Security Assistant

Security Assistant

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-7. At the GS-5 and GS-6 grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-7. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. This position entails Personal Identity Verification Program (PIV) responsibility, which is a Government-wide identification standard for secure and reliable identity credentials issued by the Federal Government to its employees, contractors, affiliates, and volunteers. The PIV Program is required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 and outlined in Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201-2. Work assigned is of a very confidential and highly sensitive nature. The work of the Security Assistant has a direct impact on the accomplishment of national and local performance measures with regard to timeliness of actions and following are the major duties of this position:

• Collection, organization and/or tracking of information in support of the Personnel Security Program. The Personnel Security Program includes the 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.
• Assist the Personnel Security Specialist in collecting appropriate background information, tracking and reviewing data, completion of reports, maintaining databases and processing follow-up actions on various security related matters and assisting with suitability adjudications.
• Review 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.
• For pre-employment processes, 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).
• Regularly 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 applicants who may be experiencing difficulties with completion of electronic forms related to the background screening process.
• Works with Recruitment and Staffing to assure required background documents are complete and accurate as per policy (OF-306, SF-85, SF-85P, etc.).
• Takes and transmits electronic fingerprints for appointees or when the FBI returns fingerprints unclassifiable for various reasons.
• Support the programming of PIV cards after being manufactured.
• Perform minor PIV troubleshooting of the PIV System during malfunctions and resolve system issues.
• Performs administrative tasks associated with the authorization and issuance of the PIV card, a standardized identification badge designed to increase security related with physical access to Federal facilities and networks and logical access to computer systems.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8AM-4:30PM. Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs.

Position Description/PD#: Security Assistant/ PD99952S, PD99653S, and PD995952S

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized