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Intelligence Operations Specialist

NASA•Kennedy Space Center, Florida• Full Time
Posted 12 hours ago• Business & Finance• Mechanical

Compensation

$107,228–139,398/year

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Job Description

Summary

You will serve as a Counterintelligence Special Agent in NASA's Defensive Counterintelligence Program, assigned to the Counterintelligence (CI)/Counterterrorism (CT) Office at Kennedy Space Center. You will be responsible for providing CI support to research and technology at NASA, providing CI education and awareness to NASA personnel, and conducting CI inquiries and investigations with U.S. Government agency partners.

Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/02/2026 to 01/08/2026
Salary
$107,228 to - $139,398 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location

Who Can Apply

Veterans who are eligible for Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), who are 30% or more disabled, or disabled veterans who have completed a VA training program. This position is also open to: · Current permanent federal employees of an excepted service agency with an OPM interchange agreement · NASA term employees with conversion eligibility under the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004

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Duties

  • Coordinates Counterintelligence (CI) and Counterterrorism (CT) support to protect people, information, operations, facilities, and research
  • Produces and distributes annual Center CI Threat Assessments and other Threat Assessments, CI/CT Executive Briefs and other threat reporting, as required.
  • Provides foreign travel CI/CT threat briefings to NASA employees and contractors going to "Designated" or other high intelligence threat countries.
  • Issues foreign national (FN) visitor CI/CT threat briefings to NASA employees the FNs will meet with and conducts name checks on FN visitors or new employees from high intelligence threat countries.
  • Conducts CI/CT inquiries, properly documents all investigative activity, and coordinates with servicing FBI office on all national security concerns.
  • Administers focused CI support to sensitive NASA research and development programs and to leading-edge technologies/capabilities. Provides CI/CT education and awareness to entire Center workforce.
  • Presents “Special Event” Threat Assessments to Center Leadership, program managers, and the NASA Security Office for “open house” type events, certain high interest launches, etc., and provides onsite CI/CT support during such activities.

Requirements

  • This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
  • This position may require a one-year probationary/trial period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. **See Additional Information section**
  • Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Position subject to pre-employment background security investigation.
  • If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

  • Participating in counterintelligence (CI) investigations to identify threats posed by foreign intelligence or terrorist groups;
  • Developing written reports of investigative findings to identify indications of foreign intelligence or foreign terrorism activity;
  • Preparing counterintelligence briefings to provide awareness of foreign intelligence and foreign terrorist groups' tactics and techniques.
Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Evaluation

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

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or assessment questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments. They may also be evaluated during a structured interview:

  • Counterintelligence/Counterterrorism Analysis, Investigations
  • Oral Communication
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Security and Program Protection
  • Writing

NASA considers 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.

Under NASA's quality grouping process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of three groups identified and defined below:
  • Best Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
  • Highly Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria.
  • Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Candidates eligible for ICTAP/CTAP, reemployment priority or priority consideration will be referred before other candidates, as necessary. If no such candidates apply or are eligible to be referred, the following candidates will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration:
  • Best Qualified merit promotion candidates. Highly Qualified merit promotion candidates may also be referred, if additional candidates are needed.
  • Qualified candidates eligible for consideration under Schedule A or VRA in accordance with veterans' preference rules, as applicable.
  • Qualified candidates that are eligible for special hiring authorities or non-competitive hiring authorities.
NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: [email protected].

Required Documents

All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected by USAJOBS. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize including experience and relevant qualifications that directly align with the position advertised. All work experience and accomplishments must be associated with dates (month/year) to allow for accurate qualification assessment.

A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: . Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire.

Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified:

  • Classified or government sensitive information.
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.

The following documents are required:
  • Resume


There may be other supporting documents (Notification of Personnel Action SF-50, licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may have to submit, please verify your application. Do not submit an OF-306 with your application.

If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For more information on veterans' preference and possible other supporting documents that you may have to submit, please visit FedshireVets.

If you are applying for consideration under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority, you must provide:

  • Spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty: documentation showing 1) your spouse's active duty status and 2) your marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage certificate or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
  • Spouse of service members who incurred a 100% disability because of the service member's active duty service: documentation showing 1) the member of the armed forces retired, or was released or discharged from active duty, with a disability rating of 100 percent; and 2) documentation of marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
  • Spouse of service members killed while on active duty: documentation showing 1) the member was released or discharged from active duty due to his or her death while on active duty; 2) the member of the armed forces was killed while serving on active duty; 3) proof of the widow or widower's marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage); and 4) a statement certifying that the individual seeking to use the authority is the un-remarried widow or widower of the service member.
Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.

Job Details

Department
Mechanical
Category
Business & Finance
Employment Type
Full Time
Location
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Posted
Jan 2, 2026, 12:00 AM
Compensation
$107,228 - $139,398 per year

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