Summary

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Houston Field Division.

This position(s) primary purpose is to serve as the Security Specialist (Division Security Officer (DSO)) for the Domestic Division GSU, and is responsible for the development, planning, implementation, execution, and management of the entire security program for the Division.

This job is open to

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Family of overseas employees
Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Individuals with disabilities
Land & base management
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Military spouses
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Veterans

Clarification from the agency

Merit Promotion, VEOA Eligibles

Duties

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

As a Security Specialist, your typical work assignments may include:

Serving as the technical expert that administers and maintains continuing responsibility and management of the Personnel Security Program by implementing DEA and local policies and procedures.
Serving as the liaison for security related matters with other federal agencies or organizations (e.g., GSA, DHS, DoS, etc.).
Processing requests for clearance/access, changes to position sensitivity designation, and investigations.
Planning, developing, coordinating and implementing appropriate physical security/crime prevention programs and policies for the Division.
Serving as the subject matter expert, responsible for the information security, COMSEC requirements, and compliance of all Division offices.
Conducting physical security inspections of facilities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen
You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
DEA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.
Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see
Applicant must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license while employed in the position and will be required to operate the motor vehicle in accordance with applicable OPM regulations and related requirements of DOJ/DEA.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the Specialized Experience requirements as noted below. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrate your ability in: 1) Assisting in managing security programs operations related to physical, personnel, information, or communications security; 2) Monitoring facilities and personnel security systems for internal and external threats and vulnerabilities; 3) Assisting in the planning and implementation of physical security and crime prevention programs; 4) Reviewing and processing security and/or access clearances; and 5) Supporting security program compliance inspections.
You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrate your ability in: 1) Managing security programs operations related to physical, personnel, information, and communications security; 2) Monitoring facilities and personnel security systems for internal and external threats and vulnerabilities; 3) Developing and implementing physical security and crime prevention programs; 4) Overseeing the personnel entry control system; 5) Reviewing and approving security and/or access clearances; and, 6) Conducting security program compliance inspections and taking corrective action for deficiencies.

Specialized 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.

Competencies: Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competencies in the following areas:

Communications Security Management
Personnel Security and Safety
Physical Security
Technical Competence

Time-In-Grade Requirement : Applicants who are current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement ( as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F).

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, DEA requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation (Critical-Sensitive/Top Secret, Special-Sensitive/Top Secret, or Non-critical Sensitive/Secret). This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. DEA committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

EEO POLICY STATEMENT

Veterans' Preference: Certain veterans are eligible to apply as a status candidate under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). View Feds Hire vets for more information on veterans' preference see

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP): This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. 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 80 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For more information visit:

Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Benefits
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.
Review our benefits
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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application.

You will be evaluated for this position based on your experience and/or education reflected in your resume. Your resume must support your responses to the job specific assessment questionnaire. To remain in consideration for this position, please ensure your resume covers this requirement and that your resume has been successfully submitted as part of your on-line application package.

NOTE: Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. If you rated yourself higher than what is supported by your application material, you may be excluded from consideration for this job opportunity announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an assessment questionnaire.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE: You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire. Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.

Benefits
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.
Review our benefits
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.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
RESUME: Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.
To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position: Job title; Name of employer; Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format); Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience; Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable) and; Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position) . If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on education, submit a legible copy of your unofficial college transcript from an accredited college/university. The transcript copy must reflect the college/university name and/or logo. Applicants are highly encouraged to proactively order a copy of their official transcripts to be delivered to their home address so transcripts will be readily available if selected. If selected, you will be required to provide official transcripts prior to establishing your start date.
OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.
Competitive Status Verification: All current and former Federal employees must submit an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting proof of competitive status, tenure, position, and grade level. Most recent SF-50 (i.e., dated within the last 52 weeks from the closing date of this vacancy announcement).
Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Government wide GS pay adjustment received in January 2024; or appointment to new position.
Note: If you are a current Federal employee and your agency has not processed an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, within the last 52 week, please provide a brief statement why (e.g., due to budgetary restriction, etc.).
Time-in-Grade Verification: An SF-50 showing 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. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Promotion, Within Rate Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion of Appointment.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS If you are claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), submit a copy of your agency notice, most recent performance rating and most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level and duty location. If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. To be considered eligible, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. Please see ICTAP eligibility.
If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 05/31/2024to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application . You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package . See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim . You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
4. Complete the assessment questionnaire . Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply:
5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package , review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements.
For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial.
Reasonable Accommodations Request: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.
If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.
Agency contact information
Joseph Wingate
Phone
000-000 0000
Email
Joseph.D.Wingate@dea.gov
Address
Drug Enforcement Administration
Do Not Send Postal Mail
Springfield, VA 21310
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on your USAJOBS account throughout the process. We expect to make a selection within 60 days of the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment , and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
If selected, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This information is required annually. For information, visit the DEA Ethics website: DEA Ethics and Standards of Conduct .
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Criminal history inquiries
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request

Required Documents

RESUME: Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.

To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position: Job title; Name of employer; Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format); Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience; Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable) and; Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position) . If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on education, submit a legible copy of your unofficial college transcript from an accredited college/university. The transcript copy must reflect the college/university name and/or logo. Applicants are highly encouraged to proactively order a copy of their official transcripts to be delivered to their home address so transcripts will be readily available if selected. If selected, you will be required to provide official transcripts prior to establishing your start date.

OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

Competitive Status Verification: All current and former Federal employees must submit an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting proof of competitive status, tenure, position, and grade level. Most recent SF-50 (i.e., dated within the last 52 weeks from the closing date of this vacancy announcement).

Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Government wide GS pay adjustment received in January 2024; or appointment to new position.

Note: If you are a current Federal employee and your agency has not processed an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, within the last 52 week, please provide a brief statement why (e.g., due to budgetary restriction, etc.).
Time-in-Grade Verification: An SF-50 showing 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. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.

Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Promotion, Within Rate Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion of Appointment.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS If you are claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), submit a copy of your agency notice, most recent performance rating and most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level and duty location. If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. To be considered eligible, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. Please see ICTAP eligibility.

If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.

Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 05/31/2024to receive consideration.

1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application . You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.

2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package . See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.

3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim . You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.

4. Complete the assessment questionnaire . Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply:

5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package , review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.

We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial.

Reasonable Accommodations Request: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job oppor