Federal security administration staff protect information, people, property, facilities, operations, and materials. The threats they guard against run from secrets leaking out to theft, misuse, vandalism, assault, spying, sabotage, and property going missing.
Much of the job is analysis, planning, advice, day-to-day operations, and evaluation. Workers draft and apply the policies, procedures, standards, methods, and training used to keep these things safe. They also build, test, maintain, and run the systems and devices that do the safeguarding. Some positions manage or supervise this work instead of performing it directly.
The other main part of the work is vetting people. Workers set the rules for checking someone's background, history, and character, then apply them to current employees, job applicants, and anyone else who holds or is being considered for access to classified materials, sensitive information, or work sites. Police work belongs to a separate federal series and is not counted here.