Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Homeland Identity Intelligence Center.

This position is engaged in work that involves developing, integrating and maintaining thorough, accurate, and current information about individuals known or suspected to be engaged in transnational organized crime or terrorism activity for the purpose of identifying and screening threat actors.

Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Duties

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As a Intelligence Operations Specialist (Watchlist Analyst), GS-0132-9/11/12/13, your typical work assignments may include:

• Responsible for providing timely, accurate, and actionable intelligence analysis to inform operational decision-making in support of Homeland Security border screening and vetting operations.
• Assists in the screening, evaluation, consolidation, and analyses of a large quantity of
  information and intelligence from various sources.
• Perform all-source operational analysis in DHS and IC databases at multiple levels of security classifications.
• Communicates analytic results in both formal and informal briefings, or written reports, and in databases on topics or matters relating to national security threat actors, other threats to homeland security, or other national intelligence or DHS missions to high-level officials throughout our partner intelligence and law enforcement community.
• Supports coordination efforts with counterparts and colleagues throughout the intelligence and law enforcement community. Represents the organization on working level groups and committees.
• Supports coordination efforts with counterparts and colleagues throughout the intelligence and law enforcement community. Represents the organization on working level groups and committees.
• Training and certification as a DHS Watchlist Analyst.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5-business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 250 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) and is subject to random testing.
• You may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
• Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• You will be subject to a pre-employment polygraph examination and random polygraph examinations may be conducted after entry on duty.
• Must obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance.
• You may be required to work in shifts on a rotational basis in support of 24-hour operations.
• You may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime, and/or 24/7 shift schedules, and/or on-call and standby duty status
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.

Qualifications

GS-09: You may qualify at this grade level by meeting one (1) of the following below:

Specialized Experience:

• If you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal government, performing duties such as:
• Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, and methodology used in Intelligence and watchlisting operations.
• Knowledge of the DHS I&A Homeland Security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting.
• Basic introductory-level of understanding of the watchlisting subject-matter to include familiarity with the processes and procedures involved, sources of intelligence, awareness of various watchlisting-related databases and introductory understanding of US immigration rules and regulations; and a basic appreciation for the various types of visas.
• Skill in applying basic principles, concepts, and practices of the occupation sufficient to perform moderately difficult entry-level watchlisting assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Skill in applying basic principles, concepts, and practices of counterintelligence research sufficient to perform moderately difficult assignments.
• Ability to gather and analyze basic facts and draw conclusions. Basic skill in organizing and presenting data in a variety of formats for briefings to superiors using spreadsheets, tables, charts, and other presentation skills.
• Ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions.
• Ability to plan and organize work and consult effectively with co-workers.

OR

Substitution of Education for Experience

You may substitute your education for your experience if you possess one of the following:

• A master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree
• LL.B. or J.D., if related.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience

A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first year may be used to qualify for the GS-09 level.

GS-11: You may qualify at this grade level by meeting one (1) of the following below:

Specialized Experience:

If you possess specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in Federal service that demonstrates the following:

• Knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to participate in assessments of complex intelligence issues.
• Knowledge of the DHS I&A Homeland Security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting.
• Knowledge of established DHS and IC databases and other sources of intelligence information related to watchlisting activities.
• Knowledge of a wide range of analytical and evaluative techniques used in determining/validating personal identity and relationships.
• Working level knowledge and ability to apply the rules and regulations pertaining to watchlisting as outlined in the Intelligence Community's Watchlisting Guidance.
• Ability to communicate moderately complex ideas both in writing and verbally in order to formulate and present findings, conduct briefings, support projects, develop status reports, and foster understanding and acceptance of watchlisting findings and recommendations.

OR

Substitution of Education for Experience

You may substitute your education for your experience if you possess one of the following:

• A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
• Three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree
• LL.M., if related

OR

Combination of Education and Experience

A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first two years may be used to qualify for the GS-11 level.

You qualify for theGS-12 grade level if you possess the specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government that demonstrates the following:

• Specialized knowledge in assigned subject-matter field and the ability to apply facts and estimates derived from numerous sources to a variety of problems having different technical aspects.
• Advanced knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to participate in assessments of complex intelligence issues.
• Advanced knowledge of DHS I&A homeland security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting in the relationship between DHS, State/Local governments, and the Intelligence Community.
• Extensive knowledge of DHS Headquarters and Component structure, missions, programs, and organizational relationships.
• Knowledge of established databases and other sources of intelligence information.
• Skill in making formal presentations and representing I&A positions on intelligence issues and methods.
• Ability to communicate moderately complex ideas both written and verbally in order to formulate and present findings, briefings, project papers, status reports, and correspondence to foster understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations. Incumbent must possess strong customer service and interpersonal skills in order to maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.

You qualify for theGS-13 grade level if you possess the specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government that demonstrates the following:

• Expert knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to lead committees or teams and represent I&A in assessments of highly complex intelligence issues. This knowledge is used to conduct intelligence research and analysis using automated systems, national level databases, hard copy studies, and open-source information.
• Advanced knowledge of intelligence gathering and dissemination techniques necessary to lead assessments of complex intelligence issues. This knowledge is also used to oversee the monitoring of world-wide all-source intelligence, collection and operation
• information, and to provide Department of Homeland Security and homeland security partners with timely indications and warnings of relevant events.
• Expert knowledge of DHS I&A homeland security intelligence mission and the role of both raw and finished intelligence reporting in the relationship between DHS, State/Local governments and the Intelligence Community.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the operation of the entire intelligence program of the organization to provide advisory/consultant services or monitor projects in interrelated geographical of functional fields.
• Skill in making formal presentations and representing I&A's position on intelligence issues at high level interagency and inter-governmental forums.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas both written and verbally to formulate and present findings, briefings, project papers, status reports, and correspondence to foster understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations. Incumbent must possess strong customer service and interpersonal skills to maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Additional information

Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.