Personnel Security Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service (FPS), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Personnel Security Division (PSD), Springfield, Virginia.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Minimum Qualification/Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

Minimum Qualifications: GS-11: Applicant must demonstrate one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties: Reviewing investigative or adjudicative documentation to ensure compliance with established personnel security guidelines and procedures; Evaluating background investigation information and reports to recommend or support personnel security eligibility determinations; and Coordinating with investigative agencies or internal offices to obtain or verify information related to personnel security actions.

OR Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D.

or equivalent degree, e.g., LL.M., if related, at an accredited college or university in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this work.

Note: You must submit a copy of your college transcript (official or unofficial) to support your claim.

OR 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 in excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Specialized Experience: GS-12: Applicant must demonstrate one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties: Evaluating investigative information to assess suitability, fitness, and/or security clearance eligibility; Making personnel security eligibility determinations in accordance with established guidelines, policies, and procedures; and Advising stakeholders on personnel security policies and clearance procedures.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Only two page resumes will be accepted and used to make an eligibility/qualifications determination.

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 (you may need to submit more than one), "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.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

NOTE: 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. Major Duties:

The primary purpose of this position is to administer personnel and operations security programs to ensure all federal and contractor personnel have and maintain the appropriate background investigations for suitability, fitness and national security clearance and credentials.

This work is in support of the agency's mission to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from terrorism, criminal acts, and other hazards threatening the U.S.

Government's critical infrastructure, services, and the people who provide or receive them.

Duties performed: Reviewing and analyzing background investigation forms and applications, fingerprint results and law enforcement agency checks to ensure correctness and resolve conflicting information.

Preparing appropriate correspondence of the employing activity for cases involving denied and revoked clearances or public trust determinations.

Using independent judgement to disqualify or mitigate a number of variables regarding a person's life or conduct.

Serving as the focal point for personnel security policies and procedures; Interpreting personnel security policies for senior authorities and recommending new policies.

Conducting day to day liaison with investigative agencies regarding security clearance and/or investigative actions.