Social Science Research Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. NTAC-WJ-12574774-25-DH Department U.S. Secret Service
Salary $68,405.00 to $107,590.00 Grade 9 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/21/2024 Close Date 10/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Joining the National Threat Assessment Center Division, United States Secret Service will allow you to apply a wide range of behavioral and social science research principles, concepts, and methods which are related to the prevention of targeted violence, threat assessment, terrorism, criminal behavior and protective intelligence. This is a Direct Hire Authority solicitation, Veterans' preference does not apply. For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens, lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles and Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) employees.

Duties

The selectee will serve as a Social Science Research Specialist in the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information, National Threat Assessment Center Division. Typical work assignments include:

  • Performs analysis and research of broad areas associated with targeted violence, threat assessment, terrorism, criminal behavior, and intelligence.
  • Prepares written incident analysis summaries and case summaries and assist with the preparation of other reports summarizing the research processes, findings implications.
  • Participates in presenting briefings to US Secret Service personnel and or travels as directed to communicate research findings to diverse external audiences.
  • Uses new and innovative research techniques to evaluate, synthesize and summarize data and information in support of research, training and consultative initiatives in regard to targeted violence, other types of violence, terrorism and intelligence.
Apply for this exciting opportunity to be able to provide research, analyze, compile and interpret results on threat assessment methods and the prevention of targeted violence that poses a potential threat to persons and facilities protected by the agency. This Social Science Research Specialist position starts at a salary of $68,405.00,GS-9 step 1, with promotion potential to $107,590.00 GS-13 step 10.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required.
If selected for this position, you will be required to:
  • Obtain and maintain a top-secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
  • Submit to a polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
  • Submit a credit check after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted.
NOTE: The person selected for this position may be subject to a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

To be considered qualified for this position you must meet the following qualification requirements for the respective grade level in which you are applying.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic Requirements AND Minimum Qualification requirements as listed below:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (Transcripts required)
OR
Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (Transcripts required)
OR
Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS ABOVE, YOU MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:


GS-09: You qualify for the GS-09 level (starting salary $68,405) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level performing duties such as:

  • performing routine tasks, assignments and research that develops an understanding for the prevention of targeted violence, threat assessment, terrorism, criminal behavior, and intelligence; and
  • performing research, fact-finding, analysis, and evaluation of raw data
NOTE: The contents of your resume MUST support your claim of specialized experience.

OR

Have successfully completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related at an accredited college or university;

OR

Have a combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (less than two years) that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of one year (generally 18 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

GS-11: You qualify for the GS-11 level (starting salary $82,764) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level performing duties such as:

  • conducting focused searches of internal and open-source information systems to identify pertinent data from various sources on targeted violence, threat assessment and related concepts;
  • applying standardized research principles, concepts and methods to execute research tasks under the direction of senior staff;
  • identifying study samples, collecting and analyzing data and other information;
  • documenting the research process, findings and implications; and
  • drafting sections of reports, and briefing materials.

NOTE: The contents of your resume MUST support your claim of specialized experience.

OR

Have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M. if related, from an accredited college or university that provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform this work;

OR

Have a combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (beyond 2 years of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement. Note: Only graduate education i excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

The qualification 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.

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.

Education

For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for a position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

Additional information

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

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, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to HRsupport@usss.dhs.gov.

The agency has a Telework Policy which is at the discretion of management and based on roles and responsibilities. Additionally, compressed or flexible work schedules are offered with appropriate approval.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone) (exception: a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring is authorized on one finger).

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.

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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.

This announcement is being filled using the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Direct-Hire Authority. Agencies may appoint candidates directly to jobs, without regard to the provisions of Title 5 U.S.C.3309 through 3318. Therefore, Veterans' preference does not apply when appointing individuals. For more information on Direct Hire Authority please visit: Direct Hire Authority.

Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices to the assessment questionnaire. Your resume must also 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
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Knowledge Management
  • Learning
  • Oral Communication
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Research
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Written Communication


The USA Hire 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.

Applicants who meet the basic requirement and specialized experience for the position will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the announcement.

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

Veterans: Although the Direct Hire Authority permits hiring without regard to Veterans Preference, applicants who are eligible for Veterans Preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (See Required Documents section for information on substantiating documents).

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. If you are called for an interview, you must submit two items: 1) A writing sample; 2) A proposal for a research project related to targeted violence and/or threat assessment. In 500 words or less the proposal should describe the research question, method for collecting and analyzing the data, and a plan for disseminating results.

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.

Required Documents

In addition to addressing the vacancy specific questions, you must also submit the following documentation:

  • Resume - In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded resume, your employment history should show work experience in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week. Click here for what to include in your resume.
  • If tentatively selected for the position, the applicant may be required to provide additional documentation (SF50s) to validate their eligibility for the position.
  • Are you qualifying based on education or the position has an education requirement, or you are qualifying based on a combination of education and experience? Submit a copy of your college/university transcript (unofficial is acceptable) it must show school name, student's name, credit earned, degree, and date awarded. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. Those with Foreign education, click here.
  • Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit a copy of your agency notice, copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating), and your most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.
  • Are you a veteran? Veterans' preference does not apply to selections made using Direct Hiring Authority however, 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." For more information view Veteran Information.
  • 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, Notification of Personnel Action, 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, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.

PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available, and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the Apply Online button
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and submit the required documents.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  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 to 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.
To view the required online assessment questionnaire please visit https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12574774. The online assessment questionnaire is required in additional to the USA Hire assessments.

For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments.

Reasonable Accommodation (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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

To update your application, excluding External Assessment responses, at any time 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. For information on what each Announcement Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact theAPT Talent Management Division at HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov OR by calling (202) 406-6420 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm EST (excluding Federal holidays) prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance.

The Secret Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

Agency contact information

APT Talent Management Division
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your eligibility. Best-qualified applicants will be referred for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. For more information on applying for Federal employment, please click here.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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