Physical Security Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is located within the Police Service of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, IL.

The mission of the Police Service is to serve and protect Veterans, patients, employees, contractors, volunteers, affiliates, visitors, and others who frequent VA facilities.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/27/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

To qualify for this position, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position.

Specialized experience includes: providing physical security and assistance to groups and individuals; ensuring compliance with security procedures designed to safeguard personnel and property; applying knowledge of security and protection regulations, policies, procedures, and practices; utilizing various security equipment and devices; making recommendations to improve security processes; providing physical security consultation services to an organization.

Also performs law enforcement assignments such as, responding to reports of crimes and/or calls for police assistance; securing crime scenes and/or accident sites; taking appropriate actions in emergency situations; conducting investigations; keeping abreast of law enforcement rules, regulations and techniques.

Applicants must possess excellent communication skills.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

~OR~ Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M.

in field a directly related to this position being filled (i.e., criminal law, criminal justice, etc.).

This education must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials.

Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements.

NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

Firearm Requirement: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property.

Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer.

Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The work requires full use of extremities, normal hearing, and vision to conduct on-site security surveys, inspections, and assessments.

The duties require prolonged standing, walking, crouching, bending, lifting, reaching, pushing, stooping, and climbing stairs and ladders both indoors and outdoors.

On-site surveys, inspections, and assessments require exposure to a wide variety of working elements, both indoors and outside, and in general and specialized office space.

Clothing is subject to being soiled when checking basements, crawl space, attics and other similar areas. Wearing of safety clothing and equipment when in construction or industrial areas is required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

This is accomplished through crime prevention activities, typical law enforcement actions, emergency response capabilities, special training and tactics, weapons, and equipment and systems utilization.

Serves as a physical security consultant to leadership and Police Services staff; Coordinates physical security programs nationally by coordinating efforts or functions that impact multiple medical centers and sites of care; Evaluates risk and develops procedures and physical security measures designed to safeguard personnel, property, and operations from unauthorized access, espionage, terrorism, sabotage, damage and theft; Ensures security requirements and appropriate safeguards, cameras, and panic and intrusion alarms are implemented; Monitors and evaluating existing and planned security projects to ensure timely and quality service conforms to statutory, contractual, and technical requirements; Collects information and preparing reports on the facility's compliance with VA operations and regulations; Conducts system audits and evaluates reports of alleged security violations; Performs law enforcement assignments to prevent or resolve offenses; Conducts full investigations over prolonged periods; Performs search and seizure for evidence to develop case information; Establishes, develops, and maintains effective working relationships with other staff offices; Attends security meetings to gather and share new/changed security program information with security personnel; Develops documents, spreadsheets, graphs, reports and presentations using various automated systems and software packages; Ensures physical security surveys are followed up promptly; Performs related duties as required.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.

Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Physical Security Specialist/PD99797S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized