Supervisory Personnel Security Specialist

Defense Health Agency • San Antonio, TX

12d • Onsite

About The Position

This position supports the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Administration Security Division, Personnel Security Branch, in San Antonio, Texas. It is not a virtual or remote position; the employee must live within or be willing to relocate within commuting distance of San Antonio.

The incumbent serves as the final adjudicative authority for federal employment suitability or fitness determinations and provides guidance on background investigations, onboarding timelines, security-clearance requirements, fingerprinting, and appeals. The role evaluates complex cases with potentially derogatory information and makes timely risk decisions. It also supervises security specialists, manages case assignments and workloads across geographically separated offices, adapts procedures to changing federal requirements, and improves the personnel vetting pipeline. The position requires obtaining and maintaining eligibility for a Top Secret/SCI security clearance or access, completing specified security training and certification within the first two years, and serving a one-year supervisory probationary period.

Requirements

• One year of specialized experience directing personnel security programs to maintain national security compliance, developing personnel security vetting policies to standardize adjudication procedures, and leading personnel through task assignment, work review, technical guidance, or mentoring.
• Qualifying experience must be at the GS-13 level or equivalent; applicants with recent General Schedule service must have 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-13).
• Qualification must be based on experience; education cannot substitute for the required experience.
• Obtain and maintain eligibility for a Top Secret/SCI security clearance or access.
• Complete pre-employment and recurring comprehensive background investigations and any required suitability or fitness determination.
• Complete the one-year supervisory probationary period; a one-year probationary period also applies if the selectee has not previously met this requirement.
• Consent to pre-employment screening and random drug urinalysis testing.
• Obtain the Security Fundamentals Professional Certification (SFPC) within the first two years of employment.
• Complete DoD Personnel Security Adjudications and Defense Information System for Security (DISS) Joint Verification System (JVS) training courses within the first two years of employment.
• Provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• Meet one or more of the listed federal employment authority categories to be eligible to apply.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the final adjudicative authority for suitability or fitness determinations for federal employment.
• Advise DHA personnel on background investigation status and onboarding timelines.
• Guide applicants and current personnel on security-clearance requirements, fingerprinting, and appeal procedures.
• Evaluate complex cases involving derogatory information and make timely risk decisions.
• Prioritize and reassign casework among subordinate specialists to meet critical deadlines.
• Adapt agency standard operating procedures and local policies in response to changes in OPM or DoD vetting mandates.
• Manage workflows and balance workloads across geographically separated offices.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide performance feedback to security specialists.
• Analyze conflicting or incomplete information in National Agency Checks or Single Scope Background Investigations to assess security risks.
• Identify bottlenecks in the personnel vetting pipeline and implement procedural improvements to reduce processing and onboarding times.
• Formulate personnel security policies to ensure compliance with federal regulations.

Benefits

• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Salary negotiation may be available to candidates new to Federal service.
• Leave accrual negotiation may be available to candidates new to Federal service.
• Student loan repayment may be authorized.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed