Physical Security Specialist

Summary

You will serve as a Physical Security Specialist with Marine Minerals Administration (MMA). You will provide expertise for a variety of complex physical security projects, assignments, and activities throughout the Gulf of America Region (GOAR).

Duties

• At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: Serves as the Gulf of America Region (GOAR) Physical Security Program Administrator and principal advisor to the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), the Deputy Associate Director of the Management Support Division, and all decision-making officials for GOAR-wide physical security projects, operations, and systems. Identifies protection and security needs; develops and maintains the physical measures used for protection and security; and develops, implements, and maintains procedural and technical methods that enhance physical protection. Reviews policy directives from security authorities [Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of the Interior (DOI), MMA] and develops and prepares implementing procedures and guidelines for MMA facilities in the GOAR to strengthen the local security program. Supports, operates, and maintains a wide range of physical security systems, ensuring they are properly installed, configured, and fully functional to support DHS Mega Center monitoring across assigned facilities. Performs duties as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) on various contracts and interagency agreements that support the security posture of MMA GOAR facilities. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Salary Range Information (Per Annum): GS-11: $74,678 - $97,087 GS-12: $89,508 - $116,362 Note: First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/30/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and/or specialized experience requirements, and this information must be clearly supported in your resume. HR may not make any assumptions. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet either the (1) educational requirement and/or (2) specialized experience requirement for the grade to which you are applying by the closing date of the announcement. GS-11: In order to qualify for the GS-11 grade level, your resume must reflect one year of specialized experience equivalent in complexity and difficulty to the GS-09 grade level. Specialized Experience for GS-11 is defined as: 1) Participating in the selection and/or testing of security equipment and systems; and 2) Performing physical security surveys and inspections; and 3) Writing thorough, detailed reports and surveys, and efficiently converting raw data into spreadsheets, PowerPoints, or data-collection documents to support security decisions. -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. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Physical Security Specialist. -OR- Combination: Possess a combination of graduate level education and appropriate experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position. NOTE: If using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. GS-12: In order to qualify for the GS-12 grade level, your resume must reflect one year of specialized experience equivalent in complexity and difficulty to the GS-11 grade level. Specialized Experience for GS-12 is defined as: 1) Planning, implementing, and managing the execution of a physical security and crime prevention program to ensure the protection and security of facilities, equipment, key personnel, and access control; and 2) Coordinating the technical activities related to the installation and management of physical security equipment or systems in facilities; and 3) Planning, researching, and drafting guidance related to the Occupant Emergency Plan, Active Threat, and/or Domestic Terrorism concerns; and 4) Demonstrating a working knowledge of various security countermeasures, such as closed-circuit television, fiber-optic media-converting devices, and camera systems; and 5) Writing acquisition requests or Statements of Work for technical security devices and other monitoring systems; and 6) Analyzing, advising, and evaluating key security matters. Volunteer Experience: 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 experience.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Must maintain a Critical-Sensitive security clearance. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Pre-employment and random drug testing is required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. You are required to respond to after-hours and weekend emergencies. A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR a 2-year trial period (depending on your appointing authority) to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: 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. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 09/30/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13061159 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.