Duties

Summary

Do you have a passion for public service? The US Secret Service (USSS) is looking for you! The USSS is a premier law enforcement organization with dual critical national security missions: protect our nation's leaders and to conduct criminal investigations. The USSS is seeking to hire talented supervisory physical scientists in its Forensic Services Division or in its Criminal Investigative Division to support counterfeit or criminal investigations carried out by the Secret Service.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Supervisory Physical Scientist, GS-1301-14, in the Forensic Services Division :

• Evaluates the daily processes of the various branches to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures and to ensure that all critical elements are met to maintain status of an accredited laboratory according to guidelines set forth by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors.
• Coordinates and manages periodic audits of manuals and equipment to determine conformance with approved quality policies and procedures.
• Conceives, plans, coordinates and conducts research and development projects for the solution of highly complex problems related to, for example, latent fingerprint detection, ink identification and dating, credit card analysis, image enhancement, counterfeit currency analysis and forensic evidence tracking and surveillance techniques.
• Testifies under direct or cross-examination, providing expert opinions and interpretations.
• Assists in the preparation for prosecution of criminal cases by advising the U.S. Attorney of the evidentiary value or significance of the results.
• Based on national recognition as a technical expert and authority in forensic science, ma y chair or serve on a multitude of national and international joint tasks forces and committees.
• Performs a full range of supervisory functions.

The Supervisory Physical Scientist, GS-1301-15, in the Criminal Investigative Division :

• Serves as the principal advisor to the Office of Investigations and top agency officials on the conceptualization, development, and presentation of anti-counterfeiting policy, forensic and statistical analysis related to counterfeiting, and forwarding technical security solutions that the United States and other governments may take to prevent counterfeiting of their currencies and obligations. Performs critical reviews of these new counterfeit initiatives and recommends appropriate action to integrate this program into the total Secret Service planning process.
• Designs and develops policies and standards to improve the efficiency and integration of forensic analysis of currency and other questioned documents within the Secret Service. Conducts studies and evaluates program goals and objectives, developing resource estimates necessary to carry out program functions. Ensures that program objectives, as well as program planning and execution, include consideration and viewpoints of all organizations involved.
• Coordinates and conducts research of considerable scope and complexity on new methods and techniques for identifying counterfeit currency and evaluating security features of genuine currency notes from a scientific perspective for the U.S. government and foreign governments.
• Researches and analyzes data and information on high priority cases and on unique and specialized cases requiring a degree of technical and processional knowledge. Testifies before Congressional committees, consulting with appointed officials of the U.S. government and advises high-level officials abroad. Testifies under direct or cross-examination, providing expert opinions and interpretations.
• Advises and assists counterfeit specialists in evaluating the examinations performed on cases to ensure that all decisions and conclusions reached are based on solid and concrete scientific principles which are backed by extensive and repeated experiments and can successfully withstand heated debates and intense scrutiny. Fulfills representational duties of an administrative nature in advisory, negotiating and liaison matters. Responsible for ensuring that staff members are kept informed regarding the latest advances in forensic technology and is responsible for maintaining auditing and the transfer of currency to and from the USSS; and is delegated substantial authority for managing the Counterfeit Currency Processing Facility (CCPF) and Counterfeit Forensics Section (CFS).
• Performs a full range of supervisory functions.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional Travel

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15 - Appointments made at the GS-14 level - the full performance level is GS-14. Appointments made at the GS-15 level - the full performance level is GS-15.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. citizenship is required.

Obtain and maintain a Tier 5 Top Secret; submit to a polygraph examination prior to your appointment; pass a drug test (urinalysis) and certify you have registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, or certify you are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.

Qualifications

You must demonstrate at least one (1) year of the defined specialized experience and meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR).

Specialized experience is defined as performing such duties as:

GS-14: conducts laboratory research and validations; utilizes a full range of forensic techniques, procedures and research methods requiring a high degree of technical and professional knowledge; compiles and analyzes results and presenting conclusions; maintains, tracks, catalogues, and audits the evidence program; identifies quality assurance problems for proposed changes in testing and control; and provides testimony.

GS-15: plans, develops and initiates short and long range anti-counterfeiting policies and procedures; serves as a principle advisor to agency officials on development, and presentation of anti-counterfeiting policy, forensic and statistical analysis related to counterfeiting, and forwarding technical security solutions to governments to prevent counterfeiting of their currencies and obligations; performs critical reviews of counterfeit initiatives and recommends appropriate action; manages subordinate level supervisors in evaluating the examinations performed on cases, and technical operations; and provides expert opinions, interpretations, and testimony.

AND

OPMs Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) is defined as:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/general-physical-science-series-1301/

Accrediting institutions recognized by the United States https://www.ed.gov/

Education

See Qualifications section

Additional information

Our team members continue a tradition of excellence - whether investigating financial crimes or protecting national and visiting foreign leaders. In the USSS we serve the country with duty, loyalty, justice, integrity, and courage.

The USSS, Office of the Investigations is seeking to hire talented physical scientists to serve as principal advisors and to lead subordinate professionals with either an expertise in quality assurance of forensic science disciples in its Forensic Services Division or counterfeit investigations in its Criminal Investigative Division to support criminal investigations carried out by the Secret Service.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

See Qualifications section

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

See How To Apply section

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.