Security Assistant

Full Job Description

The Security Assistant role is crucial for maintaining safety and security for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This position primarily focuses on police dispatching, managing emergencies and non-emergency calls, including 911 and medical emergencies.

The individual in this role will be responsible for determining the nature and location of incidents, prioritizing responses, and efficiently dispatching police and emergency services while maintaining real-time communication.

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

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-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4. 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.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of a Security Assistant, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position.

Specialized experience includes knowledge of security or law enforcement objectives and programs; carrying out support tasks related to law enforcement and security administration; monitoring and responding to physical alarm systems and security cameras; dispatching officers; monitoring computers for video surveillance; and maintaining reports and logs.

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: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed (4) years of education above the high school level.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial or technical.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e.

beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.

NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Security - Knowledge of laws, regulations, and guidelines related to securing personnel, facilities, and information, including the requirements for handling, transporting, and protecting classified information and proper reporting of security incidents.

Technology Application - Uses machines, tools, or equipment effectively; uses computers and computer applications to analyze and communicate information in the appropriate format.

Communications - Effectively expresses information to multiple audiences through clear, convincing oral and written communications; demonstrates logical thinking when describing facts and concepts, and shapes communications to meet the needs of a specific audience; actively listens to others and demonstrates understanding of their comments and/or questions.

Manages and Organizes Information - Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.

Computer Skills - Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work. Preferred: Ability to pass typing test of 35 words/minute.

The ideal candidate will possess strong multitasking skills, the ability to act swiftly in high-pressure situations, and a commitment to ensuring public safety through effective communication and technology utilization.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment: The work is typically sedentary in nature.

However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Working on off-tours, rotating shifts or regular overtime may be required.

The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms.

The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated.

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:

The Security Assistant is responsible for monitoring communication channels, managing emergency and non-emergency calls, dispatching police and emergency services, and maintaining operational integrity and safety for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Key responsibilities include monitoring various communication channels, coordinating responses to alarms and security incidents, and operating advanced security technology, including CCTV systems.

The role involves logging daily operations, documenting communications and activities accurately, and ensuring the orderly flow of information between the dispatch center and law enforcement units.

In addition to emergency response duties, the position encompasses administrative functions such as inputting daily journal entries, conducting system checks, and maintaining records related to police operations and equipment.

Major Duties may Include but are not limited to: Monitors and receive 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.

Receives and processes emergency calls, maintains contact with law enforcement units on assignment, maintains status and location of Police Officers, and coordinates communication between agencies as needed.

Answers nonemergency calls for assistance. Monitors and directs responses to security and life safety communications, radio dispatches, telephone calls, and other emergency communication circuits.

Responsible for the orderly flow of communications between the police dispatch center, agency leadership, and the workforce.

Operates a variety of communications and security equipment, such as computers, multi-frequency radios, multi-line telephone systems, and other related peripherals.

Operates a variety of communications equipment, telephones, and computer systems.

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.

Responsible for responding to alarm systems monitoring fire, access, intrusion, duress/panic, medical emergencies, psychiatric emergencies, medical assist teams, etc., and the emergency digital paging system.

Monitors emergency weather alerts and transmits warnings. Implements policies, procedures, and methods for identifying and protecting information, personnel, property, facilities, operations.

Operates an established vehicle registration and visitor management program, parking registration, and/or photo identification equipment.

Issues and retrieves government-issued keys and/or identification cards. Review requests for issues passes and identification documents.

Maintains accountability of Police Officer badges issued and all associated logs.

Performs administrative (non-criminal) investigations of lost keys, passes, and PIV cards to rapidly assess, documenting any compromised access to VA property, terminate off-access permissions.

Performs system checks on a variety of equipment used in the dispatch center. Troubleshot systems when problems arise and resolve issues whenever possible.

Conducts equipment inventories and completes records. Enters, updates and retrieves information from a variety of computer systems and sensitive databases.

Uses state and National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) to access sensitive law enforcement information to support field operations and investigations.

Uses the VA Police Software to research information, complete reports and logs, vehicle registrations, etc.

Compiles and prepares reports related to events occurring in the operation of the police control center for dissemination of the completed products to various management officials.

Generates police reports. Coordinates warrant confirmations and transports with outside agencies. Coordinates health and welfare checks with outside law enforcement agencies.

Completes vehicle registration tasks, issues decals and permits. Establishes tracking of parking/traffic violators and reports habitual offenders.

Gathers information and completes reports when local incidents rise to the level requiring notification to the VA Integrated Operations Center.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Rotating Shifts 6A-6P or 6P-6AVirtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Security Assistant/PD99858S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Requirements: The work is typically sedentary in nature.

However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Working on-off tours, rotating shifts or regular overtime may be required.