stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

All:

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

The assessments will evaluate you on the following general/technical competencies required to perform the job; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Technical Competence
  • Rulemaking and Regulation
  • Compliance and Enforcement
  • Oral Communication
  • Reasoning
  • Decision Making
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
Performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and will be forwarded to the selecting official as support in consideration of your application in the evaluation process. To receive due weight, you must submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation (i.e. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.)

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. Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration.
  • Classified or government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13065291

Required Documents

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Resume.Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week, if less than 40. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the qualifications/assessments. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Refer to the "How you will be Evaluated' section for types of information not to include in your resume/application.
  • Veteran Hiring Authorities (VEOA, 30% or More Disabled Veterans and Military Spouses): Please provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, marriage certificate, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: https://www.opm.gov/fedshirevets/veteran-job-seekers/vets/
  • SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," supporting your eligibility, showing tenure code, position occupied and highest grade and step.
  • Performance documentation. Refer to "How You Will be Evaluated" section for documentation requirements.
  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable.
    • CTAP or ICTAP applicant(s), MUST submit the following documents:
      • A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice); or notice of disability annuity termination; or certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement; or a copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
      • A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting your current position, grade level, and duty location;
      • Any documentation from your agency that shows your latest performance appraisal rating; AND
      • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
  • Education. Refer to "Education" section for education documentation requirements.
  • Certain Military Spouses:
    • Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty:
      • A copy of the service member's active duty orders specifying they are currently on active duty, AND documentation verifying marriage to the member of the armed forces.
    • Spouse of service member who incurred a 100% disability:
      • A copy of the service member's DD-214 showing the service member retired or was released or discharged from active duty, a copy of a VA letter indicating the service member has a disability rating of 100 percent or more due to a service-connected disability, AND documentation verifying marriage to the member of the armed forces.
    • Un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while performing active duty:
      • A copy of the service member's DD-214 showing the service member was released or discharged from active duty due to their death while on active duty; documentation verifying the service member was killed performing active duty (DD 1300); documentation verifying marriage to the service member at the time the service member is killed while on active duty; AND a statement certifying you are the un-married widow or widower of the service member.
  • 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.

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.

How to Apply

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 the initial online assessment and 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.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 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
    • Note: 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.
  4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

Maria Finn
Email
MFinn@doc.gov
Address
Bureau of Industry and Security
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments.

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:

  1. Application Received or Application Incomplete
  2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
  3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
  4. Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).

Bureau of Industry and Security

Within the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) helps secure the information and communications technology and services (ICTS) supply chain from risks associated with foreign adversary supplied ICTS. Authorities granted the Secretary through Executive Orders 13873, 13984, and 14034, allow Commerce to prohibit or impose mitigating measures on ICTS transactions that pose an undue and unacceptable risk to national security. OICTS works closely with nine Executive and independent U.S. Government branches and agencies to ensure its actions are properly scoped to effectively address the national security threats.

More broadly, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) advances U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives through its ICTS mission, as well as its export control and export enforcement missions. BIS accomplishes its export mission by maintaining and strengthening adaptable, efficient, effective export controls and treaty compliance systems, along with active leadership and involvement in international export control regimes.

Agency contact information

Maria Finn
Email
MFinn@doc.gov
Address
Bureau of Industry and Security
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US

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https://www.bis.doc.gov/oicts