- Position Title
- Social Science Research Specialist
- Agency
- U.S. Secret Service
- Announcement Number
- NTAC-WJ-12699408-25-DH Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Friday, February 28, 2025 to Thursday, March 6, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
2.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the United States Secret Service and meet the ALL of the following?
To verify your eligibility, you must submit:
- Located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; and
- Applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; and
- Applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; and
- Last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit:
- Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice.
- SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action(s), that reflects all of the following:
- Position, grade level (GS-15 or below), and duty location; and
- Career or Career-Conditional appointment (Tenure Code is "1" or "2" in block 24); and
- Competitive service (Position Occupied is "1" in block 34), or excepted service without time limit (Position Occupied is "2" in block 34) who is covered by a law providing both noncompetitive appointment eligibility to, and selection priority for, competitive service positions.
- Any documentation from agency that shows current promotion potential; and
- Latest performance appraisal including rating.
3.
Are you a current or former Federal civilian employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm the following:
- Located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; and
- Applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which will be or were separated; and
- Applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which will be or were separated; and
- Last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
To verify eligibility, you must submit:
- Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice, notice of (proposed) removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside the local commuting area (e.g., a directed reassignment or a change in duty station), notice of compensable work-related injury or illness termination and agency certification of inability to place, or notice of disability annuity termination; AND
- SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action(s), that reflects all of the following:
- Position, grade level (GS-15 or below), and duty location; and
- Career or Career-Conditional appointment (Tenure Code is "1" or "2" in block 24); and
- Competitive service (Position Occupied is "1" in block 34), or excepted service without time limit (Position Occupied is "2" in block 34) who is covered by a law providing both noncompetitive appointment eligibility to, and selection priority for, competitive service positions.
- Any documentation from agency that shows current promotion potential; AND
- Latest performance appraisal including rating.
4.
Reasonable Accommodations for taking the online assessments are provided on a case-by-case basis only to qualified individuals with a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Do you have a disability (physical or mental) that you believe will interfere with completing the online assessments and require a Reasonable Accommodation?
Preferences
1.
Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.
Conditions of Employment
1.
In the last five years (from the closing date of this announcement) have you served, or are you currently serving, as an Executive Branch Political, Schedule C, or non-career Senior Executive Services appointee? You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at the SF-50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed.
- A political appointee is an appointment made by the President without confirmation by the Senate (5 CFR 213.3102(c)) OR an assistant position to a top-level federal official if filled by a person designated by the President as a White House Fellow (5 CFR 213.3102(z)).
- A Schedule C appointee occupies a position excepted from the competitive service by the President, or by the Director of OPM, because of the confidential or policy-determining nature of the position duties (5 CFR 213.3301 and 5 CFR 213.3302).
- A non-career SES appointee is approved by the White House and serves at the pleasure of the appointing official without time limitations (5 CFR 317 Subpart F).
2.
If I receive a conditional offer of employment, I am willing to undergo a pre-employment drug screening.
All applicants must complete the following section. This section will be used to determine your ability and willingness to accept certain conditions of employment or meet certain requirements of the position. Please respond 'Yes' or 'No' to the following statements. Failure to respond to this section will result in an ineligible rating.
All applicants must undergo a comprehensive background investigation. The background investigation focuses on your honesty, reliability, police record, financial record, use of alcohol and drugs, mental health, and employment record. The background investigation includes interviews with your past and present employers, neighbors, teachers, and references, as well as checks of law enforcement, credit, educational, medical, and other records.
3.
If you have one, please enter your recruiter's ID number. (Your recruiter would have supplied it to you). If you do not have one, please enter 0 (zero).
(limit 7 characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a Social Science Research Specialist position with the United States Secret Service. We will evaluate your resume and your responses to this assessment questionnaire to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification. Please review your responses for accuracy before you submit this questionnaire.
1.
This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement. Choose one answer that best describes your education/experience.
2.
Select the one statement that best describes the education and/or experience that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Social Science Research Specialist at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service.
3.
Select the one statement that best describes the education and/or experience that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Social Science Research Specialist at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service.
4.
From the list below, select all of the statements that describe your experience in gathering facts and circumstances from a variety of sources, as well as analyzing and synthesizing this information.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
5.
Do you have experience conducting research projects in the areas of threat assessment, targeted violence (such as stalking, workplace violence, terrorism, or risk assessment), or criminal behavior?
6.
From the list below select the statement that best describes your education, training and/or experience utilizing research process or techniques.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
7.
Do you have experience conducting or working in direct support of research projects in the areas of public safety, prevention of targeted violence, experimental criminology, cyber crimes, criminal behavior, threat assessments and/or terrorism?
8.
Select the option that best reflects your experience drafting or writing analysis summaries, case summaries, and other reports summarizing the research process, findings and implications?
9.
From the list below, select the general research project tasks you have performed in a professional setting.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
10.
Have you independently gathered data, analyzed data and designed a research project, including drafting a report of findings and conclusions in the areas of Sociology, Criminology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Applied Social Research or Statistics?
11.
Which of the following best describes your knowledge of and ability to apply research principles, concepts, and methods from the behavioral sciences, social sciences, or related fields?
12.
Which of the following best describes your experience in conducting qualitative and/or quantitative analyses?
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
13.
Do you have knowledge and experience using a variety of statistical/analytical tools to research and extract relevant data?
14.
Which of the following information sources have you used?
15.
Select the option that best reflects your highest degree of skill and experience with developing search strategies or collection plans for electronic media designed to identify and extract relevant documents, articles, text, and/or data.
16.
Which of the following best describes your experience with conducting searches using electronic systems to include scientific literature, government reports, news media, and internet sites on targeted violence, threat assessments and related concepts?
17.
Select the choice which best describes your ability to communicate in writing through technical reports, research papers, journal articles, and other documents.
18.
From the list below select the resource material (s) you have created or written as the primary author.
19.
From the list below, select the following audiences for which you have prepared written documents.
20.
From the list below select the statement(s) that describe written communication skills you have used as a regular part of your job.
21.
Which of the following best describes your skill in orally communicating with a variety of audiences?
22.
From the list below, select the audiences to whom you have given briefings, and trainings on research findings and implications for operational practices.
23.
Identify the types of presentations you have given on regular and recurring basis.
24.
Select the statement that describes your experience presenting oral briefings.
25.
From the list below select the best statement that describes your experience providing analyses, reports, briefings, presentations and recommendations of research findings to senior and executive management.
26.
Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy. Failure to agree to the statement below will disqualify you from further consideration for the position.