Technical Security Investigator Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. TLE-TEC-TSD-JJ009-25-EXT Department U.S. Secret Service
Salary $82,764.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/8/2024 Close Date 12/6/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Joining the United States Secret Service, Office of Technical Development and Mission Support, Technical Security Division will allow you to provide specialized technical expertise to develop and implement countermeasures to protected persons and/or facilities and support protective and criminal investigations. This Technical Security Investigator position starts at a salary of $82,764 (GS-11, step 1), with promotion potential to $153,354 (GS-13, step 10).

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

The selectee will serve as a Technical Security Investigator specializing in one of the following areas: Fire, Life-Safety, Hazmat; Chemical Biological Countermeasures; Electronics; Explosive Ordnance Disposal; or Technical Surveillance Countermeasures in the Office of Technical Development and Mission Support, Technical Security Division. Typical work assignments include:

  • Installing, monitoring, maintaining, analyzing, and evaluating the latest known technologies (e.g. state of the art intrusion detection systems and devices) that may potentially be used by hostile entities, both domestic and abroad, either independent or as groups to penetrate the Agency sites or otherwise harm protectees; conducting routine security searches of protective and investigative locations to identify, detect, deter, and stop potential or actual threats involving hazardous materials, items, devices, persons, or unsafe environmental conditions; and advising senior Technical Security Investigators on potential violations and security deficiencies, matters that are not routine.
  • Assisting in protective countermeasures and related law enforcement response planning duties; assisting in planning, organizing investigative tactics and techniques to assist with investigations of suspected criminal violations.
  • Assisting in protective advances and conducting surveys and analyses; adjusting plans and schedules; and assisting in developing alternative strategies in response to delays, sudden and/or major changes in itineraries or the introduction of critical intelligence.
  • Assisting in providing advice and assistance to U.S. Secret Service, White House Officials and representatives from other federal agencies and organizations on issues.

The work routinely requires long hours with minimal breaks and to be on call 24 hours a day. Must be able to operate in sensitive, real-time situations that may produce physical and emotional stress. Required to work in environments that involve risks of unknown hazards when performing protective searches of remote unsecured areas that may harbor unauthorized persons or environmental hazards, as well as the discomforts associated with working in hard to reach, dirty and hazardous areas of buildings, facilities and outside areas. You will not have control of the environmental conditions or schedule of operations; and will be required to be flexible to ensure mission completion. At times, you may be subjected to explosives handling and/or radio frequency (RF) exposure.

Apply for this exciting opportunity to directly impact the mission of the agency by providing operational support to protective operations and criminal investigations through the identification, fielding and monitoring of unique or specially tailored equipment necessary to provide protective countermeasures, document criminal activity and acquire criminal target location.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

If selected for this position, you will be required to:

  • Be a US citizen.
  • Be at least 21 years of age.
  • Certify registration or exemption with the Selective Service if you are a male applicant born after 12/31/59.
  • Obtain and maintain a top secret Tier 5 clearance.
  • 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.
  • Possess a valid U.S. state motor vehicle operator's license at the time of appointment. You must maintain license while employed in the position and will be required to operate motor vehicles in accordance with applicable OPM regulations and U.S. Secret Service guidance and policies.
  • Carry and use a firearm. Maintaining firearm proficiency is 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.
  • Complete a pre-employment medical examination (vision, hearing, cardiovascular and mobility of extremities) by an authorized Government physician and be determined physically fit to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties. You will be required to undergo regular physical examinations and to maintain a level of physical fitness in accordance with the standards and policies of this agency.
  • Possess uncorrected visual acuity of no worse than 20/100 binocular. Possess corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better in each eye. (Note: Lasik, ALK, RK, and PRK corrective eye surgeries are acceptable eye surgeries. Applicants will be considered eligible provided specific visual tests are passed. The following are waiting periods for visual tests: Lasik-3 months after surgery, PRK-6 months after surgery, and ALK and RK-one year after surgery)
  • 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
  • Successfully complete 12 weeks of intensive training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, GA or Artesia, NM, a 10-week Mixed Basic Training Course (MBTC) at the Secret Service's training facility in Laurel, MD and a 6-week Protective Advance Coordinator Course in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Additional information. Failure to pass these training programs on the first attempt may result in separation from the U. S. Secret Service.

Qualifications

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

Electronics:

  • Utilizing tools to troubleshoot and perform systematic problem solving of electronic devices and systems.
  • Testing, maintaining, installing, and evaluating electrical components and systems.
  • Troubleshooting, maintaining, and ensuring security of computers and computer network systems.

Chemical Biological Countermeasures:

  • Responding to, mitigating, or investigating known or suspected release of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) materials, including hazard site survey, characterization, and sample recovery operations.
  • Utilizing, repairing, and troubleshooting specialized hazmat and CBRN detection equipment.
  • Participating in the prevention of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) or Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) incidents.

Technical Surveillance Countermeasures:

  • Participating in technical surveillance countermeasures inspections to include radio frequency signal adjudication, electrical and physical component detection, and physical inspections, identifying, and neutralizing technical penetrations and vulnerabilities that could be used to compromise sensitive and national security information.
  • Performing technical surveillance countermeasures functions utilizing a wide variety of technical surveillance countermeasures equipment and instrumentation.
  • Applying policies and procedures for the use of technical surveillance countermeasures equipment.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal:

  • Responding to incident scenes where explosive threats are suspected or determined.
  • Interpreting x-rays of potential explosive devices, and/or other unknown and suspicious devices.
  • Identifying and differentiating between commercial, military, and home-made explosives.

Fire, Life-Safety, Hazmat:

  • Responding to incidents involving structure fires; hazardous materials (HAZMAT) releases; and/or technical rescue operations.
  • Inspecting or investigating various facilities (e.g., warehouses, shops, hospitals, offices, living quarters, etc.) for violations of fire regulations, and for conditions contributing to serious fire hazards.
  • Identifying criteria and implementing fire/life safety surveys for pre-incident analysis and incident response.
OR

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M.

OR

Combination of education and experience.

In addition, all applicants who are not currently employed in the law enforcement provision of FERS or the Civil Service Retirement System must be less than 37 years of age at the time of referral. (Unless you have previous service in a Federal Civilian Law Enforcement position covered by special civil service retirement provision, including early or mandatory retirement). Applicants who are eligible for veterans preference must be less than 40 years of age at the time of referral.

Qualifications Must Be Met: The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

Your resume must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from receiving further consideration.

Applicants selected for this position will be required to sign a continuing service agreement before being assigned to an initial training class. The continuing service agreement will commit the applicant to a specified period of employment with the U.S. Secret Service upon the successful completion of training.

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.

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.

This position is covered by Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) and additional compensation may be paid at the rate of up to 25% of the base salary.

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.

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in an accredited college or university leading to such a degree or LL.M, must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Additional information

If selected for this position, you will be required to sign a mobility agreement stating willingness to accept assignments anywhere within the United States and overseas.

Regular and reoccurring physical exertion such as long periods of walking, standing, climbing, bending, crawling and similar activities is conducted on protective advances, technical investigations and projects at permanent sites. Performance of the duties requires physical strength to carry heavy equipment and mental alertness for activities such as long periods of surveillance for both investigative and protection efforts. Good physical condition, eyesight and hearing are critical requirement to this position.

The Secret Service generally 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), with the exception of a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring (e.g., wedding band) on one finger).

E-Verify Statement: 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.

This position will require a credit check after initial job qualifications have been determined.

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.

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 Equal.Opportunity@usss.dhs.gov.

For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

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.

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

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the duties of the position. All answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. 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:

  • Apply physical and technical security concepts, techniques, policies, tools, methods and procedures to safeguard against threats to protectees and their environments.
  • Serve as the agency's technical investigative authority in criminal investigations.
  • Communicate in writing to present ideas and provide plans and procedures to customers, supervisors, and team members.
  • Communicate verbally to present ideas and provide plans and procedures to customers, supervisors, and team members.

Interview Requirement: Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

May be subject to an Applicant Physical Abilities Test.

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications. Qualified candidates will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire guidelines. Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Direct Hire recruitment procedures. Selections made under this announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service.

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 detail and in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week.
  • If you are qualifying based on education, or you are qualifying based on a combination of education and experience (as explained in the Qualifications section), you must 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 a current or former Federal Employee? Submit a copy of your SF- 50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing your tenure code, position occupied, and highest grade and step. In addition, if you have or had service in a Federal Law Enforcement position covered by law enforcement or firefighter retirement provisions, including early or mandatory retirement, the SF-50 must show the retirement code. An award SF-50 does not contain the required information. Also submit your performance appraisals and/or incentive awards.

How to Apply

This position is being advertised via an automated staffing system. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS, take the online questionnaire, and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail. You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Instructions outlining the application process can be found at http://www.secretservice.gov/join/apply/. If you cannot apply online, you may contact the Talent & Employee Acquisition Management Division, Technical Law Enforcement Support Branch at TLEHRSupport@usss.dhs.gov 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

TLE Support Branch
Address
United States Secret Service
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Please apply online
Washington, DC 20223
US
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Next steps

Once your completed 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 of which candidates will continue in the application process within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You may check the status of your application for this position by going to www.usajobs.gov. Click on the "My USAJOBS" tab, enter your user id and password, and click on "My Applications". You will also receive an email notification regarding your application status. 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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