Duties
If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for planning, directing and administering a comprehensive district-wide security program.
The duties and responsibilities for a GS-0080 Security Specialist -11/12 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:
GS-11
- Managing, assessing, and conducting security audit self-inspections.
- Conducting Security Incident Reports with follow-up work to ensure complete and quality discrepancies resolutions improve quality, timeliness, and efficiency.
- Implementing policies and procedures required to manage sensitive compartmented information programs and to protect sensitive compartmented information resources.
- Managing and complying with Sensitive Compartmented Information facilities, construction and physical requirements, standards, and regulations.
- Evaluating and managing current and complete security clearances for assigned personnel.
- Developing and implementing security education and awareness programs to ensure all security disciplines are addressed.
GS-12
- Planning, directing, and evaluating comprehensive physical, personnel, and information security programs in accordance with agency and federal security directives.
- Coordinating security operations and access control programs ensuring proper credentialing, authorization, and compliance for staff, contractors, visitors and law enforcement partners.
- Primary liaison with internal leadership and external partners which include state and local law enforcement to coordinate security posture, protective measures and interagency response.
- Developing, implementing, and evaluating continuity of operations, emergency management, and crisis response plans, leading exercises to ensure mission continuity.
- Leading complex security risk assessments, threat analyses for facilities, personnel, and operations, developing strategic mitigation plans.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
- You may be required to complete a probationary or trial period.
- Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
- You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
- A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
Qualifications
GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience.
Specialized Experience: Possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level obtained in either the private or public sector and defined as follows. Specialized experience includes performing the following types of duties: identifying physical security vulnerabilities and recommending measures and practices to eliminate real and potential shortfalls or deficiencies; providing input for an organization wide security management plans and/or policies for safeguarding personnel, equipment, property, facilities and information systems; participating in contingency and emergency preparedness planning to continue essential operations during various types of emergency situations; and communicating security requirements and advice to various levels of staff. OR
Education: One of the following types of education: a LL.M., if related OR a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. OR
Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years (36 semester hours).
GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience.
Specialized Experience: Possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level obtained in either the private or public sector and defined as follows. Specialized experience includes performing the following types of duties: advising management on all aspects of physical security and emergency preparedness to ensure adequate security is maintained for the organization; developing, implementing, and administering contingency and emergency preparedness planning efforts to continue essential operations and discharge responsibilities during and following emergency situations; administering and monitoring loss prevention programs to protect property and evidence located in the organization; and prepare security incident reports and office security plans.
You
MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, January 13, 2026.
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.
After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement January 13, 2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.
Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see
the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education.
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required:
- You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.
- Your transcript must come from a nationally accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.
- Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection. These may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.
- If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education. Your transcript must also be in English or have an English translation included.
Additional information
Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP):
These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:
- Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
- Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and
- Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP (submit the necessary documentation listed below based on your eligibility):
- You must submit your separation notice or agency RIF letter from your agency OR if you have not yet been separated, you can provide the letter of intent to separate you from the agency because of reduction-in-force.
- Submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location OR Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here:
https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy
Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at:
www.sss.gov.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to melissa.newbell@usdoj.gov
Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.
This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.
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.
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. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
Your USAHIRE 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.
Additionally, we will review your supporting documents and resume to determine if you are in the "Area of Consideration" for this vacancy. Government-Wide Merit Promotion vacancies may only accept applications from a limited audience, pay careful attention to the "Who May Apply" and the "Hiring Paths" information. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Competencies Bullets
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."
BASIS OF FINAL RATING:
DOJ's Merit Promotion Procedures will be used to evaluate candidates.
If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: Application Preview.