Personnel Security Specialist (Senior Adjudicator)
Who may apply
Limited to the following applicant groups:
- Veterans
- Individuals with disabilities
- Military spouses
- Federal employees - Competitive service
- Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
- Land and base management
Washington, District of Columbia
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
6 days left to apply
Salary: $110,047 – $158,322
per year
(GS-13)
Salary context
Based on 87 annual-salary jobs in the same occupational series. This role pays above most similar positions.
Job Details
Position Overview
As a Personnel Security Specialist with the US Office of Personnel Management, Suitability Executive Agent Programs, Suitability Adjudications, you will adjudicate complex suitability cases, oversee agency determinations, develop policy guidance, deliver training, and support government-wide personnel vetting initiatives.Duties
- Serve as a decision-maker or panel member on complex suitability cases, including removal and government-wide debarment actions.
- Review and adjudicate investigative records, evaluate evidence, and prepare final decision letters subject to appeal.
- Provide oversight of agency adjudications, including reviewing referrals, requesting additional information, and communicating determinations.
- Develop and deliver training and presentations on suitability adjudication policies, procedures, and fitness standards.
- Contribute to development and interpretation of regulations, policies, and operational guidance for government-wide vetting programs.
- Monitor quality assurance, internal controls, and performance metrics; provide recommendations for program improvements.
- Represent OPM in interagency working groups and respond to complex correspondence, including Privacy Act requests and congressional inquiries.
Qualifications & Requirements
For the GS 13: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service (or equivalent). You must include evidence of this specialized experience in your resume, including dates of experience (month/year), to be considered qualified for this position. Specialized experience for this position must have included ALL of the following:- Adjudicating personnel security or suitability cases, including evaluating investigative records and applying laws, regulations, and adjudicative guidelines;
- Reviewing and analyzing complex or sensitive cases involving potential removal or debarment actions and preparing written determinations;
- Providing technical guidance or oversight to agencies or stakeholders on suitability or personnel vetting decisions; and
- Developing training, policy guidance, or presentations related to personnel security, adjudication, or vetting programs.
Merit promotion applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-12 grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS13 level.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of 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.
Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
- Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
- May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
- Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin
- Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
- You will be required to report to an OPM assigned office.
- This position is not eligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
Evaluations
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 to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. 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
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
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.
All qualified Non-Competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.
Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (obtain a score of 85 or higher on assessments); and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:- Your Resume showing the applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed to include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Only the first 2 pages of the resume/application will be used to verify minimum qualifications. Please be sure to include specific dates of employment and work schedule(s).
- Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
- Classified or government sensitive information
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Photos of yourself
- Personal information, such as age, sex, religious affiliation, etc.
- Encrypted and digitally signed documents
- Other supporting documents:
- Cover Letter, optional
- Most recent Performance Appraisal, optional
- Your most recent Promotion, Within Rate Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action if applying as a current or former Federal / OPM Employee showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held, required if applying as a current or former Federal / OPM employee.
- Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
- Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
- Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
- Veterans Employment Opportunity Act, Veterans Recruitment Appointment, and 30% Disabled Veteran Eligible: DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days.
- Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state, or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
- Certain Family Members Eligible under E.O. 12721: Your most recent non-award SF-50 and performance appraisal.
- Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13832: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
- Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each interchange agreement.
- Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
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 submit all 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:1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. 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.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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/Help/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.
You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13031788 Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application.
Once referred, you may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or final interview. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.
We expect to make a job offer within 40 days after the closing date of the announcement. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
Generally, an agency may not request, orally, in writing, or electronically through the USA Jobs website or other electronic means, that an applicant for appointment for a position in the civil service disclose criminal history record information before the appointing agency extends a conditional offer of employment. However, there are exceptions to this rule for positions, such as the one covered by this vacancy announcement, for which the hiring agency is required to make a criminal history inquiry before extending an offer. Accordingly, we may ask about your criminal history for this position before making a conditional job offer. We may ask you to provide or authorize us to collect your criminal history information. We will give you more details on these inquiries, including providing any required release of information form(s).
Source: Data sourced from USAJOBS