Summary

This position is in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Homeland Security (OHS), Continuity & Emergency Programs Division (CEPD). The Intelligence Operations Specialist will be responsible for coordinating and supporting USDA Non-Title 50 efforts to interpret, assess, and write finished intelligence products from Intelligence Community (IC)-produced multisource intelligence/counter- intelligence analyses and raw information from an agricultural perspective.

Duties

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• Provides comprehensive support to locate, acquire, review, select, and organize intelligence materials for use in briefings, reports, memos, and other analytical products.
• Evaluates security and information-gathering procedures of intelligence programs implemented in various supporting organizations.
• Plans and conducts special research studies providing comprehensive assessments of broad, complex, or highly sensitive issues within the assigned area.
• Develops methods of evaluating the validity, accuracy, and reliability of a broad array and high volume of information, for translation into intelligence relevant to the organization.
• Conduct initial assessments of the types of information and circumstances that may create opportunities to pursue joint-targeting activities.
• Shapes development of department line for finished intelligence products.
• Develops and implements strategies for gathering intelligence, or historical information in support of US interests and policy objectives.
• Establishes relationships with, and coordinates results and release of information between other
  jurisdictions and agencies as directed.
• Represents the Agency on committees that address issues of critical interest to the intelligence research and analysis program.
• Cultivates and maintains productive working relationships with department colleagues, national experts, Intelligence Community members, policy committees, and law enforcement agencies.

Requirements

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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.
• If selected, you may be required to serve a probationary or trial period as applicable to appointment type. Refer to Next Steps section for more information.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Selected applicant must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for a Top Secret SCI clearance. You must meet initial and periodic suitability determinations based on favorable background investigations and updates.
• Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• This position is considered critical-essential, and as such may be required to return to his/her assigned duty station outside of normal duty hours to provide support to USDA policymakers, particularly during crisis periods.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience, as defined below.

Time in Grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

Specialized Experience:

GS-13: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service or equivalent responsibility in the private sector/pay systems that has equipped the candidate with the particular competencies to successfully perform as an Intelligence Operations Specialist. For this position, the specialized experience is experience conducting national security intelligence and counterintelligence analyses on food and agriculture sector, recovery and mitigation activities, biodefense, biotechnology, health, food security, or agroterrorism fields; communicating intelligence research to internal and external stakeholders through a variety of formats; and, incorporating complex intelligence issues/topics into strategic plans and policies.

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.

In the event of an emergency, USDA's Office of Homeland Security (OHS) employees may be subject to 24 hour on-call availability. This service may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites that require functioning under intense physical and mental stress.

Education

There is no education substitution at the GS-13 level.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.