Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Personnel Security Specialist
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CAZD-12754595-25-AV Opens in new window
Open Period
Friday, June 27, 2025 to Thursday, July 3, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
  • you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
  • you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
  • your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of the vacancy; AND, 
  • your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
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Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
2. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
  • Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
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By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001). (limit characters)
3. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-7 level: I possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal Service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Personnel Security Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes, assists with reviewing requests for personnel or facility security clearances, granting clearances when derogatory information is absent, reviewing reports of personnel investigations to identify the presence or absence of derogatory information, and brings to the attention of other problems not covered by insructions. (limit characters)
2. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-9 level: I possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal Service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Personnel Security Specialist.Qualifying specialized experience includes, applying knowledge of security principles, concepts, and methodologies in carrying out assignments and developing skills by performing limited independent work. Comprehension of criteria, equipment, or techniques for security specialization to resolve well-defined questions or conditions. Extensive knowledge of standardized applications or established variations in security criteria involving considerations such as clearance level required, adjudication of security clearances when clear-cut derogatory information is present in the investigative information, nature of materials or information to the protected, cost-benefit relationships for security devices or equipment systems, and similar considerations. Consults with the lead/supervisor in determining which projects to initiate, develops deadlines, and identifies resources required to carry out an assignment. (limit characters)
3. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-11 level: I possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal Service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Personnel Security Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes, knowledge of emerging federal law, a wide range of federal regulations, agency policies, management practices, and information technology procedures, resolves difficult and complex security problems such as overlapping and conflicting requirements within the Personnel Security Program, have technical competence in automated information systems, a sound knowledge of information security practices, and a basic knowledge of facility applications., Consults with the lead/supervisor in determining which projects to initiate, develops deadlines, and identifies resources required to carry out an assignment. Extensive knowledge of security program interrelationships, i.e., personnel and information security, for the purpose of coordinating objectives and plans for the Personnel Security Program. (limit characters)
Resume Reminder: Your resume must include the following information: Experience: Starting and ending dates of experience (month and year), hours worked per week and salary information). Education: name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned.  To ensure you are properly rated, you must make certain the required experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) listed in the qualifications section is addressed in detail in your resume. Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. (limit characters)
SF-50 Reminder: If you are a current or former Federal employee an SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. Note: You must submit a copy of your most recent notification of personnel action/SF50. Additionally, An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade (limit characters)