Veterans Affairs, Inspector General Logo
Position Title
Personnel Security Specialist
Agency
Veterans Affairs, Inspector General
Announcement Number
22-VAOIG-256 Opens in new window
Open Period
Friday, June 10, 2022 to Friday, June 24, 2022
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions and you: 
  • have a rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs showing a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more OR
  • retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more
If eligible, submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. Please also provide the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources. 
 
(limit characters)
3. Are you a surplus or displaced Federal employee eligible under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)?  Click CTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
 
(limit characters)
4. Are you a displaced Federal employee eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)?  Click ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
 
(limit characters)
5. Are you a current Excepted Service employee of a Federal Agency covered by an OPM Interchange agreement that conveys noncompetitive eligibility?

For more information, review Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems.  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=InterchangeAgreementsWithOtherMeritSystems

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) reflecting your status. 
 
(limit characters)
6. Are you eligible for competitive consideration under any of the following merit promotion categories?
  • Current Federal civilian employee in the Competitive service on a permanent career or career-conditional appointment
  • Current Excepted service employee covered by an Interchange Agreement
  • Former Federal employee with Reinstatement eligibility
  • Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA)
  • Current Federal employee serving on a VRA appointment
  • Land Management Employee eligible under Public Law 114-47
  • Other competitive category not listed above (you must submit proof of eligibility)
(limit characters)
7. Are you eligible to be appointed under the Military Spouse Noncompetitive Appointing Authority based on any of the following categories?
  • You are the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces.
  • You are the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired with a disability rating at the time of retirement of 100 percent or the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired or separated from the Armed Forces and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • You are the widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while in active duty status, and you have not re-married.
For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources. (https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans)
 
(limit characters)
8. Are you a former federal employee that has been separated for at least one full year and is eligible to be non-competitively reinstated to a higher grade or full-performance level than which you left federal employment?
(Note: you MUST provide:  1) a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2"); AND 2) the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.)
(limit characters)
9. Do you currently hold (or have you previously held) on a permanent basis, a position in the competitive service (or in another merit system with which OPM has an interchange agreement), with promotion potential equivalent to (or higher than) the full performance level of the position advertised in this vacancy announcement?
 
(limit characters)
10. Are you eligible under any other miscellaneous appointing authority not listed thus far, such as (but not all inclusive to):
  • Postal Career Service Employee;
  • Postal Rate Commission Employee;
  • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employee; 
  • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employee; or 
  • Foreign overseas employee or eligible family member of former overseas employee
 For more information, review Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated By U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=MiscellaneousAuthoritiesNotRegulated .  To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) reflecting your status. 

For more information on Foreign overseas employment please review the following: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#NontemporaryForeignService or https://www.state.gov/global-community-liaison-office/family-member-employment/family-member-employment-in-the-d-c-area/non-competitive-eligibility-nce/#NCE5
(limit characters)
11. Are you eligible for consideration as a Peace Corps, VISTA, or Action volunteer?  If you select this option, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility by submitting proof of employment from the appropriate agency with your completed application.
 
(limit characters)
12. Do you have a severe physical, psychiatric or mental disability that qualifies you for a Schedule A Disability appointment?

For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must provide appropriate medical documentation, i.e., a letter signed by a licensed medical professional or licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist stating your condition and restrictions.
 
(limit characters)
13. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions and you:

• recently separated (within the past 3 years)
• are a disabled veteran
• served on active duty during a war, campaign or expedition OR
• received an Armed Forces Service Medal

If eligible, submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, provide the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
(limit characters)
Preferences
1. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position. (limit characters)
2. Are you currently serving or have served in the last five years in a Political Appointment in the Federal Government? (limit characters)
3. As outlined in the vacancy announcement, you must submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If you have not submitted an appraisal meeting these requirements, you must explain why you are unable to do so. If you do not provide a copy of the performance appraisal, or a statement advising why it is unavailable, you will be removed from further consideration. Type "yes" in the text box below if you are providing a performance appraisal meeting the above requirements with your application. If you are unable to provide a performance appraisal with your application, please provide a reason in the text box below. (This is required of all applicants regardless of prior federal service. "N/A" is not considered an acceptable response.) (limit characters)
4. Would you like the opportunity to be considered for similar positions that require the same knowledge, skills and abilities? (limit characters)
5. If you were born a male after December 31, 1959, and are at least 18 years of age, have you registered with the Selective Service System (select "Not applicable" if this question does not apply to you)? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Specialized experience for the GS-09: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized experience for this position includes:
-Managing electronic security database; AND
-Preparing materials pertaining to personnel security background investigations; AND
-Providing basic guidance to customers regarding the personnel security process; AND
-Assisting in the preparation of security briefing for new employees.
OR
Education: You may qualify for this position based on education; qualifying education includes: 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
You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.
(No Answer)







 
(limit characters)
1. Select the response that best describes your qualifications for the position. (limit characters)
Specialized experience for the GS-07: The applicant must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Applying personnel security rules, regulations, policies, and standard procedures in order to gather facts, draw conclusions or recommend solutions to problems AND;
- Conveying technical information to customers.
OR
1 full year of graduate level education or a Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement.
OR
You may qualify on a combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent.
(limit characters)
2. Select the response that best describes your qualifications for the position. (limit characters)
3. 5. Which of the following function(s) have you have performed as a regular part of your duties?
(limit characters)
4. Which of the following written personnel security/suitability documents or reports have you prepared as a regular part of your duties? (limit characters)
5. Which of the following best describes your experience performing, prioritizing and/or tracking multiple investigation and/or adjudication cases? (limit characters)
6. Choose the statement that best describes your experience adjudicating federal personnel security investigations. (limit characters)
7. From the following list choose all federal laws and regulations applicable to federal personnel security and national security programs that you utilize/apply as a regular part of your job. (limit characters)
8. From the following list choose all personnel security, national security clearance, and related program tools, forms, and files that you have experience using as a regular part of your job. (limit characters)
9. From the following list choose all statement(s) that describe(s) your experience in implementing new, improved and more efficient personnel security methods, practices and procedures. (limit characters)
10. From the following list choose all the statement(s) that best describe(s) your experience making sound, well-informed, and objective decisions. (limit characters)
11. Which of the following best describes your experience in analyzing investigative reports? (limit characters)
12. From the following list choose all statement(s) that describe(s) your written communication experience in dealing with federal personnel security programs. (limit characters)
13. Choose the statement that best describes the extent of your experience with interviewing individuals to obtain additional information for personnel security determinations. (limit characters)
14. Which statement(s) describe your experience communicating security requirements to individuals within or outside your agency? (limit characters)
15. Choose the statement(s) that describe your experience with written communication dealing with security issues. (limit characters)