Summary Joining the U.S. Secret Service, Office of Technical Operations, within the Aviation and Airspace Security Division, Operational Communications and Integration Division, or Technical Security Division allows you to provide specialized technical expertise and operational support, to develop and implement countermeasures against threats to protected individuals and facilities, and contribute to criminal investigations conducted by the USSS.
Duties The selectee will serve as a Technical Security Investigator in the Office of Technical Operations, Aviation and Airspace Security Division (ASD), Technical Security Division (TSD) or Operational Communications and Intelligence Division (OCI).
The Aviation and Airspace Security Division (ASD) develops, coordinates, and implement airspace security plans for sites visited by the President and Vice President of the United States or other designated USSS protectees.
The Technical Security Division (TSD) provides specialized technical expertise and operational support, develops and implements countermeasures to address threats against protected persons and facilities, and supports criminal investigations conducted by the Secret Service. Please note, TSD is only selecting candidates for positions located in Washington, DC.
The Operational Communications and Integration Division (OCI) provides secure, and integrated communications for Secret Service protectees and ensures reliable, interoperable systems with federal, state, and local partners to support protective and investigative missions. Please note, OCI is only selecting candidates for positions located in Washington, DC.
Typical work assignments include:
- Installing, monitoring, and evaluating the latest known technologies, such as state-of-the-art intrusion detection systems and devices.
- Conducting routine security searches to identify, detect, deter, and stop potential or actual threats involving hazardous materials, items, devices, persons, or unsafe environmental conditions.
- Assisting with implementing protective countermeasures and supporting law enforcement responsive planning duties.
- Contributing to the development and organization of investigative tactics and techniques to support investigations of suspected criminal violations.
Apply for this exciting opportunity to impact the United States Secret Service's security initiatives in support of our protective and investigative missions. This Technical Security Investigator position starts at a salary of $67,248.00 (GL-07, step-1), with promotion potential to $162,708 (GS-13, Step-10).
Qualifications
Complete or secure an appropriate waiver for a 13-week Uniformed Police Training Program (UPTP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), a 10-week Mixed Basic Training Course (MBTC) at the Agency's James J. Rowley Training Center (RTC), and a 6-week Protective Advance Coordinator Course in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Click here to review the required Fitness Standards. Failure to pass these training programs on the first attempt may result in separation from the U. S. Secret Service.
Must be at least 21 years old at the time of application. Applicants may be referred up to their 40th birthday. Referral is defined as the point at which minimum qualification determinations are completed. Exceptions may apply for those with current or prior service in federal law enforcement positions covered by special retirement provisions. The Secret Service has determined that age is essential to the performance of this position.
Lautenberg Amendment: This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, USC, Section 922(g)(91)).
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.
You qualify for the GL-07 level, if you possess one of the following:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) which is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
- 1.Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
- 2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
- 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum;
- 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR
- One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.; OR
- At least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GL-05 level performing duties, such as assisting with security, aviation, communications, or public-safety activities by gathering information, maintaining records, preparing summaries, and identifying routine safety, security, or technical issues under established procedures; OR
- A combination of specialized experience, as described above, and related graduate level education.
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.
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.
Applicants must successfully complete and pass Phase 1 assessment to receive a Conditional Job Offer. In addition, applicants must successfully pass Phase II assessments to receive an Official Offer Letter.
Phase I:
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
Phase II:
- Credit Check
- Security Interview
- Polygraph Examination
- Drug Screening
- Medical Examination
- Background Investigation (Top-Secret Clearance)
The Secret Service follows stringent guidelines relating to illegal drug usage. An applicant's history is reviewed and a determination for employment is made according to our guidelines. For more information regarding the U.S. Secret Service drug guidelines, please click here to view our Drug Policy. Education If you are qualifying for a position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
Requirements
- US Citizenship is required. U.S. citizens are legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship and are entitled to all rights and protections under U.S. law.
- Possess a current valid driver's license. Must be REAL ID compliant.
- Obtain a Top-Secret Clearance and retain it during your career. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
- Certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so, if you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959.
- Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position. Disclose any prior drug use, attempted use, and/or experimentation.
- Submit to a polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
- Submit to a medical examination prior and during your appointment.
- Pass physical fitness assessments during your appointment.
- Carry and use a firearm. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory. You will be ineligible to occupy this position if at any time you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, unless you received a pardon, or your conviction was expunged or set aside.
- Must have uncorrected vision of at least 20/100, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. LASIK, ALK, RK, and PRK surgeries are acceptable if required post-surgery visual tests are passed: Lasik (3 months), PRK (6 months), ALK/RK (1 year) waiting periods apply.
- Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 25 decibels (A.S.A. or equivalent I.S.O.) in either ear in the 500,1000 and 2000Hz ranges.
How you will be evaluated This announcement is being filled using the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Direct-Hire Authority. Agencies may appoint candidates directly to jobs, without regard to the provisions of Title 5 U.S.C.3309 through 3318. Therefore, Veterans' preference does not apply when appointing individuals. For more information on Direct Hire Authority please visit: Direct Hire Authority.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered. If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Decision Making
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Manages and Organizes Information
- Problem Solving
- 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.
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.
Veterans: Although the Direct Hire Authority permits hiring without regard to Veterans Preference, applicants who are eligible for Veterans Preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (See Required Documents section for information on substantiating documents).
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.
After the U.S. Secret Service completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components and other federal agencies. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.
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.
Benefits
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.
Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. 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 required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.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. If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available, and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. The application process is as follows:
- Click the Apply Online button
- Answer the questions presented in the application and submit the required documents.
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- 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.
- Access to USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
To view the required online questionnaire please visit https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13114351. The online questionnaire is required in addition to the USA Hire assessments. For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: USA Hire Help.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: USA Hire Reasonable Accommodation.
To update your application, excluding External Assessment responses, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS. Find your application record and click edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. For information on what each Announcement Status means, visit: https://usajobshelp.opm.gov/hc/en-us/categories/52418008177427-How-to.
We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact the Technical Law Enforcement Support Branch at TLEHRSupport@usss.dhs.gov or (202) 406-6411 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. Other 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.
You will be required to complete and sign an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, to certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to receiving your Conditional Job Offer letter. 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 Equal.Opportunity@usss.dhs.gov.
Applicant selected for this position will be required to sign a Continued Service Agreement (CSA) before being assigned to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Class (FLETC). The continuing service agreement will commit the applicant to a specified period of employment with the U.S. Secret Service upon the successful completion of training.
This position is covered by Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) and additional compensation may be paid at the rate of up to 25% of the base salary.
More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.
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).
For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.
