Security Assistant

Summary

This position serves as a Security Assistant and the position is to perform security-related functions in support of a Network Personnel Suitability and Credentialing Program (hereinafter, "Personnel Security Program") within a shared services unit. The Personnel Security Program assures that all appointees have the appropriate level of security/suitability clearance commensurate with their assignment.

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Duties

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This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and may be posted up to September 01, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be August 13, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

Major Duties for the position include but are not limited to:

Personnel Security, e-QIP, PIV, Use of Automated Integrated Systems (70%)

• Performs work related to the collection, organization and/or tracking of information in support of the Personnel Security Program.
• Processes of initiating, reviewing, and approving background cases for release to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in compliance with policies relating to completion of suitability investigations for Federal employees and others requiring background investigations for non-sensitive and public trust positions.
• Reviews position risk sensitivity levels as full assistant to the Personnel Security Specialist. Assemble position descriptions and functional statements for the Personnel Security Specialist for review. Track electronically the level assigned and the appropriate background investigation needed.
• Serves as the initial point of contact for new appointees including but not limited to paid or without compensation employees, volunteers, students, residents, and contractors.
• Initiates, reviews and releases appointees background investigations in the Office of Personnel Managements Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) system or in conjunction with the VA- Adjudication Center (VA-AC).
• Monitors the status of specific pending items, compiles data to produce reports, follows up to determine status and records results.
• Maintains logs of current employees who are in public trust positions and ensures reinvestigations are initiated, reviewed and released using e-QIP within the required timeframe as per policy.
• Works with Recruitment and Staffing to assure required background documents are complete and accurate as per policy
• Transmits electronic fingerprints for appointees or when the FBI returns fingerprints unclassifiable for various reasons.
• Enters appropriate data in required databases related to an appointee's suitability from a wide variety of sources.
• Tracks the status of suitability issues referred by the Personnel Security Specialist for OPM adjudication.
• Responsible for assisting in the execution of personnel security-related functions as they relate to VA Subjects in Veterans Affairs Centralized Adjudication and Background Investigation System (VA-CABS).
• Performs administrative tasks associated with the authorization and issuance of the PIV card, a standardized identification badge.
• Provides technical advice and guidance to employees, contractors, affiliates, and volunteers regarding matters pertaining to the PIV Program.
• Conducts research and compiles data from diverse sources, assembles information, and develops reports or presentations.
• Maintains proficiency in the VA PIV Portal to create and issue PIV cards, capture biometrics, troubleshoot card and pin issues, and perform all aspects of card lifecycle management.
• Assists with the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Program in performing functions associated with the daily operations to include performing registrar and/or issuer duties and training sponsors on their roles and responsibilities.

Local Consultation, Performs Audits, Maintains Privacy of Information, Reviews technical regulations, policy, guidance (30%)

• Assures that paperwork related to the suitability process is forwarded for inclusion in the appropriate system of records.
• Requests information from various law enforcement agencies and courts.
• Reviews applicant's data ensuring that the submitted information matches the demographic data and that all required information has been provided.
• Performs audits of official personnel folders to assure that information related to suitability is properly recorded and filed.
• Keeps security information confidential and assures compliance with the requirements of safeguarding personal and other sensitive data pursuant to the Computer Security Act of 1997, and the Privacy Act of 1974.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Security Assistant / PD99952-A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 or 2-year trial 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 or trial 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, 09/01/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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 as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Collecting appropriate background security information, tracking and reviewing data, completion of reports, maintaining databases and processing, must have the ability to enter, extract, and evaluate employee information via access to various computer databases, initiating, reviewing, and approving background cases related to the completion of suitability investigations, completion of reports, maintaining databases and processing, position risks sensitivity levels, pre-employment processes, log maintenance, electronic fingerprints, minor identification card troubleshooting, admin tasks associated with authorization of personal identification cards, special projects, performing audits, credentialing rules and regulations.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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; religions; 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.

Note : A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. 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.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, small boxes, or books.

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.

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

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.

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.