Telecommunications Specialist Job

Vacancy No. OCI-TK-12794195-25-DH Department U.S. Secret Service
Salary $120,579.00 to $156,755.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/15/2025 Close Date 9/19/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DCLandover, MD


Summary

Joining the Secret Service, Office of Technical Development and Applied Research, Operational Communications and Integration Divison or Aviation and Airspace Security Division, will allow you to provide a technically secure environment for the President and Vice President, as well as other prominent individual.

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) 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 Telecommunications Specialist in the Office of Technical Development and Applied Research, Operational Communications and Integration Division or Aviation and Airspace Security Division. Typical work assignments include:

  • Developing and engineering advanced radio communication systems customized to meet the unique operational requirements.
  • Configurating, deploying, operations and maintenance of Radio Frequency (RF) communication systems, ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure.
  • Serving as a technical expert during system failures and outages by troubleshooting communication systems, identifying root causes, and implementing timely and effective solutions.
  • Diagnosing technical issues, replacing malfunctioning components, and conducting comprehensive testing to ensure full restoration of system functionality.
  • Leading the integration of communication and video infrastructure to create a unified system that ensures both components operate cohesively
Apply for this exciting opportunity to provide a technically secure environment for the President and Vice President of the United States; limited technical security for other protectees; and technical assistance for investigative support to USSS field offices throughout the world. This Telecommunications Specialist position starts at a salary of $120,579.00, GS-13 step 1, with promotion potential to $156,755.00, 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.
If selected for this position, you will be required to:
  • Obtain and maintain a top secret Tier 5. 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 Counterintelligence (CI) polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
  • Submit a financial disclosure (OGE450) report annually.
  • 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:
A. Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- electrical or electronic engineering, mathematics, physics, public utilities, statistics, computer science, telecommunications management, information systems management, business administration, industrial management, or other fields related to the position to be filled.

B. Other Education: Communications/electronics or automatic data processing training in technical institutes or business schools above the high school level or in Armed Forces schools that included advanced instruction in addition to basic courses, which may be substituted for general experience on a month-for-month basis.

OR

C. Experience: in evaluating, analyzing, developing, managing, or improving communications systems, procedures, and requirements that demonstrated knowledge of current developments and trends in communications concepts and technology.

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

You qualify for the GS-13 level (starting salary $120,579.00) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level performing duties such as:

  • Utilizing a broad range of communications network design and application concepts, principles, and practices to develop, implement, manage, and monitor multifaceted wireless and radio telecommunications systems;
  • Applying regulations and agency policies to ensure compliance with applicable standards;
  • Analyzing telecommunications policies, procedures, and practices to make recommendations concerning agency-wide telecommunication systems, and
  • Researching communication network systems to draw conclusions, devise solutions and strategies and advise.


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

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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:

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.

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.

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.
  • 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

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/19/2025 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS,
  2. Complete the online questionnaire and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail.
  3. You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 09/19/2025.
To view the required online assessment questionnaire please visit https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12794195.

To update your application at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides the Announcement Status and a "You applied on" date. This information does not confirm the agency application status. Use the "Track this Application" link for additional information regarding the agency application status, the documentation you submitted, and any correspondence sent related to this application. The Announcement Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Announcement Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

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.

We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact the APT 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

Next steps

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. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. 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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