Personnel Security Specialist

Washington Headquarters Services; Alexandria (VA); Remote; USD 80,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) PVOD handles personnel vetting operations and supports the Office of the Secretary of Defense, WHS leadership, and key clients. This role involves liaising with federal agencies to expedite reviews and manage interagency clearance transfers, prioritizing senior leaders and White House appointees.

The incumbent will review documents, determine temporary clearance and CAC access, and handle classified material with minimal oversight.

Qualifications

• Education cannot be substituted for experience at GS-12 level as per posting.
• Applicants must provide transcripts or degrees; education must be accredited by a recognized institution.
• Foreign education evaluations may be required for certain credentials.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary liaison with external federal agencies to secure expedited reviews and file transfers for individuals with non-DoD clearances.
• Coordinate transfer of trust for existing clearances with federal agencies (FBI, CIA, DoS, DCSA) and other entities.
• Prioritize clearances for senior leadership, including Assistant Secretaries of Defense and White House appointees.
• Review security documents to determine temporary clearance and CAC access for employees; assess derogatory information and protect classified material.

Skills

Security clearance: SCI

Federal government experience

Job description

• Hiring Agency: Washington Headquarters Services
• Department: Department of Defense
• Hiring Path: Fed Transition
• Number of Openings: many
• Security Clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information

Based in the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Security Enterprise Services Directorate, the Personnel Vetting Operations Division (PVOD) manages vetting operations. PVOD directly supports the Office of the Secretary of Defense, WHS leadership, and key clients including the U.S. Supreme Court, Federal Courts, Pentagon Force Protection, Defense Legal Services, Capitol Police, and Congress.

Key Responsibilities

Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following: Serve as primary liaison with external federal agencies to secure expedited reviews and investigative file transfers for individuals holding non-DoD clearances.

Implements transfer of trust for existing security clearances via accreditation/collaboration with Federal Bureau of lnvestigations, Central intelligence Agency, Department of State, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, as well as other agencies. Prioritizes clearances for senior leadership, including Assistant Secretaries of Defense and White House appointees.

Maintains strategic, long-standing interagency relationships foundational to the Department's national security posture. Reviews and evaluates completed security documents to make temporary security clearance and CAC determinations for employees for access to sensitive information, resources, material or work sites. Makes determinations mitigating minor derogatory information. Handles, manage and be responsible for classified material when required.

Participate in interorganizational working groups to resolve issues that are system wide. Perform duties with minimal oversight or direction. Demonstrate flexibility when changes occur in policy and procedures.

Requirements & Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-12 grade level. OR ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 OR GS-11 LEVEL? You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package.

It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). 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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study.

Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Washington Headquarters Services, Department of Defense.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $70623 – $133142/yr.

Is this position remote or telework eligible?

This position is eligible for telework.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-10-02.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.

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Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government