Security Specialist
What you'd do
This position is located in Washington Headquarters Service (WHS), Security Enterprise Services Directorate (SESD), in the SCI Management Division (SMD) and will serve as a Security Specialist responsible for providing WHS security support. The SESD provides security support to senior managers in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, WHS, The Director of Administration and Management (DA&M) and to DoD, Congressional, and Presidential established boards, commissions, and task forces.
Major duties
The SESD operates in a fast-paced, high demand environment, providing support to some of the senior-most leadership of the Department of War. Security responsibilities include Industrial Security. Information Security, Operations Security, Personnel Security, Physical Security, SCI Administration, Mission Assurance, Controlled Unclassified Information, Insider Threat, Classification Review, and Counterintelligence Awareness and Reporting. Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following: Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) programs, providing authoritative advice and recommendations to senior leadership on security vulnerabilities, risk mitigation, and program effectiveness. Plan, implement, and monitor comprehensive security programs across multiple disciplines, including personnel, physical, information, and industrial security, ensuring compliance with all policies and regulations. Interpret high-level security directives, such as Executive Orders and Intelligence Community Directives (ICDs), to develop and implement local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and security plans tailored to specific operational needs. Conduct comprehensive security assessments, inspections, and sensitive security inquiries to identify deficiencies, ensure compliance, and recommend corrective actions for facilities and programs. Develop and conduct security training, briefings, and educational programs for employees and contractors to ensure a high level of security awareness across the organization. Adjudicate complex personnel security cases involving significant derogatory or conflicting information and support the full lifecycle of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) operations, including build-outs and indoctrinations.
What you need to qualify
Promotion Potential: If you are selected below the full performance level, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if performance is satisfactory, you successfully complete all requirements and are recommended by management. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied. In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below. You may qualify at the GS-09 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to: Applying foundational security principles to perform routine assignments in at least one security discipline (e.g., personnel, physical, or information security); and Supporting the administration of security programs by performing assigned administrative and tracking functions. OR Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts for verification). OR Combination of education and experience. You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to: Applying security principles across multiple disciplines (such as personnel, physical, and information security) to resolve conventional security problems; and Assisting with the administration of specialized security programs (such as for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), conducting security awareness training for employees, and performing reviews of classified contracts to ensure compliance with security requirements). OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR Combination of education and experience. 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 demonstrates your ability to: Serving as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on security programs by analyzing and resolving complex security problems that may involve conflicting information or overlapping requirements; and Providing authoritative advice and recommendations to senior leadership on security vulnerabilities, program effectiveness, and risk mitigation strategies; and Independently planning and/or managing security projects or programs. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include ACTIVE-DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active-duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active-duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active-duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave. Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. 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 that to the Human Resources Office. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.
Before you apply
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