Los Alamos National Laboratory

Operational Assurance Specialist (SCIF Security Specialist 3)

Los Alamos National Laboratory • $106K — $176K *
Los Alamos, NM 87544In-Person
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution and 8 years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Experience in quality assurance, compliance, or performance assurance in security-sensitive environments.
  • Demonstrated ability in causal analysis, corrective action development, and effectiveness reviews.
  • Experience in collecting, tracking, and analyzing performance data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
  • Knowledge of applicable DOE/NNSA safeguards, security requirements, and Intelligence Community Directives (ICDs).
  • Familiarity with SCIF operations, including construction and renovation support, is preferable.
  • Active DOE Q clearance and SCI eligibility/access are a plus.

Responsibilities

  • Provide integrated quality assurance and compliance support for SCIF and SAP operations.
  • Conduct assessments, audits, and surveillance activities to evaluate compliance.
  • Identify systemic causes of issues and recommend sustainable corrective strategies.
  • Develop and implement metrics and trend analyses for performance monitoring.
  • Offer technical guidance and resolve complex compliance and security issues across organizations.
  • Support daily SCIF security operations and formal quality assurance activities.
  • Plan and execute work independently to meet organizational mission objectives.

Benefits

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance options.
  • Retirement plans with employer contributions.
  • Paid time off including vacation and sick leave.
  • Opportunities for professional development and training.
  • Potential for occasional travel and varying work hours.
Full Job Description
Description

Job Title Operational Assurance Specialist (SCIF Security Specialist 3)

Location Los Alamos, NM, US

Organization Name SSO-2/SCIF & SAPF Operations

Minimum Salary 106400

Maximum Salary 176000

What You Will Do
This position is open for external candidates only to apply.
SCIF & SAPF Operations (SSO-2), within the Special and Sensitive Operations (SSO) Division is seeking a Security Specialist 3 to provide integrated quality assurance, compliance, and security operations support for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and Special Access Programs (SAPs). This position combines deep knowledge of quality assurance principles, DOE/NNSA safeguards and security requirements, and SCIF operational standards to ensure facilities, processes, systems, and classified activities are performed in full compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and mission requirements.

In this role, you will actively participate in quality assurance and security operations, assess program effectiveness, interpret requirements, recommend improvements, and implement corrective actions. You will support both day-to-day SCIF/SAP security operations and formal quality assurance activities, including assessments, surveillance, audits, process improvement, metrics, and corrective action management.

This position requires a high degree of judgment, professionalism, discretion, and customer service due to the consequence of error and the sensitivity of the work performed. You will work under limited direction, receiving general guidance on new assignments while independently planning and executing work to meet mission objectives.

SCIF Security Specialist 3 ($106,400 - $176,000)
The selected candidate will be expected to independently perform and lead quality-focused security compliance activities in support of SCIF and SAP operations. This includes evaluating complex issues, identifying systemic causes and performance trends, developing and implementing sustainable corrective strategies, and leading or significantly contributing to assessments, audits, surveillance activities, and broader performance improvement initiatives. The candidate should be capable of interpreting and applying complex requirements, developing meaningful metrics and trend analyses to support management decision-making, and providing technical guidance across organizations to resolve complex compliance and security issues.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements: Quality Assurance / Compliance
Demonstrated experience applying quality assurance, compliance, or performance assurance principles in a regulated, high-consequence, or security-sensitive environment. Experience supporting the development, implementation, review, or improvement of processes and procedures to ensure work is performed in accordance with applicable requirements.

Causal Analysis and Corrective Action Management
Experience identifying, documenting, evaluating, and helping resolve security or operational deficiencies through causal analysis, corrective action development, and effectiveness reviews. Ability to assess issues, determine contributing factors, and support implementation of sustainable corrective actions.

Trend Analysis / Performance Monitoring
Experience collecting, tracking, and analyzing findings, deficiencies, incidents, observations, or other performance data to identify recurring issues, adverse trends, emerging vulnerabilities, and opportunities for improvement. Ability to develop or support metrics, dashboards, reports, and other tools used to monitor program health and inform management decisions.

Assessments, Audits, and Surveillance
Experience participating in or supporting internal/external assessments, audits, inspections, surveillances, or compliance reviews. Ability to evaluate operations against requirements, document results, track findings to closure, and verify corrective actions have been implemented effectively.

SCIF / SAP Security Operations
Working knowledge of SCIF, SAP, or other special security operations, including one or more of the following areas:
  • Information Security
  • Physical Security
  • Classified Matter Protection and Control (CMPC)
  • Accountable classified matter management
  • Access Control
  • Personnel Security
  • Security Operations support
  • Internal tracking of security issues or assessment findings
Regulatory Knowledge
Working knowledge of applicable DOE Orders, NNSA requirements, LANL safeguards and security requirements, and Intelligence Community Directives (ICDs) related to SCIFs, SAPs, and security compliance programs. Ability to interpret and apply requirements in operational settings.

SCIF Construction / Renovation Support
Experience supporting or coordinating SCIF renovation, construction, maintenance, or modification activities while maintaining security compliance, access controls, and operational integrity.

Education/Experience: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution and 8 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of related education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications:
  • Experience serving in a quality-focused role supporting SCIF, SAP, or other special security programs.
  • Experience leading or supporting security assessments, compliance reviews, inspections, or audit response activities.
  • Knowledge of one or more of the following:
    • DOE Order 471.5, Special Access Programs
    • Intelligence Community Directives (ICDs)
    • NISPOM
    • Department of Defense SAP Security Manual
    • Applicable DOE safeguards and security requirements
  • Experience working with DOE, NNSA, DOE-IN, or institutional safeguards and security organizations.
  • Experience supporting quality and compliance requirements during SCIF construction, renovation, accreditation, or re-accreditation efforts.
  • Active DOE Q clearance and SCI eligibility/access.
  • Alternate Program Security Office (APSO), Alternate Special Security Officer (ASSO), or related special security experience.
Note to Applicants: Please include a detailed cover letter addressing how you meet all minimum requirements and applicable desired qualifications. This position may require occasional travel, and non-standard work hours.

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Position Commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Employment Status Full Time

Appointment Type Regular

Regular

About Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory initially organized during World War II for the design of nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. It is located a short distance northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico in the southwestern United States. LANL conducts research in fields such as national security, space exploration, renewable energy, medicine, nanotechnology, and supercomputing. It is the largest institution of its kind in the world. LANL is managed and operated by Triad National Security, LLC, which is composed of Battelle Memorial Institute, the University of California, and the Texas A&M University System.
Learn more about Los Alamos National Laboratory
Size
12,000 employees
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Founded
1943
* Ladders Estimates

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