Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Situational Awareness.

The primary purpose of this position is to provide leadership and direction for a robust watch staff. The incumbent may act with full authority in all matters to ensure that situational awareness of significant threat reporting or incidents is maintained, tasking NOC Desk Officers to gain additional information on current/emerging threats or events from federal, state, or local agencies.

Duties

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As a NOC Senior Watch Officer, GS-0301-15, your typical work assignments may include:

• Providing continuous onsite management of a 24/7 watch consisting of representatives of DHS, Intelligence Community, Law Enforcement, Department of Defense, other critical Federal Departments and State and Local partners; as well as ensures the work performed by each desk is in accordance with NOC standard operating procedures.
• Managing and directing the processes in the NOC and the flow of information from desk officers, DHS elements, other Federal operations centers, and state and local organizations to ensure threat and incident information is properly gained, tracked, and archived.
• Ensuring bridge communications between senior officials are established and managed to facilitate the exchange of pertinent information for decision making based on the crisis or event.
• Promoting awareness within the national security, intelligence, and law enforcement communities of the NOC as the "provider of choice" for Homeland Security information and develops additional capabilities through the continual review and subsequent presentation to NOC senior management of recommended "best practice" changes to operations and standard operating procedures, checklists, and other administrative processes.

All DHS 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 100 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 Designated Testing Position (TDP) and is subject to random testing.
• You must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• You may be required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.
• Incumbent will work in a 24/7 Operations Center and be required to work rotating shifts, including rotating days of morning, afternoons, evenings, overnights, early mornings, and weekends and be able to work during holidays and inclement weather.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience GS-15

You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in federal service (GS-14) or public or private sector equivalent. For this position, specialized experience is defined as:

• Demonstrated experience in homeland security, emergency management, interagency coordination or military operations related to incident management.
• Demonstrated experience in DHS and interagency operations and staff functions related to national emergency management operations.
• Managing an organization comprised of operations, intelligence and law enforcement agencies during crisis situations.
• Leading a major command operation or command center watch.
• Ensuring communications between senior officials are established and managed to facilitate the exchange of pertinent information for decision making based on the crisis or event.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in written from a leadership level.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

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.

Time-in-grade: Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note: Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

National Service Experience: 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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Essential Personnel Position - This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. (5 U.S.C. [redacted] and 5 CFR, Part 752, as applicable).

Education

Not Applicable.

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.

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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.