Personnel Security Specialist (Suitability Adjudicator)

Summary As a Personnel Security Specialist (Suitability Adjudicator) at the GS-0080-7, you will be part of Suitability Executive Agent Programs, Office of Personnel Management. If selected, you will be responsible for the administration of OPM's nationwide suitability program and processes suitability actions that affect positions in all executive branch Government agencies. Responsibilities Review application and background investigation material to determine if an individual is suitable to work for the Federal government. Draft responses to inquiries from other Federal agencies and members of the public. Make recommendations to higher graded personnel on appropriate suitability actions. Prepare written summaries of issues, supporting evidence, and pertinent additional considerations to present to applicants, employees, and Federal agency representatives. Request background investigations in order to secure evidence to pursue a suitability action. Conduct issue resolution to develop or resolve issues of suitability concern. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required This position is not eligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit Qualifications For the GS 7: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service which includes all of the following: 1) applying appropriate personnel security policies, procedures, and practices while adjudicating increasingly more complex background investigations; 2) using adjudicative factors (e.g., criminal conduct, drug usage, employment misconduct, etc.) to identify and address suitability/fitness/security requirements; and 3) reviewing security applications for adequacy and completeness. OR Successfully completed one full academic year of graduate-level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR Successfully completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree and am claiming Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. Superior Academic Achievement is based on: (1) Class Standing - You 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; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - You must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your 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; or (b) 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 (3) Honor Society Membership - You may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/). (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts and/or verification of class standing for further verification.) OR A combination of education and specialized experience, that together meet 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. To calculate your percentage of education, divide the number of graduate semester hours earned by 18. If your education is in quarter hours, convert to semester hours by multiplying the number of quarter hours earned by 2/3rds. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide the number of months of full-time experience by 12. If your experience was part-time, convert to full-time by dividing the number of hours worked per week by 40 then multiply by number of months worked. Add the percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) Merit promotion applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-5 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS7 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. Education This position has a basic education requirement listed under the Qualifications section of this announcement. Additional Information Relocation expenses will not be paid. Incentive payments may be considered. If you are unable to apply online and would like to request information about the Alternate Application process, please use the contact information at the bottom of this announcement. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across OPM. During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements visit the following websites: Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses Other Special Appointment Authorities Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration) Reasonable Accommodation 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 an 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 an RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire