Personnel Security Specialist

Summary This position is located within the Executive Office of the President (EOP), Office of Administration (OA), Office of the Chief Security Officer (OCSO), Personnel Security Division (PSD). The incumbent serves as a Personnel Security Specialist, performing duties associated with the analysis of personnel security information to make suitability, eligibility, and adjudication recommendations or determinations. Responsibilities As a Personnel Security Specialist, GS-0080-7/9, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision: Serves as the operational expert to ensure Executive Office of the President (EOP) candidates and current EOP employees meet national standards for security, suitability, and credentialing for employment, retention of employment, and/or eligibility for physical and logical access to facilities and systems and classified national security information. Makes initial determination as to scope of investigation required, considering such factors as sensitivity level of position, background information on individual, criteria for governing various classes of security clearances, etc. Performs a preliminary investigation by making a local check of military and civilian records and makes an initial determination recommendation of individual's suitability, trustworthiness or reliability, to include analysis of credible derogatory information. Processes of initiating, reviewing, and approving background cases for release to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in compliance with policies relating to completion of suitability investigations for Federal employees and others requiring background investigations. Coordinates with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies, to obtain completed investigations. In cases of compelling need, prepares package and makes an interim security clearance based on the review and analysis resulting from checks of available records after ensuring that an appropriate investigation packet has been initiated. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: All applicants must meet the qualification requirements outlined below to be considered minimally qualified for this position. The qualification requirements are in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standards. ALL QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility comparable to the next lower grade or comparable pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. ALL QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. You may qualify at the GS-07 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates: 1-Working with the basic principles, concepts, policies and methods of personnel security administration; and 2) Accessing automated systems to obtain investigations and clearance information. OR B. Completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in a field of study that demonstrates the competencies required by this position with either (1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; (2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in a qualifying major field of study at either the time of application or during the last two years of your undergraduate curriculum; (3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college; or, (4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies; OR C. A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience. (Combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements as specified above. May be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) EDUCATION SUBSTITUTE: Education must demonstrate the applicant obtained the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You may qualify at the GS-09 level, if you fulfill one of the following qualification requirements: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates: 1). Using automated filing system to track, maintain, and update or control secure and private information. 2) Gathering and coordinating records of evidence in support of proposed personnel security and suitability actions and decisions; and; 3) Submitting disposition requests to the appropriate court, law enforcement agency, or other source in order to obtain clarification or additional information regarding cases. OR B. A master's or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of a LL.B. or J.D degree, if related. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. OR C. A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience. (Combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements as specified above. May be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) 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; religious; 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. Education ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Additional Information Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, you must be a preference eligible or a Veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Active Duty Military Members MAY apply under this announcement due to the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act. You must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions along with your application for Federal employment. A certification is a document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days from the date of application. If selected, appointment eligibility requirements must be met prior to the effective date of appointment. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs & Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application. 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. (