Security Specialist III (Columbia)
State of South Carolina
Posted: February 26, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Veterans Health Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Location
Charleston, South Carolina
Salary
$40,332 - $52,426
per year
Type
Closes
Base salary range: $30,286 - $39,372
Typical requirements: 1 year general experience. 2 years college or associate degree.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This job involves monitoring security systems, handling alarms, and dispatching emergency responses in a veterans' hospital setting to keep everyone safe.
You'll manage access controls, respond to calls for police, fire, or medical help, and keep track of equipment and reports.
It's a good fit for someone detail-oriented with experience in security monitoring or emergency dispatch who wants a stable government role.
This position serves as the Security Assistant for Police Service within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with a primary purpose to monitor physical security equipment and systems.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/08/2026.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.
To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required.
For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements.
Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience.
Determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level.
Then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages.
The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5.
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:
Performs alarm and access monitoring, tracing access patterns, programming, assigning or removing user permissions, updating databases, remotely opening and securing doors during routine and emergency operations and generating a variety of reports as needed.
Assesses on-scene behavior and determines when it is appropriate to dispatch law enforcement or other personnel to investigate.
Responsible for responding to alarm systems monitoring fire, access, intrusion, duress/panic, medical emergencies, psychiatric emergencies, medical assist teams, etc.; and emergency digital paging system.
The position monitors and receives routine and emergency calls from a variety of sources that need police, fire, medical or other emergency services.
Determines the nature and location of the emergency; prioritizes events and commits police resources appropriately; determines what notifications are necessary based upon event type, makes such notifications and coordinates follow-up communications.
Receives and process emergency calls, maintains contact with law enforcement units on assignment, maintains status and location of Police Officers and coordinates communication between agencies as needed.
Performs system checks on a variety of equipment used in the dispatch center. Troubleshoots systems when problems arise and resolves issues whenever possible.
Conducts equipment inventories and completes records and other logs. Performs monthly alarm checks, submits reports documenting the operational status of each circuit tested.
Initiates work orders for malfunctioning circuits and equipment. Enters, updates and retrieves information from a variety of computer systems and sensitive databases.
Uses state and the National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) to access sensitive law enforcement information to support field operations and investigations Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts, Weekends and holidays Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Security Assistant/PD07834A
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