Protective Medicine Specialist

The selectee will serve as a Protective Medicine Specialist in the Operational Medicine Division (OMD) developing and managing tactical medical response programs in support of Secret Service protective and investigative missions. The Protective Medicine Specialist (PMS) delivers advanced emergency medical care and expertise to Secret Service protectees, including former presidents, presidential candidates, and other individuals designated by federal law or presidential authorization. The PMS also provides medical support during National Special Security Events (NSSE) and Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) events and may be embedded with tactical teams, protective details and other investigative units as operational needs require.

Typical work assignments include:

• Independently conducting operational assessments of designated sites and facilities to ensure compliance with USSS operational, medical, and safety requirements; identifying vulnerabilities and recommending corrective actions to enhance mission readiness and support protective operations.
• Perform investigative and medical-focused site assessments to identify vulnerabilities, analyze protective environments, and integrate findings into actionable protective intelligence and operational guidance; ensures compliance with USSS standards and enhances mission safety.
• Support the planning, coordination, execution, and evaluation of medical protective operations by embedding medical considerations into mission design, developing contingency plans, ensuring resource readiness, and coordinating with protective personnel and partner agencies to optimize medical response during protective events, investigative missions, and special events.

Apply for this exciting opportunity to impact the United States Secret Service's security initiatives in support of our protective and investigative missions. This Protective Medicine Specialist position starts at a salary of $105,251.00, GS-12, step 01 with a promotion potential to $162,708.00, GS-13, step 10.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Possess a current valid driver's license. Must be REAL ID compliant.
• Obtain and maintain a Top-Secret Clearance.
• Certify registration or exemption with the Selective Service, if you are a male applicant born after 12/31/59.
• Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing during employment.
• Submit to a polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
• Complete pre-employment medical examinations.
• Must be at least 21 years old at the time of application and under 40 at time of appointment. Exceptions may apply for those with current or prior service in federal law enforcement positions covered by special retirement provisions. The Secret Service has determined that age is essential to the performance of this position.
• Carry and use a firearm. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory. You will be ineligible to occupy this position if at any time you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, unless you received a pardon, or your conviction was expunged or set aside.
• Must have uncorrected vision of at least 20/100, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. LASIK, ALK, RK, and PRK surgeries are acceptable if required post-surgery visual tests are passed: Lasik (3 months), PRK (6 months), ALK/RK (1 year) waiting periods apply
• Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 25 decibels (A.S.A. or equivalent I.S.O.) in either ear in the 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz ranges.
• Complete 13 weeks of intensive training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, GA or Artesia, NM and 10 weeks of specialized training at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Laurel, MD. Failure to pass the standards on the first attempt may result in separation from the Secret Service. Click here for more information.

Lautenberg Amendment: This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, USC, Section 922(g)(91)).

Qualifications

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• Your performance and conduct;
• The needs and interests of the agency;
• Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

To qualify for the GS-12 Level you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is outlined as:

• Managing and overseeing operational medicine programs, including planning, resource allocation, protocol development, and integration of medical capabilities to support national-level protective and emergency response operations.
• Conducting investigative measures, site assessments, and surveillance to identify vulnerabilities, gather protective intelligence, and ensure compliance with protective and medical standards during mission planning and execution.
• Coordinating medical support for protective missions and special events, developing contingency plans, maintaining medical-operational readiness, and evaluating post-mission effectiveness to enhance future operational performance.

To qualify for the GS-13 Level you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is outlined as:

• Make field medical decisions and delivers medical care at the scene for injured or other affected individuals, consistent with paramedic scope of practice and agency medical protocols.
• Independently conduct comprehensive protective site inspections to identify operational, medical, environmental, or procedural deficiencies and ensures compliance with agency directives, protective policies, and national response standards.
• Develop, issue, and enforce operational medical policies, standards, and protocols to ensure that protective medical practices remain aligned with agency protective intelligence, investigative requirements, and law enforcement operations.

Selective Placement Factor: In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following requirements to be considered qualified for the positions:

GS-12 - Possess and maintain a National Registry Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (NRAEMT) Certification; Or
GS-13 - Possess and maintain a National Registry Paramedic (NRP) Certification.

The full performance level (FPL) of this position is GS-13. In order to be promoted to the GS-13 grade level, candidates must possess and maintain a current National Registry Paramedic (NRP) Certification.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current competitive service employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to comply.

The qualification and eligibility requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered. If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Planning and Evaluating
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP or CTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be deemed qualified as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.

An interview may be required for this position. If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

After the U.S. Secret Service completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

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.

In addition to addressing the job opportunity announcement specific questions, you must also submit the following documentation:

• Resume - Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded resume, your employment history should show work experience in detail and in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week. To learn how to format and submit a two-page resume, please visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)? Submit a copy of your agency notice, copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least satisfactory rating) and your most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.
• Are you a veteran eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998? If you would like to submit your military records for benefits you may receive after selection, please submit the following: a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4). If a DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4) is not available, other documentation listing the beginning and ending dates of active service and the type of discharge must be submitted to verify eligibility. If claiming 10-point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." Click here for more veterans' information.
• Are you a current or former federal employee? If you are over age 40 and are claiming an age waiver based on Federal law enforcement service you must provide the 'onboarding' (Appointment) and 'offboarding' (Separation or Transfer) SF-50s for every period of covered LEO service. Annual pay adjustments are not sufficient to verify a continuous service life. Your documentation must clearly reflect a qualifying LEO Retirement Code (e.g., Block 30: Code M, O, or P). If your SF-50 does not show a covered code, that time will not be used to offset your age. We will also accept an official copy of your Certification of Service Performed as a Law Enforcement Officer. If you do not meet the age requirement and you are unable to provide this required documentation, you will not receive consideration under this announcement.
• 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.
• Completed the Federal Law Enforcement Training Program, and Mixed Basic Training Course? Please submit a copy of your certifications or transcripts.
• Certifications: You must submit a copy of your National Registry Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (NRAEMT) Certification; Or National Registry Paramedic (NRP) Certification.

Next steps