What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Physical Security Specialist position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
Physical Security Specialist (uniformed) ensures a safe and secure environment within various settings - including jurisdictional environments - such as VHA VISNs - Medical Centers and facilities. You are vital to VA Police Services serving as the face of the VA and the first person a Veteran or visitor encounters when entering a VA facility. Provides security and assistance to Veterans - patients - employees - contractors - volunteers - affiliates - visitors - and others who frequent VA facilities daily.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/10/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Please see required documents section for examples of appropriate SF-50's to include. Minimum Qualification Requirements: FIREARM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968 - as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9)). Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Providing physical security and assistance to groups and individuals; ensuring compliance with security procedures designed to safeguard personnel and property; applying knowledge of security and protection regulations - policies - procedures - and practices; utilizing various security equipment and devices; making recommendations to improve security processes; providing physical security consultation services to an organization. Also performs law enforcement assignments such as - responding to reports of crimes and/or calls for police assistance; securing crime scenes and/or accident sites; taking appropriate actions in emergency situations; conducting investigations; keeping abreast of law enforcement rules - regulations and techniques. Applicants must possess excellent communication skills. Or - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree; or - two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or - LL.B. or J.D. Or - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 18 semester hours counting towards a master's degree. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Conflict Management Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal Skills Learning Physical Security Project Management Public Safety and Security Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work requires full use of extremities - normal hearing - and vision to conduct on-site security surveys - inspections - and assessments. The duties require prolonged standing - walking - crouching - bending - lifting - reaching - pushing - stooping - and climbing stairs and ladders indoors and outdoors. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Duties
Physical Security Specialist (uniformed) ensures a safe and secure environment within various settings - including jurisdictional environments - such as VHA VISNs - Medical Centers and facilities. You are vital to VA Police Services serving as the face of the VA and the first person a Veteran or visitor encounters when entering a VA facility. Provides security and assistance to Veterans - patients - employees - contractors - volunteers - affiliates - visitors - and others who frequent VA facilities daily.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/10/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Please see required documents section for examples of appropriate SF-50's to include. Minimum Qualification Requirements: FIREARM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968 - as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9)). Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Providing physical security and assistance to groups and individuals; ensuring compliance with security procedures designed to safeguard personnel and property; applying knowledge of security and protection regulations - policies - procedures - and practices; utilizing various security equipment and devices; making recommendations to improve security processes; providing physical security consultation services to an organization. Also performs law enforcement assignments such as - responding to reports of crimes and/or calls for police assistance; securing crime scenes and/or accident sites; taking appropriate actions in emergency situations; conducting investigations; keeping abreast of law enforcement rules - regulations and techniques. Applicants must possess excellent communication skills. Or - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree; or - two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or - LL.B. or J.D. Or - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 18 semester hours counting towards a master's degree. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Conflict Management Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal Skills Learning Physical Security Project Management Public Safety and Security Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work requires full use of extremities - normal hearing - and vision to conduct on-site security surveys - inspections - and assessments. The duties require prolonged standing - walking - crouching - bending - lifting - reaching - pushing - stooping - and climbing stairs and ladders indoors and outdoors. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Duties
- Include but not limited to: Conducts audits and provides oversite of Physical Security Specialist at Medical Centers across the VISN
- Establishes - develops - and maintains effective working relationships with other staff offices
- Attends security meetings and gathers new or changed security program information to provide security personnel and others in attendance
- Provides input in discussions and drafts changes for higher leadership's review and approval
- Receives training in conducting system audits and evaluates reports of alleged security violations
- Establishes - develops - and maintains effective working relationships with other staff offices
- Responds to reports of a crime in progress and/or calls for police assistance
- Performs law enforcement work involved in the preservation of the law - the arrest or apprehension of violators and aids citizens in emergencies - including the protection of civil rights
- Utilizes security services - ADP sensitive - non-critical computer system data information for police activities in accordance with agency - ADP security policies
- Assist in evaluating risk and developing procedures and physical security measures designed to safeguard personnel - property - and operations from unauthorized access - espionage - terrorism - sabotage - damage and theft
- Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Senior Physical Security Specialist/PD99797-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Salary : $74,678 - $97,087