Personnel Security Specialist

About the Position: This position supports the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Administration Security Division, Continuous Vetting Branch, and is located in Falls Church, VA. This is not a virtual/remote position. You must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the identified duty location (Falls Church, VA).

Initiate personnel security clearance background investigations and submit security clearance verification memorandums to ensure compliance with national security policies. Adjudicate initial childcare background checks or cyclical childcare background check reverifications. Manage assigned personnel security programs to ensure local implementation of security policies, goals, and objectives. Interpret national-level Executive Orders and Department of Defense regulations to adapt and formulate local security policies, regulations, and work practices.

Develop and implement an effective security education program throughout the organization to maintain awareness of security policy, principles, and practices. Mentor and train junior personnel, enforcing quality control standards to ensure mission readiness. Coordinate with external federal security investigative agencies to verify security clearances for access control to safeguard classified and controlled unclassified information.

Analyze and evaluate potential security threats and vulnerabilities to organization personnel and facilities to mitigate or eliminate risks against security readiness. Use expert judgment in identifying, analyzing, and recommending solutions to resolve complex security problems and to ensure the safety of agency resources and personnel.

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. Current Civilian Employees of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473 People with Disabilities, Schedule A Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998 In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below.

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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) evaluating personnel security clearances or suitability determinations for public trust or national security positions; 2) managing, adjudicating, or overseeing initial childcare background checks or cyclical childcare background check reverifications in adherence to federal suitability mandates; and 3) utilizing automated personnel security databases to manage personnel clearance or background vetting records.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-12). Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted. Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-12).