About This Position
Joining the Secret Service, Office of Field Operations, Forensic Services Division will allow you to serve as technical authority on document examinations supporting criminal investigations and forensic science activities carried out by the division. For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.
Qualifications
To be considered qualified for this position you must meet the following qualification requirements for the respective grade level in which you are applying. You qualify for the GS-14 level (starting salary $143,913.00) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level performing duties such as: Conducting forensic examinations on handwriting, hand printing, signature comparisons between unknown and known bodies of writing; or detecting alterations, obliterations, forgeries, and counterfeit documents. Responding to inquiries from law enforcement personnel or legal professionals regarding document analysis.
Preparing written reports detailing findings from document analysis for investigative or legal purposes. Utilizing laboratory equipment such as microscopes, video spectral comparators, or electrostatic detection devices to analyze documents. The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
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.
Major Duties
The selectee will serve as a Document Analyst in the Office of Field Operations, Forensic Services Division. Typical work assignments include: Conducting casework examinations and systematic research of documents to include handwriting identification and analysis, analytical chemistry examinations, typewriter identification, and other areas requiring the use of physical, instrumental, and chemical tests. Utilizing a variety of advanced laboratory instruments, techniques and analytical tools to examine the most difficult and sensitive questioned documents to determine the existence and nature of any material alterations and furnishes an expert judgement as to whether criminal activity was involved.
Serving as an expert witness in federal, state, and local courts regarding the scientific and technical examination conducted and providing opinion testimony regarding case findings. Providing instruction, advice, guidance, and training to forensic document examiners, contractors, and customers, and making determinations and recommendations on technical and administrative matters. Apply for this exciting opportunity to impact the Secret Service's dual investigative and protective missions.
This Document Analyst position starts at a salary of $143,913.00, GS- 14 step 1, with potential to $187,093.00, GS-14 step 10.
Conditions of Employment
U.S. Citizenship is required. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. If selected for this position, you will be required to: Obtain and maintain a Top Secret Tier 5 clearance.
For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page. Submit a credit check after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
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. .
How You Will Be Evaluated
Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the duties of the position. All answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience.
SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume). Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.
The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are: Forensics Oral Communication Research Technical Competence Veterans: Qualified preference eligible veterans who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements will be placed above non preference eligibles. View information on veterans' preference. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP/CTAP eligible.
View information about ICTAP/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be deemed qualified based on the structured resume review, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.
An interview may be required for this position. If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
Additional Information
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty.
False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S.
Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to [email protected]. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission.
If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone) (exception: a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring is authorized on one finger).
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. PLEASE
NOTE: Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/01/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS, Complete the online questionnaire and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail.
You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 04/01/2026. The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). 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. To preview the questionnaire please click the link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12918127. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account.
All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides the Announcement Status and a "You applied on" date. This information does not confirm the agency application status.
Use the "Track this Application" link for additional information regarding the agency application status, the documentation you submitted, and any correspondence sent related to this application. The Announcement Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. We strongly encourage you to apply online.
If you cannot apply online, you may contact the APT Talent Management Division at [email protected] by calling (202) 406-6420 or TDD at (202) 406-5390 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm EST (excluding Federal holidays) prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance. The Secret Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
Required Documents
In addition to addressing the vacancy specific questions, you must also submit the following documentation: Resume - Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded resume, your employment history should show relevant work experience in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week.
To learn how to format and submit a two-page resume, please visit the USAJOBS Help Center. Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and/or documentation of service-connected disability.
If claiming 10-point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions.
For more information view Veteran Information. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP)? Submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating), and a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
Are you a Current or Former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee) Agency, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.