Incumbent of this position serves as a Personnel Security Assistant and performs security-related functions in support of a Network Personnel Suitability and Credentialing Program. The program assures that all appointees have the appropriate level of security/suitability clearance commensurate with their assignment. Incumbent serves as an assistant to the Personnel Security Specialist.

Duties

*** Non-Bargaining Position *** Join the VISN 17: VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network as a Personnel Security Assistant at the Dallas VA Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. You will perform work related to the collection, organization and/or tracking of information in support of the Personnel Security Program. The Personnel Security Program includes the processes of initiating, reviewing, and approving background cases for release to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in compliance with policies relating to completion of suitability investigations for Federal employees and others requiring background investigations for non-sensitive and public trust positions. The work of this position centers on assisting the Personnel Security Specialist in collecting appropriate background information, tracking and reviewing data, completion of reports, maintaining databases and processing follow-up actions on various security related matters and assisting with suitability adjudications. Other duties include: Assembling position descriptions and functional statements for the Personnel Security Specialist for review. Serves as the initial point of contact for new appointees including but not limited to paid or without compensation employees, volunteers, students, residents, and contractors. Requests information from various law enforcement agencies and courts to assure that the approving official is kept informed of these actions. Presents training/briefings for supervisors, managers, and employees related to various aspects of the Personnel Security Program. Assists in the execution of personnel security-related functions as they relate to VA Subjects in Veterans Affairs Centralized Adjudication and Background Investigation System (VA-CABS). Maintaining required files related to the suitability process in accordance with OPM/agency guidelines. Performing audits of official personnel folders to assure that information related to suitability is properly recorded and filed. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.(Alternate schedules may be necessary to meet the needs of the organization) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Personnel Security Assistant/PD99952A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/10/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-5 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include: performing administrative tasks associated with the authorization and issuance of the PIV card, a standardized identification badge designed to increase security related with physical access to Federal facilities and networks and logical access to computer systems; working with applicants who may be experiencing difficulties with completion of electronic forms related to the background screening process and working with Recruitment and Staffing to assure required background documents are complete and accurate as per policy. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed 4 years above high school. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) to be creditable. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) GS-6 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include: reviewing position risk sensitivity levels as full assistant to the Personnel Security Specialist to ensure appropriate background investigation is initiated for specific positions; assisting in the execution of personnel security-related functions as they relate to VA subjects in Veterans Affairs Centralized Adjudication and Background Investigation System (VA-CABS); and performing minor PIV troubleshooting of the PIV System during malfunctions to resolve system issues. There is no educational substitution at GS-6 grade level. GS-7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include: initiating, reviewing and releasing appointees background investigations in the Office of Personnel Management's Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) system or in conjunction with the VA- Adjudication Center (VA-AC) to meet OPM regulation standard; providing technical advice and guidance to employees, contractors, affiliates, and volunteers regarding matters pertaining to the PIV Program and maintaining required files related to the suitability process in accordance with OPM/agency guidelines. There is no educational substitution at GS-7 grade level. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: -Database Management Systems -Interpersonal Skills -Technical Competence -Compliance-Audit Reporting 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

GS-5: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

GS-6 and GS-7: There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address VHA VISN 17 Human Resources 2301 E. LAMAR BLVD SUITE 650 ARLINGTON, TX 76006-7428 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]