PSYCHOLOGIST

Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA); San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Trust Decision's Behavioral Science Division seeks an experienced psychologist to advise personnel security specialists on psychological conditions and substance use, conduct evaluations, and prepare specialized consultations for adjudicative staff. You will serve as a technical expert on risks for espionage, sabotage, or directed violence in national security contexts.

This role requires clinical/forensic psychology expertise with extensive knowledge of personnel security issues across federal

Qualifications

• Must be a licensed clinical psychologist in a US state or territory.
• Specialized experience in psychology applied to security and adjudication.
• Experience conducting evaluations for security purposes or forensic/clinical contexts.

Responsibilities

• Independently conducts high-volume psychological evaluations (≈150 annually) for national security and suitability.
• Consults with psychologists, adjudicators, attorneys on psychological conditions of concern.
• Reviews evaluate health care reports for adjudicative readiness and clarifies ambiguities.
• Creates concise reports for personnel security and leadership using expert psychological knowledge.
• Reviews work products of allied professionals for technical accuracy and contract compliance.
• Provides trainings, research presentations, or orientations within the agency and to related government bodies.

Skills

Clinical psychology

Forensic psychology

Evaluations for security

Briefings

Insider risk

Education

Doctoral degree in clinical psychology

Job description

Summary

Trust Decision's Behavioral Science Division is seeking an experienced psychologist to advise personnel security specialists on psychological conditions/substance use. You will conduct psychological evaluations, prepare specialized consultations for adjudicative staff, and serve as a technical expert on risks for espionage, sabotage, or directed violence. This is a unique opportunity for clinical/forensic psychologists with extensive knowledge of personnel security issues.

Trust Decision's Behavioral Science Division is seeking an experienced psychologist to advise personnel security specialists on psychological conditions/substance use. You will conduct psychological evaluations, prepare specialized consultations for adjudicative staff, and serve as a technical expert on risks for espionage, sabotage, or directed violence. This is a unique opportunity for clinical/forensic psychologists with extensive knowledge of personnel security issues.

Duties

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• Independently conducts high-volume psychological evaluations (averaging at least 150 annually) for national security and suitability purposes, utilizing clinical interviews and behavioral health records to identify potential security, counterintelligence (CI), or insider risk concerns.


• Consults and communicates directly with other psychologists, personnel security adjudicators, attorneys and supervisors on psychological conditions and behaviors of concern which may be relevant to personnel security.


• Reviews reports created by the evaluating health care professional to ensure these reports meet adjudicative readiness, communicating directly with medical professionals to collaboratively resolve ambiguities or lack of specificity in received work products.


• Creates concise and informative reports for personnel security professionals, insider risk professionals, and security leadership based on an expert level knowledge of psychological principles.


• Reviews work products of allied professionals, such as personnel security specialists and consulting and embedded psychologists for technical accuracy and professional sufficiency; works with leadership to rectify defects and ensure contract compliance.


• Provides trainings, research presentations, or orientations to work groups within Trust Decision Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Department of War and other United Stated Government and professional agencies, alone or in coordination with personnel security specialists.


• Provides professional support to ensure branch-wide productivity of adjudicators, psychologists and other branch members meet Trust Decision (Adjudications) and DCSA standards

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a US citizen


• Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. For more information http://www.sss.gov


• Resume and supporting documents received by 11:59PM EST will be considered


• This is a Drug Testing designated position


• Position is a (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under U.S.C. 1601


• Work Schedule: Full Time


• Overtime: Occasionally


• Tour of Duty: Flexible


• PCS (Permanent Change of Station): Not Authorized


• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt


• Financial Disclosure: Not Required


• Telework Eligibility: Supervisors may approve situational telework on a case-by-case, temporary basis for limited situations.


• Must be a licensed clinical psychologist in a US state or territory.


• Relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants.

Qualifications

This position has a Basic Requirement for the 0180:

Clinical psychology: For positions at grades GS-11 and above, satisfactory completion of all the requirements for the doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) directly related to full professional work in clinical psychology is required.

• NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened from the Office of Personnel Management's (OPMs) basic qualifications requirements. See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/psychology-series-0180/ for OPM qualification standards, competencies and specialized experience needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the MAJOR DUTIES and QUALIFICATIONS sections of this announcement by 09/24/2026

Applicant must have directly applicable experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.

You must have specialized experience sufficient to demonstrate that you have acquired all the competencies necessary to perform at a level equivalent in difficulty, responsibility, and complexity to the next lower grade GS/GG-12 in the Federal service and are prepared to take on greater responsibility.

Generally, this would include one year or more of such specialized experience.

Specialized Experience For This Position Includes

• Extensive familiarity with psycho-pharmacology and other psychological treatments;


• Working knowledge of psychopathology including personality disorders and substance use disorders;


• Providing briefings on psychologically relevant topics to a variety of audiences, including senior leaders; and


• Conducting, supervising or reviewing psychological evaluations for security purposes or other forensic/clinical evaluations.

Specifically You Will Be Evaluated On The Following Competencies

• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.


• Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.


• Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

VETERANS PREFERENCE/CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL

In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, veterans preference is not required to be applied when considering candidates with prior Federal competitive or excepted service who have completed a probationary or trial period and have not been separated for cause. Therefore, veterans preference will not be applied to applicants with current federal service, or former federal civilian service meeting the above criteria.

Re-employed Annuitant

This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

Applicants selected from this announcement may be required to serve a two-year trial period.

If selected, Federal employees currently serving in the competitive service must acknowledge that they will voluntarily leave the competitive service by accepting an offer of employment for a DCIPS excepted service positions.

If selected, non-DCIPS candidates must acknowledge in writing that the position they have been selected for is in the excepted service and covered by DCIPS.

All Defense Intelligence positions under the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS)

are in the excepted service by specific statue, 10 U.S.C. 1601. This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status.

For more information on the DCIPS occupational structure click here.

For more information about career advancement in DCIPS click here.

This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment.

You may be required to sign a \"Drug Test Statement of Understanding\" if you are selected for this position.

As required by 5 C.F.R.

• 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. 1194).

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.

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