Security Assistant

Summary

The Security Assistant position is part of Police Services and supports the mission of delivering comprehensive law enforcement, protective services, and investigative support across the Department of Veterans Affairs. Security Assistants help safeguard the VA Community, which includes Veterans, federal employees, contractors, affiliates, visitors, and others who work in, receive services from, or visit VA facilities across VHA, VBA, and NCA nationwide.

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Duties

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Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Monitor alarms and access control systems
• Trace and analyze access patterns.- Program, assign, and remove user access permissions
• Update security and access control databases
• Remotely open and secure doors during routine and emergency operations.
• Generate required security and operational reports
• Assess on-scene behavior and determine when to dispatch law enforcement or other personnel.
• Respond to fire, access, intrusion, duress/panic, medical, psychiatric, and other emergency alarms.
• Respond to emergency digital paging system alerts.
• Monitor emergency weather alerts and transmit system-wide warnings when appropriate.
• Maintain radio and alarm activity logs, including dates, times, communications, and outcomes.
• Prepare and file completed reports based on activity records
• .Perform and document emergency callback procedures as required
• .Track critical information and report findings to the supervisor.
• Implement policies, procedures, and methods to protect information, personnel, property, facilities, operations, and materials
• Operate vehicle registration and visitor management programs
• Operate parking registration and photo identification equipment
• Issue and retrieve government keys and identification cards
• Review requests for and issue passes and identification documents
• Maintain accurate key inventory and accountability databases
• Maintain accountability records and logs for Police Officer badges issued.
• Conduct administrative (non-criminal) investigations into lost keys, passes, and PIV cards to assess compromised access and terminate permissions.
• Monitor and receive routine and emergency calls requiring police, fire, medical, or other emergency services
• Determine the nature and location of emergencies and prioritize events appropriately
• Commit police resources based on event type and make necessary notifications
• Coordinate follow-up communications for ongoing incidents
• Receive and process emergency calls while maintaining contact with law enforcement units on assignment
• Track and maintain the status and location of Police Officers
• Coordinate communications between agencies when necessary.
• Answer non-emergency calls for assistance
• Monitor and direct responses to security and life-safety communications, radio dispatches, telephone calls, and emergency circuits
• Receive and compile information from various sources related to police and emergency incidents
• Take action on intrusion, duress, and holdup alarms and direct or modify the responding personnel accordingly
• Coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials during emergencies
• Maintain orderly communication flow between the police dispatch center, agency leadership, and the workforce
• Operate communications and security equipment, including computers, multi-frequency radios, and multi-line telephone systems
• Support routine and emergency operations using a variety of communications and computer systems
• Perform system checks on dispatch center equipment and troubleshoot issues as they arise.
• Conduct equipment inventories and complete required records and logs
• Perform monthly alarm tests and submit operational status reports.
• Initiate work orders for malfunctioning circuits or equipment
• Enter, update, and retrieve information from various computer systems and sensitive databases
• Use state and National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) systems to access sensitive law enforcement data
• Query criminal histories, arrest warrants, driver's records, stolen property, vehicle registrations, firearms, and related information.
• Enter or update regional and national records/messages to assist with recovering stolen property or locating missing/endangered persons
• Gather and relay relevant information to law enforcement personnel in the field
• Use VA Police Software to research information, complete reports, logs, and vehicle registrations
• Compile and prepare reports on events occurring in the police control center.
• Generate police reports for routine, non-criminal incidents such as lost property or missing patients
• Process Courtesy Violations Notices (CVN) and U.S. District Court Violation Notices (USDCVN) per established policies.
• Complete special projects as assigned, including developing program statistics, reports, and related materials.

Work Schedule: 12HR shifts- 6:00 am - 6:00pm and 6:00pm -6:00am (on a rotating schedule )

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Security Assistant/ PD00220A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement evaluation is required .
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2026.

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-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: : A police dispatcher is responsible for receiving and prioritizing emergency and non-emergency calls, quickly determining the nature of each situation, and dispatching appropriate police units to the scene. They must remain calm under pressure, communicate clearly with callers and officers, and accurately record information. Additionally, police dispatchers are required to monitor radio traffic, coordinate responses among multiple agencies when necessary, and update officers with new information as situations develop. Strong multitasking skills, attention to detail, and the ability to handle stressful situations are essential for this role.
• 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 an combination of specialized experience and education beyond high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. 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..

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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.