Personnel Security Specialist (Security Specialist)

Summary Why work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons? You can have a meaningful career with an agency that truly values a diverse workforce. You will find a diverse workforce employed from entry level jobs to senior management positions. We protect public safety by ensuring federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, and provide reentry programming. Employees at correctional facilities perform correctional work regardless of their specific occupation. Responsibilities Responsible for providing technical guidance in Personnel Security, Suitability, and Investigation Program for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Directs and coordinates investigations of applicants, employees, and contractors who are seeking or are employed in sensitive positions within the BOP. Determine the adequacy and completeness of investigations; and evaluate the authenticity and pertinence of information to the case under adjudication. Communicates directly with BOP employees at all levels to answer routine questions regarding the basic personnel security program. Must be able to obtain and maintain a favorably adjudicated National Security Clearance at all times. Failure to obtain/maintain this clearance may results in the person being selected being reassigned to their former position or a position similar to the position they held prior to selection. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship is Required. See Special Conditions of Employment Section. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP eligibility, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: Click Here Qualifications To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements: Education: A 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., if related. OR Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level in federal service. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled. Some examples of this qualifying experience are: Experience researching, collecting, and analyzing complex information and providing appropriate recommendations which impacts local level plans or programs. Experience interpreting and applying technical policies and guidelines. Experience in preparing non-technical documents such as recurring reports, basic personnel/security forms. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience. This experience must have equipped you with the qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above. If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities. Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application. Education See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable. ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here. Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty. Additional Information This position IS NOT included in the bargaining unit. The representative rate for this position is $73,831 per annum ($35.38 per hour) for applicants eligible for law enforcement officer (LEO) coverage; and $71,660 per annum ($34.34 per hour) for all other applicants. NOTE: Salary ranges for all grade levels include both LEO and non-LEO salaries. LEO salaries apply to current LEO employees. Special Conditions of Employment Section: Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks. The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence. Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate. Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed. Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees: A prerequisite of the secondary law enforcement position is the completion of the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II". If you have not completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II", you are ineligible for secondary law enforcement position(s) and coverage but may still be considered for a non-law enforcement position. If you are not a current Bureau of Prisons employee, you must submit training records demonstrating you have completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II" to your hiring Human Resource office prior to appointment. Individuals selected who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and who have not had three years "primary" law enforcement retirement coverage, will not be covered by law enforcement retirement while in this position. To regain coverage, individuals must return to a position with "primary" coverage. As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.