PERSONNEL SECURITY SPECIALIST
Naval Sea Systems Command
FreshPosted Feb 11
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Posted: February 11, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Personnel Security Specialist
Department of State - Agency Wide
Department of State
Location
Salary
$102,415 - $133,142
per year
Type
Full Time
More Human Resources jobs →Closes
February 19, 2026More State jobs →
GS-12 Pay Grade
Base salary range: $74,441 - $96,770
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-11. Advanced degree + significant experience.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
Job Description
Summary
This job involves overseeing and certifying background investigations for new hires at the Department of State to ensure they qualify for security clearances and job suitability.
The role includes reviewing complex cases, analyzing information against national standards, and granting clearances while developing related policies and systems.
It's a good fit for someone with federal government experience in security investigations who is detail-oriented and skilled at handling sensitive, controversial information.
Key Requirements
- One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11 level in federal service
- Experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, and criteria
- Experience evaluating investigations for compliance with regulatory requirements
- Experience conducting personnel security and suitability adjudications
- Knowledge of national adjudicative criteria for security clearances
- Ability to review and analyze complex investigative information, including adverse details
- Meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at GS-11 for federal applicants)
Full Job Description
The position is located in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of Personnel Security and Suitability, Investigations Division (DS/PSS/INV).
You will be responsible for directing the conduct and certifying the sufficiency of initial pre -employment investigations conducted for the purpose of determining suitability and security clearance eligibility.
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.
Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.
Applicants applying for the GS-12 must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: -Experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, and criteria.
-Experience evaluating investigations for compliance with regulatory requirements. -Experience conducting personnel security and suitability adjudications.
There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position. Major Duties:
- Reviews Presidential appointee cases, including adverse information which may have been developed by the investigation.
- Assists in developing data systems as necessary to respond to management information requirements.
- Conducts investigations and evaluates results for compliance with prescribed standards and criteria, ensuring sufficiency of coverage of often complex and controversial investigative information.
- Analyzes information applying national adjudicative criteria and grants interim security clearances, public trust determinations, and final security clearances.
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