Personnel Security Specialist

**Duties**:

- Respond to inquiries advising of suitability standing as it relates to approval of personnel for access to government facilities and systems based on background investigation results.
- Initiate and coordinate the background investigation and national security clearance process, based on data provided from employees and human resources staff in the electronic questionnaire system (eQIP).
- Analyzes and process adjudications for employees and contractors that require credentials under HSPD-12, making determinations on the suitability of employees and contractors for access to government systems and facilities.
- Initiate and coordinate the background investigation and national security clearance processes, i.e., preemployment security determination for federal and nonfederal applicants offered a FPAC position.
- Serves as focal point-of-contact for issues regarding Personal Identity Verification (PIV) program activities. Performs duties as the HSPD-12 sponsor ensuring that USDA employees and contractors are in the USAccess System.
- Drug test will be required. See additional information.

**Requirements**:
**Conditions of Employment**:

- You must be a US Citizen or US National
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check
- Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution

**Qualifications**:

- Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements including specialized experience and/or education, as defined.
- **Specialized experience is defined as experience that include**:
***
**At the GS-07 grade level, one full-time year (12 months) of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service or private sector which includes**:

- Assisting in the administrative functions of background investigation and suitability and fitness process, working closely with higher-level staff to review background investigation, **or 1 full year of graduate level education, **_or _**superior academic achievement.**
- **Superior Academic Achievement from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in a field of study or 1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; 2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; 3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; 4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association.**

OR
- **At the GS-09 grade level, one full-time year (12 months) of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service or private sector which includes**:

- Reviewing personnel security questionnaires that contain issues concern suitability and fitness, work closely with higher-level staff to develop policies and procedures, conduct thorough and efficient investigations and assessments, completion of reports, maintain databases and processing, pre-employment processes, coordinate with internal and external agencies to obtain information, must have the ability to enter, extract, and evaluate employee information via access to various computer, **_or_** **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**

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.
- Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
- 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 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**:
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Y