Security Specialist

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Responsible for the Departments nationwide adjudication of the major issue and complex background investigation cases involving VA employee Security Clearances VA employee Public Trust positions and for all VA Contractors.
• Adjudicate security clearances and forwards recommendations for security clearance denials.
• Maintain associated personnel security and suitability records.
• Contact subject(s) of an investigation regarding inconclusive or derogatory information developed to resolve vague information.
• Determine whether additional investigation is warranted to resolve complex cases.
• Document findings make security and suitability determinations and formulate case disposition recommendations for various actions including retention in sensitive positions and inputs to national databases the granting denying reducing or revoking of security clearances as well as represent the Department in meetings related to security clearance appeals.
• Ensure that adjudicative reviews and determinations are accomplished in an accurate thorough appropriate and efficient manner pursuant to the most current statutes and regulations governing personnel security clearances and suitability eligibility.
• Recommend or take action on cases where the facts are not completely ascertained or where there is contradictory evidence or incomplete inconclusive or controversial material.
• Draft security clearance and revocation proposal and decision letters to employees where significant adverse information has been developed in background investigations.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 02/06/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. 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-11 Qualifications:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include: knowledge of personnel security and suitability to ensure Position Risk/Sensitivities by analyzing duties and relating them to established position sensitivity criteria; determining the appropriate position risk/sensitivity level designed by OPMs Position Designation Tool (PDT) and investigation required for the position; serving as a PIV coordinator; initiating addressing questions and reviewing information submitted in e-QIP. OR
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or a LL.M if related. Such education demonstrates the knowledges skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position. 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 a masters or 2 full years of graduate level education. For example an applicant has 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education. The applicant meets 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education i.e. the applicant has 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore the applicant exceeds the total requirement and is qualified for the position. (The applicants first 2 years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11.)

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include: knowledge of personnel security and suitability to serve as an expert advisor in personnel and suitability issues; applying and interpreting personnel security and suitability policy; establishing personnel security and suitability policies and procedures; preparing removal cases and representing the agency before the Merit Systems Protections Board (MSPB) on pre and post-employment suitability issues.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Decision Making
• Interpersonal Skills
• Security
• Technical Competence

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: Work is primarily sedentary and requires no special physical demands.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at http://:// Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice your most recent performance rating and your most recent SF-50 noting current position grade level and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be found well qualified applicants must meet the following qualifications: commonly applied security principles concepts and methodologies to independently review analyze and resolve situations in which adjudication requires resolution of conflicting testimony and/or other issues arising from a background investigation. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website at There is no educational substitution at the GS-12 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: 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:

Additional information