SummarySecuring Travel, Protecting People
– At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life.
In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America’s transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.
For additional information about our agency please: Click HereResponsibilitiesIf selected as a Transportation Security Specialist
– Explosives (TSS-E) within Security Operations (SO), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), you will serve as a journey-level subject matter expert for the Federal Security Director (FSD) at designated airports on all issues involving threats to thetraveling public from explosives andImprovised Explosive Devices (IEDs).Duties include, but are not limited to: Serving as a key component of a multi-layered security approach.Applying experience and technical knowledge of explosives to assess threats.Educating the screening workforce in the detection of threats.Supporting explosive vulnerability assessments in all modes of transportation.Responding to and assessing all unresolved checkpoint and checked baggage alarms involving possible explosives, IED components or actual IEDs, rendering a final decision on alarm resolution.Assessing the interrelationships between initiators, power supplies, and chemicals.
Determining if devices are improvised explosives, commercial explosives, ormixed explosives (fuel mixtures).Deploying in support of risk mitigation efforts to deter, detect, and prevent the introduction of IEDs, IED components or other deadly or dangerous items into the airport environment.Participating with evaluation teams in conducting covert drills to determine effectiveness of the training programs, recommending individuals remediation, and identifying potential security vulnerabilities.Mentoring and training the front line screening workforce to increase their operational knowledge of explosives and IED components.RequirementsConditions of EmploymentYou must possess U.S.
Citizenship or be a U.S.
National.You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.Must pass pre-employment drug screening AND random drug/alcohol testing.You must submit a Bomb Disposal Graduation/Certification certificate.Selective Service registration is required.See “Conditions of Employment” and “Other Information” sections.You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.Selectees must successfully complete all TSS-Explosives training and on the job training (OJT) requirements to remain in the program.
Failure to successfully complete the entire selection process including all TSS-Explosives training and OJT requirements will result in termination of employment.PLEASE NOTE: Candidates who become eligible for the structured interview will be required to travel at their own expense to theinterviewlocation unless other arrangements are made by TSA officials.
Selection for this position will be made only from among applicants possessing the best qualifications.Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher.
(This positionis not considered scientific/professional.) Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify.
View information on veterans’ preference .Conditions of Employment: You must pass pre-employment drug screening AND you will be subject to post-employment random drug and alcohol testing.Requires a successful background investigation for a secret level security clearance and must maintain eligibility for designated clearance.You must possess United States’ Citizenship or be a U.S.
National.Must be available to work various shifts and overtime, as needed.You must be willing to undertake extensive travel, at times overnight, as required.You must meet and maintain medical requirements as stated in the TSA Medical Guidelines for Transportation Security Specialist
– Explosives (for more information, click here).Exposure to potentially lethal devices and dangerous chemicals is inherent in this position.QualificationsSpecialized Experience Requirement: For the SV-H Band: Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the SV-G Pay Band or GS-11 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector) that includes performing duties such as: Assisting with bomb program management responsibilities such as participating as a team member on a bomb squad to include ensuring program requirements were followed, making recommendations on procedures or helping implement processes under the direction of a program manager.Responding to alarms involving possible explosives, IED components, or actual IEDs.
Assessing the interrelationship between initiators, power supplies, switches, and chemicals to determine if the device is an improvised explosive, commercial explosive, ormilitary explosive.
Basic Qualification Requirement: You must be a graduate from an accredited IED/bomb disposal course coupled with field experience as a military or civilian Bomb Appraisal Officer,EOD Technician, Bomb Technician, or similar position.
The accredited bomb disposal schools are Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (the joint service military EOD school) or the Hazardous Devices School (civilian).
Graduation certificate must be attached to the application or certification in electronic applications with class number and date along with all assignments to squad and military EOD units.
Quality Ranking Factor: Specialized experience acquired within the last five years immediately preceding application has been identified as a Quality Ranking Factor for this position.
This means that applicants who have specialized experience within the last five years will receive additional credit for this experience as part of the candidate evaluation process.
National Service Experience (i.e., 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.
Note: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek.
Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience.
No additional credit is given for overtime.EducationAdditional InformationEligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer “Competitive Status” that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies.
Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: http://www.opm.gov .To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.
To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.
Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual.
Information about an individual’s employment experience will be used only to determine the person’s qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Although an individual’s personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.
For more information, click here .Payment of relocation expenses (Permanent Change of Station) is not authorized.Qualified non-competitive eligible candidates may be referred for consideration on a separate, unranked list.More than one position may be filled from this announcement.If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.This position is within theTechnical category of TSA’s Core Compensation Plan.
TSA policy requires verification of Selective Service registration for male applicants born after 12/31/59.
For more information click here .View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.Veterans and persons with disabilit