Summary This position serves as the Security Assistant for Police Service Erie VAMC within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with a primary purpose to monitor physical security equipment and systems. Responsibilities Physical Security Support: monitors and responds to alarms; traces access patterns, programming, assigns or removes user permissions, and remotely opens and secures doors during routine and emergency operations; determines when to dispatch law enforcement or other personnel to investigate; maintains radio/alarm activity records/logs to include dates, times, and results of communications and activities; prepares completed reports; issues and retrieves government issued keys and/or identification cards; and maintains accountability of Police Officer badges issued and all associated logs. Communications: monitors and receives routine and emergency calls from a variety of sources that need police, fire, medical or other emergency services; maintains contact with law enforcement units; monitors and directs responses to security and life safety communications, radio dispatches, telephone calls, and other emergency communication circuits; coordinates with various federal, state and local law enforcement officials for coordination of emergency situations; and operates a variety of communications equipment, telephones and computer systems to support both routine and emergency operations. Operations Support: performs system checks on a variety of equipment used in the dispatch center; troubleshoots systems when problems arise and resolves issues whenever possible; conducts equipment inventories and completes records and other logs; enters, updates and retrieves information from a variety of computer systems/databases; uses state and the National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) to access sensitive law enforcement information to support field operations and investigations; enters or updates regional and national records; compiles and prepares reports related to events occurring in the operation of the police control center; completes vehicle registration tasks and issues decals and permits. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Tour of duty is compressed schedule, rotating days, nights, weekends and holidays, 6pm - 6am or 6am - 6pm Compressed/Flexible: As Indicated Above Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Description/PD#: Security Assistant/PD99858A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Attendance in the 40 hour Dispatcher Course offered by the Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC) is required You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/25/2025.You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-05: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include the use of various computer, automation systems; computer skills in terms of data entry, compiling information, preparing and submitting reports, and database maintenance and management; maintaining confidentiality of information, both electronic and print; and communication and interpersonal relation skills sufficient to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers both verbally and in writing. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 4 years of education above high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.) TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED IF YOU ARE USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFYOR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education such as: education that is less than described above, and specialized experience that is less than described above. (For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED IF YOU ARE USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY Applicants for This Position Must be Able to Pass Certain Background Requirements as Outlined Below: Security Assistants need to be eligible to gain access to, and maintain access to, the Pennsylvania Justice Network and connected systems (CLEAN/NCIC). Users of these system may not have Significant Convictions, which are defined as: Conviction or under indictment for any felony Conviction for any misdemeanor 1 (M1) or equivalently graded crimes code classification Conviction and incarceration for any misdemeanors within last ten years Conviction for any two misdemeanors within the last ten years Conviction for any computer related crime, tampering with public records, or unlawful access to stored communications You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications Computer Skills Manages and Organizes Information Security Technology Application 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; religions; 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: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
