Physical Security Officer

You will serve as the Physical Security Officer with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). You will be responsible for managing the USGS Physical Security Program and implementation of the Interagency Security Committee standards for U.S. government facilities.

Major duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Oversee the Physical Security Section, providing leadership, technical oversight, and direction to staff conducting physical security assessments and inspections across all Bureau, Regions, Mission Areas, Centers, and supported personnel. Oversee and conduct Interagency Security Committee (ISC) compliant assessments for Agency facilities, identify security vulnerabilities in systems, procedures, and infrastructure, and determine threat levels to establish appropriate countermeasure baselines. Develop, maintain, and update physical security policies, guidance materials, and threat definitions, ensuring alignment with DOI and Interagency Security Committee (ISC) requirements and evolving security conditions. Serve as a subject matter expert to senior leadership, participating in interdisciplinary and interagency teams to support strategic planning, reengineering initiatives, and bureau-wide physical security programs, including education, awareness, and active-shooter training. Prepare and review all physical security correspondence, including mandated reports, cover letters, and documentation related to physical security activities and compliance.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/16/2026 - 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. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Examples of GS-12 level work include experience in leading, developing and maintaining a physical security program; providing technical guidance to other physical security specialists and management in both physical security and insider threat; proficiency in managing and evaluating systems such as CCTV, alarms, intrusion detection systems, and physical access controls; ability to conduct and review in-depth security inspections, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend tailored countermeasures; and providing recommendations to upper management on difficult security issues. Assignments at this level are planned and carried out independently, resolving most conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary, relating new work situations to precedent ones, extending, or modifying existing techniques, and interpreting and applying program policy in terms of established objectives. You must include hours per week worked. 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.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. 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/. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.. 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary 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 period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.