KEY REQUIREMENTS



• You must be a U.S. citizen to be considered for this position.
• A pre-employment drug test is required for this position.
• You are required to pass a background investigation.
• You must be able to obtain Top Secret securiy clearance.
• This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
• Moving Expenses will not be paid.

As an Intelligence Research Specialist, this position serves as a primary liaison and expert and engages in developing sources of information for intelligence collection. Typical work assignments include:

•  Conducts research, analysis and reports on information developed concerning Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees and their associates in order to make determinations as to their relationship to criminal, unethically, or corrupt activities in support of criminal investigations.
• Develops and drafts policies, procedures, and guideline required to accomplish overall or special segments of the intelligence programs.
• Monitors intelligence trends to determine levels of coverage provided and required, and to anticipate and formulate new operations requirements.
• Maintains liaison with personnel such as those in other intelligence agencies and allied to discuss mutual intelligence problems and production efforts.

If qualifying all or in any part based on your education, please submit a copy of your college transcripts. If your qualifications are based in any part on education and you are selected for this position, you will have to provide an official copy of your academic transcripts prior to entering on duty.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. If a determination is made that qualifications and/or experience have been inflated, your score will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. To be well qualified, CTAP or ICTAP eligibles must receive a rating of at least 85 out of 100 on the numeric rating you receive based on your responses to the questionnaire. Please follow instructions carefully.  Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision. Life and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to www.dhs.gov/careers and select “benefits.”

OTHER INFORMATION:

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. To receive selection priority, surplus and displaced employees must apply and be found well-qualified for the position. A well qualified CTAP or ICTAP employee is who satisfies all medical, physical, education, experience and selective factors (if any) for the vacant position; is rated to 85 or more against the Rating Schedule as described in the Qualifications and Evaluations section of this announcement; and upon entry satisfactorily  perform all of the duties of the position.  CTAP and ICTAP candidates must submit the following documents which show their eligibility for selection priority: 1.) a copy of a RIF separation notice, Certificate of Expected Separation, or some other proof of eligibility for priority selection: 2.) a copy of an SF-50 showing their current position, grade level, promotion potential, and duty location; 3.) a copy of their most recent performance appraisal.

Special Hiring Authorizes: If you are eligible and would like to be considered under a special hiring authority such as Schedule A of the excepted service for persons with disabilities; a veteran who is eligible for appointment under the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) authority or the direct-hire authority to  appoint veterans with service-connected disabilities of 30 percent or more; Peace Corps or VISTA service; or another excepted service/special  hire authority, appropriate documentation to support your claim for eligibility must be submitted with your application package.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA): The Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting form outside its own workforce.  To be eligible for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) appointment, a veterans must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3)  or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under the VEOA, in addition to other required application materials, you must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 with your application documents.

Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA) is a special authority by which agencies may, if they wish, appoint an eligible veteran without competition.  VRA appointees are in the excepted service and are initially hired for a 2-year period after which, provided performance has been satisfactory, the appointment may be converted to the competitive service, i.e., a permanent appointment.  Conversion to a permanent appointment is not guaranteed.  Veterans selected for VRA who have less than 15 years of education must agree to participate in a training or educational program.  In order to be eligible for a VRA appointment, the individual must submit Member Copy 4 of their DD-214 verifying eligibility.  All other required application materials must also be submitted.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section below)

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Tuesday, September 18, 2012. You may not receive consideration for this position, if you do not submit a complete application package.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

To fax supporting documentation you are unable to upload, complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following Vacancy ID 745928. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144.

If you cannot apply online:

1. Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire. View Occupational Questionnaire
2. Print this 1203FX form to provide your response to the occupational questionnaire http://www.opm.gov./forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf, and
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with your resume and any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

The following documents are required (if applicable):

1.      Resume or any other written format you choose is required to submit your application for consideration.

2.     DD214, Certificate of release or Discharge from Active Duty, must be provided in order to receive veterans preference. If a DD-214 Form is not available at the time of application, applicant MUST submit proof of honorable discharge or terminal leave status or active duty status. Veterans with a service connected disability and other claiming 10 point preference are required to provide a copy of the letter from the VA or branch of service showing disability dated after 1991 and are encourage to submit Form SF-15. NOTE: If you do not submit all of the required documentation, you will not receive additional veteran preference points.

3.     SF-50, Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade. If you have promotion potential in current position, please provide proof.  Employees with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. NOTE: If you do not submit all of the required documents, you will not receive consideration as a status candidate.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

The process of consideration of applicants may take several weeks.

Notification Process:  Once the online questionnaire is received you will received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful.  After review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.  You will be informed of the outcome via e-mail. We expect to make a selection within 60 days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement.  

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.