Intelligence Operations Specialist (DHS Control Officer)

Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis (12 current openings)
Washington, District of Columbia
Full-time Security Clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information
Application Deadline:
2026-08-22
Posted:
2026-08-18

3 days left to apply

Salary: $102,415 – $158,322 per year (GS-12/13)

Salary context

Based on 54 annual-salary jobs in the same occupational series. This role pays around the middle of similar positions.

Job Details

Position Overview

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Chief Intelligence Officer (CINT) Staff.

The primary purpose of this position is to support the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, as DHS Chief Intelligence Officer, to develop, implement, and integrate policy, programs, and intelligence operations across the DHS Intelligence Enterprise (IE) to meet Departmental and National needs.

Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Duties

As a Intelligence Operations Specialist (DHS Control Officer), GS-0132-12/13, your typical work assignments may include:
  • Identifies and researches requirements, directives, intelligence databases, and ancillary sources to gather and disseminate intelligence information in support of ongoing or emerging intelligence program requirements. Applies subject matter expertise to identify intelligence needs for DHS customers, including urgent notifications to senior officials.
  • Applies technical judgment to recommend approval or denial of personnel access requests to sensitive programs. Provides intelligence security briefings, conducts facility inspections, audits records, and reviews security incidents; makes recommendations for action to senior staff.
  • Implements policies, procedures, standards, guidance, and protocols relating to all aspects of special programs, including information sharing, safeguarding, security, handling, and processing. Prepares complex reports addressing evaluation and interpretation of findings.
  • Develops and evaluates long-range program plans, goals, objectives, and milestones; assesses effectiveness in identifying and responding to issues impacting government and non-government operations.
  • Engages with DHS components and stakeholders in community development and integration of programs within CINT jurisdiction. Participates in departmental and IC presentations, briefings, and forums; develops and maintains coordination and liaison with counterparts throughout the CAP/SAP community.
  • Coordinates and communicates with senior DHS IE officials, management officials, program managers, specialists, contractor personnel, and representatives of other agencies to reconcile differing viewpoints and present information clearly.
All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5-business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Qualifications & Requirements

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-12:
You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess the specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government that demonstrates the following:
  • Administering controlled access and special access intelligence programs.
  • Gathering, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence information.
  • Implementing and communicating policies and procedures for special programs.
  • Coordinating with stakeholders and participating in the development of recommendations.
  • Ensuring compliance with security and regulatory requirements at the GS-11 level or equivalent.
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-13:
You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess the specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government that demonstrates the following:
  • Administering controlled access and special access intelligence programs.
  • Gathering, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence information.
  • Implementing and communicating policies and procedures for special programs.
  • Coordinating with stakeholders and participating in the development of recommendations.
  • Ensuring compliance with security and regulatory requirements at the GS-12 level or equivalent.
  • Providing authoritative guidance and advice to senior officials.
  • Conducting complex assessments and preparing reports of major significance.
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the 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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.

This position is designated as Emergency Essential. Emergency Essential personnel must be able to serve during a continuity of operation event without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable).

Education

Not Applicable

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • You must submit to a pre-employment drug test. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) and is subject to random testing.
  • You may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
  • Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.
  • Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
  • You will be subject to a pre-employment polygraph examination and random polygraph examinations may be conducted after entry on duty.
  • Must obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance.
  • You may be required to work in shifts on a rotational basis in support of 24-hour operations.
  • You may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime, and/or 24/7 shift schedules, and/or on-call and standby duty status
  • Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.

Evaluations

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job: Teamwork and Technical Competence

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF), and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.

Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPF's and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

If you are amongst the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the job questionnaire and application, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13014787

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration or your score may be lowered.

Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience.

Required Documents

  1. Your resume NOTE: 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. For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center
  2. Your responses to the job questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13014787
  3. Your completed and signed Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment.
  4. 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, 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, and
    • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
  5. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
  6. Are you an IC CAE Scholar? Information on the IC CAE program can be found at https://www.dni.gov/index.php/iccae To verify you are a IC CAE Scholar, you must submit a copy of your transcript that shows you are current student at an active or legacy IC CAE institution, or an individual who has graduated from such an institution, who has successfully completed at least one course in IC CAE study areas, such as Intelligence, National Security, Critical Technologies, STEM, languages, or other areas of study as determined by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to meet Intelligence Community needs.

How to Apply

To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on the closing date of the announcement.

Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.

To preview the questionnaire please click the link below: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13014787.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Applicants must submit all required documentation to properly qualify for this position. Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer with 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

Note: If you receive a final job offer to onboard, please complete the onboarding forms and submit them electronically in an expeditious manner. Your start date may be delayed if the action above is not completed.

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.

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.

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.