Social Science Research Specialist

Summary

Joining the Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center Division will allow you to apply a wide range of behavioral and social science research principles, concepts, and methods which are related to the prevention of targeted violence, threat assessment, terrorism, criminal behavior and protective intelligence. Salary starts at $68,405 (GS-9) or $82,764 (GS-11), with promotion potential to $153,354 GS-13 step 10.

For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

This job is open to

• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens

Duties

The selectee will serve as a Social Science Research Specialist in the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information, National Threat Assessment Center Division. Typical work assignments include:

• Performs analysis and research of broad areas associated with targeted violence, threat assessment, terrorism, criminal behavior, and intelligence.
• Prepares written incident analysis summaries and case summaries and assist with the preparation of other reports summarizing the research processes, findings implications.
• Participates in presenting briefings to US Secret Service personnel and or travels as directed to communicate research findings to diverse external audiences.
• Uses new and innovative research techniques to evaluate, synthesize and summarize data and information to independently conduct research, training and consultative initiatives in regard to targeted violence, other types of violence, terrorism and intelligence.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

If selected for this position, you will be required to:

1. Obtain and maintain a top secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
2. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
3. Certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so, if you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959.
4. Submit to a polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
5. Undergo frequent travel.

NOTE: The person selected for this position may be subject to a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

You qualify for the GS-9 level (starting salary $68,405.00) if you possess one of the following:

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level performing duties such as: performing routine tasks, assignments and research that develops an understanding for the prevention of targeted violence, threat assessment, terrorism, criminal behavior, and intelligence; and performing research, fact-finding, analysis, and evaluation of raw data; NOTE: The contents of your resume must support this response in its entirety to be found qualified for this position.
  
  or
• Master's or equivalent graduate or
• 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or
• LL.B. or J.D., if related; or
• A combination of graduate education and experience. This will be calculated using your résumé and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

You qualify for the GS-11 level (starting salary $82,764.00) if you possess one of the following:

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level performing duties such as: conducting focused searches of internal and open source information systems to identify pertinent data from various sources on targeted violence, threat assessment and related concepts; applying standardized research principles, concepts and methods to execute research tasks under the direction of senior staff; identifying study samples, collecting and analyzing data and other information; documenting the research process, findings and implications; and drafting sections of reports, and briefing materials; NOTE: The contents of your resume must support this response in its entirety to be found qualified for this position.
  
  or
• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or
• 3 full years progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or
• LL.M., if related; or
• A combination of graduate education and experience. This will be calculated using your résumé and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

In order to be considered, you must first meet the Office of Personnel Management's Individual Occupational Requirements as listed below.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS (IOR):

Basic Requirements

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (Transcripts required)

OR

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (Transcripts required)

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Additional information

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

This position will require a credit check after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted.

The agency's Telework Policy allows up to 80% telework, which is at the discretion of management and based on roles and responsibilities. Additionally, compressed or flexible work schedules are offered with appropriate approval.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone) (exception: a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring is authorized on one finger).

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This announcement is being filled using the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) direct-hire authority. Agencies may appoint candidates directly to jobs, without regard to the provisions of Title 5 U.S.C.3309 through 3318. Applicants who meet the basic requirement and specialized experience for the position will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the announcement. The answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume.

Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered. If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

• Knowledge Management
• Written Communication
• Oral Communication
• Research

An interview may be required for this position. If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

If you are called for an interview, you must submit two items: 1) A writing sample; 2) A proposal for a research project related to targeted violence and/or threat assessment. In 500 words or less the proposal should describe the research question, method for collecting and analyzing the data, and a plan for disseminating results.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  In addition to addressing the vacancy specific questions, you must also submit the following documentation:
  
  
  • Resume - In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded resume, your employment history should show work experience in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week. Click here for what to include in your resume.
  • If you are qualifying based on education, or the position has an education requirement, or you are qualifying based on a combination of education and experience (as explained in the Qualifications section), you must submit a copy of your college/university transcript (unofficial is acceptable) it must show school name, student's name, credit earned, degree, and date awarded. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. Those with Foreign education, click here.
  • Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
  • Special Priority Selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): Submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating),and a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
  • Current or Former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee) Agency, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
  
  
  
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  
  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.
  
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• How to Apply
  
  To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/06/2024 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
  
  
  1. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS,
  2. Complete the online questionnaire and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail.
  3. You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 09/06/2024.
  
  
  To update your application, excluding External Assessment responses, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
  
  To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides the Announcement Status and a "You applied on" date. This information does not confirm the agency application status. Use the "Track this Application" link for additional information regarding the agency application status, the documentation you submitted, and any correspondence sent related to this application. The Announcement Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Announcement Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  
  We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact theAPT Talent Management Division at HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov OR by calling (202) 406-6420 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm EST (excluding Federal holidays) prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance.
  
  The Secret Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  APT Talent Management Division
  
  Email
  
  HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov
  
  Next steps
  
  Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your eligibility. Best-qualified applicants will be referred for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information. For more information on applying for Federal employment, please click here.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

In addition to addressing the vacancy specific questions, you must also submit the following documentation:

• Resume - In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded resume, your employment history should show work experience in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week. Click here for what to include in your resume.
• If you are qualifying based on education, or the position has an education requirement, or you are qualifying based on a combination of education and experience (as explained in the Qualifications section), you must submit a copy of your college/university transcript (unofficial is acceptable) it must show school name, student's name, credit earned, degree, and date awarded. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. Those with Foreign education, click here.
• Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
• Special Priority Selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): Submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating),and a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
• Current or Former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee) Agency, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/06/2024 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS,
2. Complete the online questionnaire and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail.
3. You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 09/06/2024.

To update your application, excluding External Assessment responses, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides the Announcement Status and a "You applied on" date. This information does not confirm the agency application status. Use the "Track this Application" link for additional information regarding the agency application status, the documentation you submitted, and any correspondence sent related to this application. The Announcement Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Announcement Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact theAPT Talent Management Division at HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov OR by calling (202) 406-6420 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm EST (excluding Federal holidays) prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance.

The Secret Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

Agency contact information

APT Talent Management Division

Email

HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your eligibility. Best-qualified applicants will be referred for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information. For more information on applying for Federal employment, please click here.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request