About This Position
This position serves as a Security Specialist, with an emphasis on information (Document) Security - protection of classified national security and other sensitive information originated and controlled by federal agencies; Physical Security - protection of sensitive or classified information, personnel, facilities, resources or processes against criminal, terrorist, or hostile intelligence activities. Knowledge of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility construction and technical standards
Qualifications
To qualify for the position of Security Specialist, at GS-0080-9/11/12, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below AND possess the required specialized experience specific to the series and grade you are applying to.. For the GS-09 Specialized Experience: For the GS-09, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as utilizing security equipment, such as physical access control systems (PACS), variety of alarm and detection devices and/or closed-circuit television systems; OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B.
OR
J.D. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by
- Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by
- Add the two percentages. For the GS-11 Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as taking action to mitigate security incidents; utilizes security equipment, such as physical access control systems (PACS), variety of alarm and detection devices and/or closed-circuit television systems; and resolves issues involving conflicting security requirements; OR Education: A Ph.D.
OR
equivalent doctoral degree; or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M, if related; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and specialized experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.
You must have some specialized experience as described above in number 1 but less than one year; and have more than two years, but less than three years of education as described in number
- To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by
- Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the second year by
- Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. For the GS-12 Specialized Experience: For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as responding to possible threat or breach of security; and identify vulnerabilities in security system designs, or installations. Education substitution at the GS-12 grade level is not accepted.
You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 05/28/2026 of this announcement. Selection may be made at any grade level, with non-competitive promotion potential to target grade. Non-competitive promotion potential to the target grade based on time-in-grade requirements and demonstrated ability to perform the higher graded duties.
Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.
After you submit your application, you will receive notification indicated whether or not the USA Hire assessment is required.
You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 05/28/2026 to complete the assessment which is part of your application.
Major Duties
The duties and responsibilities for a Security Specialist, GS-0080-09/11/12 generally include, but are not limited to, the following: * Protection of classified national security and other sensitive information originated and controlled by federal agencies. * Protection of sensitive or classified information, personnel, facilities, resources or processes against criminal, terrorist, or hostile intelligence activities. * Investigates unusual information security problems, or questions associated with security. * Conducts staff briefing/debriefing at the beginning and the end of each tour of duty.
You will be required to perform shift work, to include days, nights, weekends and holidays.
Education
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below. Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements.
You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the application questionnaire. 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.
When addressing the specialized experience statement, applicants must present evidence of the experience in their resume. If the specialized experience statement is repeated, in the applicant's resume, Human Resources will deem the applicant as ineligible.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Attention to Detail Creative Thinking Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Oral Communication Reading Comprehension Reasoning Security Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork If it is determined that you meet minimum qualification requirements and the technical or alternative assessment, your application will then be placed in one of three categories based on the assessment results: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
In addition to the application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. The 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.
Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12964974.
Additional Information
Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): For more information visit: USAJOBS Career Transition Programs Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year 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: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) 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.
DOJ EEO STATEMENT: The U.S. Department of Justice fosters an inclusive and diverse workforce, find our EEO statement online at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/download DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly.
Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to contact information on the announcement.
Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation.
Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/28/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, 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 11:59PM (ET) on 05/28/2026.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.
Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements). Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
Essay Questions: The following four narrative questions provide 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 (see the application questionnaire).
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. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.
Need Help? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc. Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please see the agency contact information on this announcement.
Required Documents
It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility. Resume Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history: Official position title, Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (including month and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments. Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit: (1) a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," (Member 4 copy), showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service, OR (2) a certification letter from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
This letter must contain (a) military service dates including the expected discharge or release date and (b) character of service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference as a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran,
in addition to the documents specified above, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15. CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter), Your most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location. See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.
College Transcripts - If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required, you must submit: An unofficial transcript containing a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.
Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.