Personnel Security Specialist
What you'd do
Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America's transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.
Major duties
This Personnel Security Specialist position is located in the Personnel Security Section (PSS), Chief Security Office (CSO), Law Enforcement (LE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to: Reviewing security forms to identify the presence or absence of derogatory information, evaluates the impact of various kinds of derogatory information on the granting, denying, or revoking of security clearances and Federal employment eligibility, and makes EOD determinations for TSA applicants. Reviewing requests for personnel or facility security clearances to assure that all required information is provided, requesting missing information from the originators, and granting clearances when derogatory information is absent or mitigated. Adjudicating complex reports of background investigations while interpreting and applying suitability (fitness) factors and adjudicative guidelines and making recommendations affecting final suitability (fitness) and security clearance eligibility. Managing individual caseloads and ensuring metrics and timelines are satisfied. Communicating with field offices to provide case information or to resolve issues related to personnel security requirements or procedures. Preparing written correspondence to include but not limited to letters of interrogatories, case summaries, eligibility notifications, and notices of adverse actions. Enrollment and unenrollment processing into designated programs. Reviews and validates all alerts and takes necessary action on actionable alerts to include the final adjudication, as applicable. The major duties described above reflect the full performance level of this position. Typically, the lower pay band (F and G Band) performs the same duties but will receive more guidance and training; and/or projects/work assignments may be less complex.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for the SV-F Pay Band (equivalent to GS-9), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-E Pay Band or GS-7/8 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience providing administrative support for personnel security related tasks such as reviewing, initiating or adjudicating requests for clearance/security access for a federal agency or organization. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. To qualify for the SV-G Pay Band (equivalent to GS-11), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-F Pay Band or GS-9 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience providing guidance on personnel security policies including evaluating and adjudicating various levels of background investigations and rendering suitability/fitness and clearance eligibility decisions in accordance with federal policies; and Experience utilizing Office of Personnel Management (OPM) systems. OR Achievement of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a field of study which is in or directly related to this position. or Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. or LL.M., if related. To qualify for the SV-H Pay Band (equivalent to GS-12), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-G Pay Band or GS-11 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as: Such specialized experience is defined as: Experience providing guidance on personnel security policies including evaluating and adjudicating various levels; of background investigations and rendering suitability/fitness and clearance eligibility decisions in accordance with federal policies; and Experience utilizing Office of Personnel Management (OPM) systems. Providing technical guidance on all personnel security issues to include request to grant, deny, revoke, suspend, or restrict security eligibility; Performing a wide variety of security administration functions (i.e. managing security database; preparing and maintaining security and incident reports; updating and maintaining security-related process guides and training materials). Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. 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. You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.