Overview
Personnel Security Specialist Jobs in Arlington, VA at U.S. Department of Justice
Summary
The selectee of this position serves as a Personnel Security Specialist responsible for determining the suitability and security eligibility of individuals for entry and retention in Court Security Officer (CSO) positions. The CSOs provide security for the federal court facilities in the 94 judicial districts..
This position is located in the Applications and Qualifications Branch, Office of Court Security, Judicial Security Division (JSD), United States Marshal Service (USMS).
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
Veterans
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Clarification from the agency
You may apply if you are a Status Candidate and/or are eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority.
Videos
Duties
As a Personnel Security Specialist at the GS-0080-11/12 grade level, some of your typical work assignments may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Receiving, reviewing, and adjudicating the background investigations conducted by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).
Making decisions on the suitability and security eligibility of individuals for entry into CSO positions based upon contractor fitness policies, suitability adjudication guidelines, and the Code of Federal Regulations.
Developing recommendations for potential disqualification determinations.
Drafting correspondence regarding qualification and/or disqualification of applicants.
Updating security and suitability tracking systems.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce
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.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Must pass a pre-employment drug screening and background investigation.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
This is a Testing Designated Positions (TDP) and is subject to random drug testing.
May be required to successfully complete a trial/probationary period.
Status Candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).
Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Must provide an SF 50 Notice of Personnel Action that indicates proof of current DOJ employment and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF 50 must include the position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, type of service (Competitive or Excepted) and career status (career or career-conditional). No award SF 50 will be accepted as proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility.
One year at the GS-09 grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 grade level.
One year at the GS-11 grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 grade level.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the education and/or experience required for the grade level(s) to which you apply.
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must have one of the following:
Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. You must have at least one year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service performing the following duties:
Assisting senior specialists with updating and maintaining security and suitability tracking systems in accordance with prescribed procedures and retention schedules;
Initiating background investigations at the appropriate risk level in accordance with standard operating procedures; and
Developing written recommendations citing issues and circumstances for potential suitability and security disqualification determinations.
OR
Education: Must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years (54 semester hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major field of study in Security Management; or in a related field such as Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, or Intelligence Studies. Such education demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
OR
Combination of Graduate Education and Specialized Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. You must have a combination of the specialized experience and graduate education described above that totals 100% when combined. Only graduate education in excess of two years (36 semester hours) may be combined with specialized experience to qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level.
To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, you must have one of the following:
Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. You must have at least one year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing the following duties:
Updating and maintaining security and suitability tracking systems in accordance with prescribed procedures and retention schedules;
Reviewing background investigation documentation to identify if there is missing, insufficient, or incomplete information or conflicting testimony/official statements;
Making suitability determinations during periodic reinvestigations; and
Developing written recommendations citing issues and circumstances for potential suitability and security disqualification determinations.
When citing your education and/or experience, be clear and specific. We cannot make assumptions about your education and/or experience. If your transcripts and/or resume do not support your application questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Education
It is your responsibility to provide documentation that you meet the education qualification(s) you claim. If you do not submit transcripts we will not use your education when determining if you are qualified for the position.
Transcripts: You may submit official or unofficial transcripts as part of the application process. If you are selected, you will be required to provide official transcripts to receive a final offer of employment. An official transcript is a copy of your permanent academic record and includes:
Your full name.
The name of the college, university, or other educational institution.
Your major and degree.
The date your degree was awarded/conferred.
Your cumulative grade point average (GPA).
Any honors you received.
The dates you attended the school.
A list of the courses you took, to include the total number of credits completed.
Academic degrees must be granted from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To determine if a school or program is accredited, refer to the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For more information, click here.
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you receive the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and have a final assessment score of 85 or better. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. For .
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the agency with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and have a final assessment score of 85 or better. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. For .
Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Recruitment incentive may be authorized. Relocation incentive may be authorized.
Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and incentive awards submitted in your application package will be available to the selecting official for review and consideration.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Influencing/Negotiating
Information Management
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Problem Solving
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Writing
The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
Your Resume showing complete information for each job entry: company or agency name, beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year), total hours worked per week, position title, duties performed, and, if the position is/was Federal, pay plan-series-grade level; Cover Letter optional.
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable:
Transcripts, if qualifying based on education. If you do not submit transcripts, as outlined in the Education section, we will not use your education when determining if you are qualified for the position.
SF50 Notification of Personnel Action, if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service, that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, type of service (Competitive or Excepted) and career status (career or career-conditional). No award SF50 will be accepted as proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility.
Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service, including supervisor’s signature and the official final rating of record. In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, you may provide an explanation of the reasons.
Incentive Award(s), if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service.
Veterans’ Documentation, if you are claiming preference and/or special hiring authority for veterans eligibility,you must submit official documentation of service and separation from active duty under honorable conditions. The member 4 copy of your DD214 is preferred. If claiming preference and/or eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must also submit official documentation of service-connected disability; and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.
Active Duty Service Members expecting to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days may be granted tentative preference and/or special hiring authority for veterans eligibility by submitting a “certification” document in lieu of a DD214. This “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the certification. For more information on veterans’ preference and special hiring authorities for veterans click here.
Any other Supporting Documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
For more information on writing your Federal resume, visit the Partnership for Public Service Go Government website.
This position is open to Competitive Merit Promotion, Non-Competitive and Special Hiring Authority eligibles. You must meet the requirements for one of the following eligibilities:
Current permanent competitive service employees; former Federal employees who achieved career status in the competitive service; or former Federal employees who served on a career conditional appointment without achieving career status in the competitive service who was separated less than 3 years ago, must submit an SF50 that indicates career or career-conditional (Tenure field 1 or 2); AND status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field 1.)
Veterans applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) must submit a copy of their latest DD214 indicating service performed under honorable conditions. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be preference eligible OR have substantially completed 3 or more years of continuous active service. Current Federal employees applying under VEOA must submit an SF50 to show they meet time-in-grade requirements.
Current or former term or temporary employees of a Land Management agency who are within two years of their last term or temporary job and eligible for appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act must submit SF50s and performance appraisals that demonstrate they meet all of the requirements outlined.
30% or more Disabled Veterans must a submit a copy of their DD214 indicating service performed under honorable conditions, official documentation of service-connected disability of 30% or more, and an SF15.
Military Spouses are eligible if they are the spouse of: an active duty member of the armed forces; a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury; or a service member killed while on active duty, provided they have not remarried. Military Spouses must submit an SF15 and supporting documents prescribed by the form.
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni must submit certification of service documents.
Other non-competitive authorities See the “This job is open to” section.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click “Track this application” to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov//how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
For more information on applying to a Federal job, visit the Partnership for Public Service Go Government website.
Agency contact information
Midwest Services Branch
Email
Address
US MARSHALS SERVICE
JUDICIAL SECURITY DIVISION
ARLINGTON, VA 22202
US
Next steps
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process is complete. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer within 120 days after the closing date of the announcement.
Title: Personnel Security Specialist
Company: U.S. Department of Justice
Location: Arlington, VA
