PSYCHOLOGIST

Summary

Trust Decision's Behavioral Science Division is seeking an experienced psychologist to advise personnel security specialists on psychological conditions/substance use. You will conduct psychological evaluations, prepare specialized consultations for adjudicative staff, and serve as a technical expert on risks for espionage, sabotage, or directed violence. This is a unique opportunity for clinical/forensic psychologists with extensive knowledge of personnel security issues.

Duties

As a PSYCHOLOGIST you will be responsible for the following duties: 1. Independently conducts high-volume psychological evaluations (averaging at least 150 annually) for national security and suitability purposes, utilizing clinical interviews and behavioral health records to identify potential security, counterintelligence (CI), or insider risk concerns. 2.Consults and communicates directly with other psychologists, personnel security adjudicators, attorneys and supervisors on psychological conditions and behaviors of concern which may be relevant to personnel security. 3. Reviews reports created by the evaluating health care professional to ensure these reports meet adjudicative readiness, communicating directly with medical professionals to collaboratively resolve ambiguities or lack of specificity in received work products. 4. Creates concise and informative reports for personnel security professionals, insider risk professionals, and security leadership based on an expert level knowledge of psychological principles. 5. Reviews work products of allied professionals, such as personnel security specialists and consulting and embedded psychologists for technical accuracy and professional sufficiency; works with leadership to rectify defects and ensure contract compliance. 6. Provides trainings, research presentations, or orientations to work groups within Trust Decision Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Department of War and other United Stated Government and professional agencies, alone or in coordination with personnel security specialists. 7. Provides professional support to ensure branch-wide productivity of adjudicators, psychologists and other branch members meet Trust Decision (Adjudications) and DCSA standards Qualifications

This position has a Basic Requirement for the 0180: Degree: major or equivalent in psychology for all specializations except clinical psychology and counseling psychology. These two specializations have additional educational requirements, as stated below: Clinical psychology: For positions at grades GS-11 and above, satisfactory completion of all the requirements for the doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) directly related to full professional work in clinical psychology is required. Counseling psychology: For positions at grades GS-9 and above, satisfactory completion of 2 full academic years of graduate study directly related to professional work in counseling psychology, or satisfactory completion in an accredited educational institution of all the requirements for a master's degree directly related to counseling psychology is required. *NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened from the Office of Personnel Management's (OPMs) basic qualifications requirements. See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/psychology-series-0180/ for OPM qualification standards, competencies and specialized experience needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the MAJOR DUTIES and QUALIFICATIONS sections of this announcement by 09/17/2026 Applicant must have directly applicable experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have specialized experience sufficient to demonstrate that you have acquired all the competencies necessary to perform at a level equivalent in difficulty, responsibility, and complexity to the next lower grade GS/GG-12 in the Federal service and are prepared to take on greater responsibility. Generally, this would include one year or more of such specialized experience. Specialized experience for this position includes: Extensive familiarity with psycho-pharmacology and other psychological treatments; Working knowledge of psychopathology including personality disorders and substance use disorders; Providing briefings on psychologically relevant topics to a variety of audiences, including senior leaders; Conducting, supervising or reviewing psychological evaluations for security purposes or other forensic/clinical evaluations. Specifically you will be evaluated on the following competencies: 1. Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. 2. Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes. 3. Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level. How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the SME Resume Panel review. Application Questionnaire: Applicants must complete a screen out questionnaire as part of the application process. Applicants identified as meeting the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications for the position may move on to the SME Resume Panel review. EXCEPTED SERVICE PILOT REVIEW: Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Competencies: Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Teamwork, Problem Solving, and Attention to Detail You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation. Top ranked candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further review and consideration. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified'. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. All eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Other Information

VETERANS PREFERENCE/CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, veterans preference is not required to be applied when considering candidates with prior Federal competitive or excepted service who have completed a probationary or trial period and have not been separated for cause. Therefore, veterans preference will not be applied to applicants with current federal service, or former federal civilian service meeting the above criteria. Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf Applicants selected from this announcement may be required to serve a two-year trial period. If selected, Federal employees currently serving in the competitive service must acknowledge that they will voluntarily leave the competitive service by accepting an offer of employment for a DCIPS excepted service positions. If selected, non-DCIPS candidates must acknowledge in writing that the position they have been selected for is in the excepted service and covered by DCIPS. All Defense Intelligence positions under the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) are in the excepted service by specific statue, 10 U.S.C. 1601. This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status. For more information on the DCIPS occupational structure click here. For more information about career advancement in DCIPS click here. This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment. You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position. As required by 5 C.F.R. § 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. § 1194).