Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (Employee Relations/Suitability)

Bethesda, Maryland Full time

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (Employee Relations/Suitability)

Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

Location(s): Bethesda, Maryland

Salary Range: $102415 - $158322 Per Year

Job Summary: The Office of Human Resources Management (EXHR) provides the full-range of HR programs: staffing, employee development/recognition, position/pay management, personnel records, employee/labor relations advisory services, position classification, performance management, employee benefits/assistance, drug-free workplace, workers' compensation, incentive awards, and payroll/personnel information systems.

Major Duties:

  • The incumbent serves as an HR Specialist located in the Office of Human Resources Management. The incumbent is responsible for the implementation and oversight of CPSC's Personnel Suitability Program and will conduct background investigations and will manage the enrollment and unenrollment of people in Trusted Workforce utilizing the services of Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). As an HR Specialist (Employee Relations/Suitability), you will: Assist in Reviewing Referrals and Investigations - Ensures suitability referrals are appropriate, complete, and within OPM jurisdiction; identifies routine issues and refers complex cases to senior specialists. Conduct Information Gathering - Makes calls or sends written inquiries to clarify or resolve suitability issues and gathers evidence necessary for case assessment. Support Case Review and Closure - Assists in reviewing completed cases to determine if suitability actions are warranted and closes routine cases under supervision. Prepare Draft Summaries and Correspondence - Drafts summaries of issues, evidence, and correspondence for review; communicates with agencies, personnel, applicants and appointees, sources of information, and OPM offices on basic suitability matters. Assist with Projects and New Initiatives - Supports higher-graded specialists in suitability-related projects, policy updates, and training initiatives undertaken by the Adjudications office. Coordinate personnel vetting activities with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), ensuring an efficient, compliant process. Develop and manage relevant policies and procedures to ensure compliance with current personnel vetting initiatives. Serve as CPSC's Personnel Suitability/Security advisor for staff and external partners, properly addressing inquiries, and handling unfavorable determinations regarding suitability or eligibility. Evaluate and adjudicate reports of investigation. Conduct additional inquiries to gather all information needed to assess suitability or eligibility to access national security information — applying sound judgment to uphold suitability/security standards. Responsible for initiating and reviewing completed Standard Form 85, 85P, 86, Personnel Vetting Questionnaires and other questionnaires. Communicate with applicants, employees, and contractors when processing suitability/security packages and requesting updated suitability/security forms. Provide and notify employees of PIV certificate expirations. Develop, implement, and evaluate personnel suitability/security policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with laws, regulations, and agency or corporation directives, while collaborating with internal and external customers/stakeholders to achieve organizational priorities; AND Review complex suitability/security cases by analyzing adverse information to make or recommend final suitability, fitness, or security eligibility determinations.

Qualifications: All applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-12: a) reviewing background investigation reports to determine whether the information is complete, accurate, and sufficient to support suitability, fitness, credentialing, or national security determinations; b) adjudicating personnel vetting cases across multiple domains to apply federal standards and make initial trust determinations; c) updating and maintaining personnel vetting information in automated systems (such as NBIS, eAPP, PIPS/CVS, DISS, or USAccess) to ensure accurate processing and documentation of cases; AND d) coordinating with relevant stakeholders to gather required documentation and support onboarding and continuous vetting activities. GS-13: a) managing complex personnel vetting programs or case work to interpret federal vetting standards, resolve unusual or high-risk issues, and make independent trust determinations with minimal supervision; b) developing or updating personnel vetting policies, procedures, or quality controls to ensure compliance with requirements for the Suitability and Security Executive Agents and improve program effectiveness; c) configuring or overseeing personnel vetting system workflows (such as NBIS initiation, review, authorization, or continuous vetting functions) to support agency-wide vetting activities; AND d) representing the agency in meetings, workgroups, or interagency engagements to provide expert advice, coordinate personnel vetting activities, and support shared suitability/security initiatives. Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. 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. Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position by the closing date of this announcement.

How to Apply: You MUST apply on-line through USAJobs. Your application must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. Uploaded resumes must include the following: applicant contact information and educational and professional background information including dates of employment and education, salary (and Federal grade level, if appropriate), and work schedule (i.e., FT/PT). Incomplete applications will not be considered and you will not be contacted to provide any missing information. To begin the application process, select the "Apply On-line" button to the right on this screen. Then follow the prompts to login/register, submit all required supplemental documents, and complete the application process. If you are having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Help Center. If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Continue to Agency Site' button): please email recruitapps@cpsc.gov between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET; except federal holidays). If receiving any kind of error message, please provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text number.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-01