Duties

Independently adjudicates complex personnel security investigations.,Applies personnel security laws, regulations, and adjudicative guidelines.,Serves as liaison with internal and external stakeholders on personnel security matters.,Analyzes and improves personnel security program operations and processes.,Manages personnel security systems, reporting, and compliance activities.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Personnel Security Specialist, at GS-0080-9/11/12, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below. Specialized Experience: For the GS-09, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Assisting with personnel security background investigation processing; Reviewing investigative reports for completeness and discrepancies under guidance; Applying established adjudicative procedures in support of determinations; Maintaining case files in personnel security databases/systems; and Providing customer service or onboarding support related to security processing. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education that, when combined, meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Only graduate education in excess of the first year may be used in combination. Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Conducting or supporting personnel security investigations and adjudication; Reviewing investigative reports and resolving discrepancies; Applying adjudicative guidelines and suitability criteria; Using personnel security systems/databases; Coordinating onboarding or credentialing activities; and Communicating case status and requirements. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education that, when combined, meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used in combination. Applicants qualifying based on education must submit transcripts. Specialized Experience: For the GS-12, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Independently adjudicating Federal personnel security background investigations for suitability or fitness determinations under 5 CFR Part 731 using Federal adjudicative guidelines; Applying personnel security laws, regulations, policies, and adjudicative standards to make employment or access recommendations; Utilizing personnel security systems and databases to manage investigative and adjudicative casework; Reviewing and resolving complex or derogatory investigative information and initiating additional investigative actions when necessary; and Coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, including Federal agencies, regarding personnel security matters and case resolution. Education: Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level. 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. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement, 05/22/2026, to complete the assessment as this assessment is a required part of your application.

Other Information

Applicants who apply under this Job Opportunity Announcement may opt-in (at their request) to allow the sharing of their resume, and other associated documents with other Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureaus/Offices who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade and pay band (or its equivalent), and full performance level in the same duty location or commuting area of the duty location listed on the Job Opportunity Announcement. Additionally, the following link provides information on the hiring authority that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment. CTAP 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. The Department of Commerce also provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.