Supervisory Security Specialist

This position is located at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Services (ARS), The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), located in Manhattan, Kansas.

The mission of the NBAF Security unit is to focus on preventing unauthorized access to personnel, equipment, facilities, materials and safeguarding property from damage/theft; conducting intrusion and security risk assessment surveys and inspections to ensure security systems are in place and functional. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are:
Qualifying experience for GS-14 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-13 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience overseeing security operations; planning and developing projects or programs related to physical security;

leading investigations related to security violations; and providing briefings or advice to personnel regarding security issues or recommendations.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri Corps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To comply with USDA personnel security requirements and requirements of the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP) for access to information and areas with Biological Select Agents and Toxins (BSAT), including Tier One Select Agents at NBAF, the incumbent must meet the following:

• Pre-employment and random testing of substances of abuse;
• Participation in and adherence to the facility's Occupational Health Program;
  Participation in and adherence to the facility's Personal Reliability Program;
• The ability to obtain/maintain favorably adjudicated Background Investigations or Security clearances (required by USDA);
• The ability to obtain/maintain a favorable Security Risk Assessment (required by FSAP).
• As a condition of employment, the requirements listed above must be met.

The position supports the biocontainment facilities and may require entry into biosafety level (BSL) 3, 3 enhanced, 3 Ag and BSL-4 labs. The incumbent must demonstrate the physical and psychological capability to conduct normal duties that are appropriate to their position. To prevent the transmission of disease out of biocontainment and retention of the position, the incumbent must meet the following medical standards in a pre-employment medical examination conducted after the receipt of a preliminary job offer and on a periodic basis:

• Ability to shower out of biocontainment one or more times per day;
• Not have any skin condition which would prevent this;
• Body piercings must be able to be removed prior to entry;
• External medical assist devices must have the ability to be removed prior to entering or not impede the ability to enter biocontainment, and the individual must still be able to shower out safely without assistance;
• Ability to follow instructions regarding decontamination from biocontainment;
• Any medical condition which could create an unsafe environment for the individual or his/her co-workers, such as: insufficient control of a medical disorder which could result in sudden loss of consciousness; and inadequate vision and hearing required for safety in a laboratory environment.

Medical confidentiality will be maintained by the examining physician and only fitness (or…