Summary

CISA's Integrated Operations Division (IOD) is the hub for staying on top of threats and emerging risks to our nation's critical infrastructure. IOD coordinates situational awareness and response to national cyber, communications, and physical incidents. The Protective Security Advisor combines all aspects of security.

The official title of this position is Security Specialist, GS-0080-13/14.

Duties

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The primary purpose of the position is to serve as a Protective Security Advisor (PSA) assigned within a Region and responsible for a designated District. The Protective Security Advisor (PSA) is recognized as an expert on key critical infrastructure security and resiliency efforts.

Typical work assignments at the full performance level include, but are not limited to:

• Planning, coordinating, and conducting security surveys and assessments - conducting voluntary, non-regulatory security surveys and assessments on critical infrastructure assets and facilities within their respective regions.
• Planning and conducting outreach activities - conducting outreach activities with critical infrastructure owners and operators, community groups, and faith-based organizations in support of CISA priorities.
• Frequently assisting organizations in understanding the impact of implementing and sustaining security management planning and a dedicated cyber defense infrastructure.
• Supporting National Special Security Events (NSSE) and Special Event Activity Rating (SEAR) events - support Federal, State, and local officials responsible for planning, leading, and coordinating NSSE and SEAR events.
• Sharing strategies, based on emerging threats, needs and gaps with Federal, State, Local, and Territorial (FSLTT) officials to facilitate the development and improvement of local policies, procedures, and directives related to critical infrastructure protection programs.
• Assessing key critical infrastructure through high level coordination with FSLTT officials responsible for critical infrastructure protection.
• Serving as an advisor to FSLTT and private sector officials on security and resilience policies, assessments, and measures to protect nationally and regionally significant critical infrastructure.
• Serving as a technical authority with regards to findings and recommendations from these assessments, which have a direct influence on investment decision-making and facility security and resilience enhancements.
• Responding to incidents - plan for and, when directed, deploy to Unified Area Command Groups, Joint Operations Centers, Federal Emergency Management Agency Regional Response Coordination Centers, and/or State and local Emergency Operations Centers in response to natural or man-made incidents.
• Coordinating and supporting improvised explosive device awareness and risk mitigation training - working in conjunction with CISA's Office for Bombing Prevention by coordinating training and materials to State, local, tribal, and territorial partners to assist them in deterring, detecting, preventing, protecting against, and responding to improvised explosive device threats.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required.
• Selective Service - Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service see http://www.sss.gov/
• All Federal employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/ Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
• Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• 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).
• The selectee must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• This is a mobile work position. Due to frequent travel requirements, selectee must reside within the area of responsibility identified in the announcement. Locality pay will be based on the duty location.

Qualifications

Do NOT copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. Your resume must describe your work and experience, in your own words.

To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required experience for the respective grade level in which you are applying.

YOU MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

You qualify at the GS-13 grade level, if you have:

EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level (or equivalent) performing all the following duties:

1. Reviewing, interpreting, and implementing a variety of policies, procedures, and directives relative to the protection of critical infrastructure;
2. Preparing written reports of findings and recommendations for improving security plans and procedures; AND
3. Analyzing, investigating, and assessing critical infrastructure physical security and resilience processes, procedures, dependencies, interdependencies and vulnerabilities for critical infrastructure facilities, systems and protection programs.

You qualify at the GS-14 grade level, if you have:

EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level (or equivalent) performing all the following duties:

1. Serving as a strategic, operational and technical authority in advising critical infrastructure partners, owners and operators, and officials on security and resilience improvements to reduce vulnerability and risk;
2. Building trusted partnerships in order to provide tools, training, programs and resources to enhance security and resilience;
3. Coordinating and collaborating with high-level executives in response to, and recovery from, natural or man-made incidents in accordance with the National Response Framework; AND
4. Coordinating physical security protective measures and procedures for critical infrastructure programs.

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.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule (GS) position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). NOTE: Current or former GS federal civilian employees, within the previous 52 weeks, applying for a position under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) must meet time-in-grade requirements.

Time After Competitive Appointment: By the closing date specified in this job announcement, current Federal civilian employees must wait at least 90 days after their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive service referral certificate before promotion, transfer, reinstatement, reassignment, or detail.

All qualification requirements, including Time-in-Grade, must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification AND Time-in-Grade claims will be subject to verification.

Education

No Educational Substitution: There is no substitution of education for experience at this grade level. You must meet the qualifications listed in the "Requirements" section of this announcement.

Additional information

• Other incentives may be authorized.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
• Additional vacancies may be filled with this announcement.
• A one-year probationary period may be required during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. We may consider your performance and conduct, the needs and interests of the agency, whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government, and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum base pay, GS-13, step 1 up to the maximum base pay, GS-14, step 10. This announcement covers multiple locations. The actual salary will be adjusted based on the grade, step, and locality for the selectee's duty location.
• If selected below the full performance level, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next higher grade level after meeting all regulatory requirements, and upon the recommendation of management. Promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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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.

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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.