Personnel Security Specialist

Summary

Join our team as a Personnel Security Specialist. In this role you will verify the authenticity of personnel background information, support the full lifecycle of HSPD-12 credentials, analyzing information from multiple sources, applying adjudicative criteria to make informed recommendations on public trust certifications for employees, contractors, and applicants. If you're mission-focused, detail-oriented, and ready to make a meaningful impact, then this job is for you!

Duties

As a Personnel Security Specialist, you will: Manage the HSPD-12 program for the Agency, ensuring that employee PIV cards are ordered, issued, and kept up-to-date. Schedule appointments with employees and applicants to complete initiation and activations processes and to update certificates. Ensure that applicant and employee fingerprints are submitted through the required systems and review and submit results. Perform work as assigned by Personnel Security Officer, entering information into automated systems to initiate investigations and ensuring proper documentation is submitted by applicants for public trust investigations. Support the Personnel Security Officer in developing, evaluating, maintaining, and/or operating systems, policies, devices, procedures and methods used for the processing of public trust investigations. Support Personnel Security Officer with executing security reports and other security requirements. Explain personnel security policies and procedures to employees and managers. Train and update the OHCM employees as needed on personnel security processes. Coordinate the issuance of Agency credentials, communicate and implement established procedures. Identify the need for new or revised procedures. Recommend approaches and draft proposed new or revised procedures. Assure accuracy, adequacy and consistency with other agency-wide procedures through coordination with OHCM and other cognizant PSA staff. Use a variety of automated systems to process actions, track and control information and produce reports. Define system problems or improvements and work with information technology staff to resolve problems, or upgrade or implement new systems. Serve as back-up to the PSA Drug Free Workplace Coordinator. Schedule and coordinate drug testing dates, compose and send instructional guidance regarding testing to randomly selected employees and work in conjunction with CSOSA Drug Free Workplace Coordinator.

Requirements

Bargaining Unit Status and Chapter: Not Covered, AFGE Local1456 This is not a law enforcement position. A candidate appointed at a lower grade level may be promoted up to the full performance level without further competition. This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Conditions of Employment 1. Must be a U.S. Citizen 2. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service 3. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation 4. May be required to successfully complete a probationary period, if not already completed 5. All applicants are subject to a comprehensive criminal background investigation, and required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment 6. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice 7. Status applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade 8. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the close of this announcement. 9. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Qualifications and evaluation

Your rating will be based on your responses to the job specific information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly show how you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities will result in a rating of "Qualified" by the rating panel. 1. Knowledge of the principles, concepts and techniques of security programs relating to personnel security administration in the Federal sector. 2. Ability to conduct investigations relating to personnel security and suitability programs, analyze facts, and prepare reports. 3.Skill in oral communications required to collect and provide information relating to background investigations, suitability and personnel security clearances and skill in written communications required to develop a variety of documents, reports, and operating procedures. Once the application process is completed, your application will be reviewed to ensure you meet the job requirements. You will be evaluated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training, job- related awards and supervisory appraisal of performance. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, your resume will be forwarded to a panel for rating. Category Rating will be used to evaluate applicants using the following categories to further determine which applicants will be referred to the selecting official for final consideration. Best Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level on all evaluation criteria. Well Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level on evaluation criteria. Qualified: Applicants possessing the specialized experience described above.

Education

There is an education substitution for specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level. There is no education substitution for specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date (08/21/2026) to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Shelly Monroe at 202-740-8543 or Shelly.Monroe@psa.gov to obtain instructions on how to submit an alternative application. Only resumes up to a total of 2 pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding 2 pages will be removed from consideration. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, salary, dates of employment and duties performed. Only resumes up to a total of 2 pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding 2 pages will be removed from consideration. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. 2. Other supporting documents: College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Transcripts must include the school's name, student name, degree and date awarded, if applicable. (Note: If you are selected for the position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day). Most recent SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service). (Award Notification of Personnel Actions are not acceptable) DD-214 (member 4 copy) showing honorable discharge, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation, must include the following: SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action, position, grade level, and duty location; and Most recent performance appraisal Certification of Expected Separation or Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice or Notice of Proposed Removal may also be submitted ICTAP Applicants: To be considered under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), applicants must submit all required documentation at the time of application and must be determined to be well-qualified for the position. Required documentation includes: Proof of ICTAP eligibility (displacement) which must include one of the following: an SF-50 documenting a Reduction in Force (RIF) action, certification of expected separation, Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function outside the local commuting area; and An SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) documenting your current or most recent position, grade level and duty location; and Your most recent performance appraisal, reflecting a rating of at least Fully Successful (or equivalent). Only applicants who meet both ICTAP eligibility requirements and the well-qualified standard will be considered for selection priority. Failure to submit all required documents may result in a determination that you are not eligible for ICTAP consideration. Only send documentation as requested/required by this announcement and that directly supports your qualifications for this position.

Additional information

1. If you are an eligible Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant or Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal/PSA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified, you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. Click here for more information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility. 2. If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former Federal employee who has reinstatement eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" and/or a copy of the SF-50 that reflects career or career-conditional tenure, or you will not be considered under the merit promotion process. Also, you should submit your most recent performance appraisal. 3. Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act of 1998: Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active duty service may apply. If you are applying under this provision, please submit a copy of your DD-214 (unedited long version). 4. You can apply for a non-competitive appointment if you meet the basic eligibility requirements and you are eligible for special appointment such as those authorized for the severely disabled; certain Vietnam era and disabled veterans; returned volunteers from the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps Vista , etc. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking, if any, on your application and follow all other instructions for applying shown in this announcement. 5. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review in our office, in other Federal agency personnel offices, and on OPM's web site at OPM Qualification Standards. 6. In accordance with Executive Order 14170 and the Merit Hiring Plan guidance issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, applicants for this position are invited to respond to four essay questions. These questions are designed to provide you with an opportunity to share your commitment to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution, as well as your dedication to public service. While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. Click here to review the questionshttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13029529.