Personnel Security Specialist

Full Job Description

About the Position: Serves as a personnel security specialist responsible for planning, executing, and managing district-wide personnel, information, and operational security programs in support of the USACE Pittsburgh District Security Manager.

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job.

You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected.

See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

Current Civilian Employees of the Command Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473 Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998 In order to qualify, you must meet the EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE requirements described below.

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).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-07 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: following clearly established procedures to perform basic security-related tasks, such as processing security paperwork or taking fingerprints; entering or retrieving data from security record systems under close supervision; assisting higher-grade specialists with administrative tasks related to security programs, like preparing for briefings or maintaining files.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

OR Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Homeland Security.

OR Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement.

In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above.

Superior Academic Achievement is based on: (1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses, OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR (3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achshonor.org/).

OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18.

Add the two percentages.

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-07: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-05).

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-09 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: applying established security policies, regulations, and procedures to resolve routine personnel security questions or problems; initiating and tracking personnel security investigations and clearances using automated security databases (e.g., DEERS/RAPIDS, DISS and e-QIP); performing specific tasks in support of other security disciplines, such as handling classified documents or assisting with security awareness training.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).

OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Homeland Security.

OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12.

Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-09: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-07).

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-11 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: applying a wide range of security principles, concepts, and methodologies to independently resolve common personnel security issues; processing personnel security investigations and security clearances using automated systems (e.g., DEERS/RAPIDS, DISS and e-QIP); and assisting in the administration of various security programs such as Information Security, Operational Security, or Physical Security.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Homeland Security.

OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12.

Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-11: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09).

Major Duties:

• AT THE FULL PERFORMANCE GS-11 GRADE LEVEL
• Manages the security of the DEERS/RAPIDS workstation as the certified Site Security Manager for the district local level to the Security Manager for further review.
• Analyzes complex security problems and issues that often involve conflicting, ambiguous, or incomplete information.
• Elevates derogatory information discovered at the local level to the Security Manager for further review.
• Provides oversight of network security and ensures users meet all access requirements before signing IT service requests.
• Reviews security plans and accreditation documents for computer systems in the classified areas.
• Conducts security inspections to ensure classified defense information is safeguarded throughout the District.
• Manages the District's GSA security containers for compliance and proper storage of classified information.
• Coordinates procedures for the accountability and destruction of classified defense information and materials.
• Resolves complex and controversial personnel security issues by interpreting regulations and applying new methods.
• Reconciles conflicting or incomplete information by gathering and interpreting data to isolate core issues.
• Recommends suspension of local access to classified information when derogatory reports are substantiated.
• Develops practical recommendations for action by analyzing facts, drawing conclusions, and weighing pertinent information.