Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator (GS-11/13)

Summary

Joining the Secret Service, Office of Technical Operations, Aviation and Airspace Security Division will allow you to develop, coordinate, and implement airspace security plans for sites visited by the President and Vice President of the United States or other designated USSS protectees. For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

Duties

The selectee will serve as a(n) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator in the Office of Technical Operations, Aviation and Airspace Security Division. Typical work assignments include: Operating small, unmanned aircraft to conduct aerial surveillance, reconnaissance, site assessments, and related protective activities in support of mission-critical operations. Developing and reviewing flight operations plans, ensuring compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, agency policies, and operational constraints; leading real-time aerial surveillance during events, identifying potential threats or vulnerabilities and relaying critical imagery and data to protective teams. Testing, troubleshooting and evaluating Unmanned Aircraft Systems technologies and countermeasures, contributing to strategic Unmanned Aircraft Systems program development. Apply for this exciting opportunity to support the Secret Service's mission by providing a technically secure environment for the President of the United States, Vice-President of the United States, and other protectees, and to provide leading edge technical support to criminal investigations conducted by the agency. This Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator position starts at a salary of $85,447.00, GS -11 step 1, with promotion potential to $158,322.00, GS-13 step 10.

Qualifications

To be considered qualified for this position you must meet the following qualification requirements for the respective grade level in which you are applying. GS-11: You qualify for the GS-11 level (starting salary $85,447) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level performing duties such as: - Assisting with the operation or maintenance of unmanned aircraft systems to support aerial surveillance or protective activities. - Collecting or analyzing unmanned aircraft systems sensor data to aid in threat identification or situational awareness. - Participating in the preparation of operational reports or summaries to contribute to protective planning and asset deployment. OR You have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related, from an accredited college or university that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this work. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) to support your claim). OR You have a combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (beyond 2 years of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement. Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience to support your claim). GS-12: You qualify for the GS-12 level (starting salary $102,415) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level performing duties such as: - Executing Unmanned Aerial Systems operations, such as threat detection, identification, tracking, and mitigation. - Contributing to asset positioning or protective strategies via the development of reports. - Administering or delivering training on Unmanned Aerial Systems, procedures, or policy to stakeholders. GS-13: You qualify for the GS-13 level (starting salary $121,785) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level performing duties such as: - Planning, coordinating, or executing Unmanned Aerial Systems missions. - Developing or implementing standard operating procedures, flight protocols, or drone strategies. - Providing training, mentoring, or leadership in drone tactics or counter- Unmanned Aerial Systems procedures Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current competitive service employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to comply. The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement. 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. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship is required. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service If selected for this position, you will be required to: Obtain and maintain a Top Secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page. Submit to a Full-Scope polygraph examination prior to your appointment. Submit a credit check after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position. This position requires the incumbent to undergo and pass a physical fitness assessment as required by Secret Service policy. Applicants must possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license at the time of appointment, must maintain license while employed in the position and will be required to operate motor vehicles in accordance with applicable OPM regulations and related USSS requirements. This position requires the incumbent perform irregular shift work with adjustment in shift with little to no advance notification. Hours of work encompass fluctuating tours of duty to include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Overtime may be required as directed and the incumbent is subject to recall for extended periods. This position requires an active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate or Department of Defense equivalent with UAS flight experience, including both Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) and fixed-wing platforms. Individual must sucessfully recertify every two years. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

if you are qualifying for a position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

How you will be evaluated

Applications will be evaluated based on relevant experience, education, and training. All responses must be supported by information in your resume. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review only the first two pages of your resume, beginning with your work experience, to assess required specialized experience. Additional materials, such as cover letters or embedded links, will not be considered. Applicants who pass the resume review will advance to the next assessment phase. To be considered, your resume and supporting documents must support your responses and demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience. Qualified candidates will participate in a pre-certificate structured interview. Those rated best qualified will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Candidates will be evaluated on the competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position. Aircraft Maintenance Attention to Detail Compliance Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Planning and Evaluating Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP/CTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be deemed qualified based on the structured resume review, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures.) View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets. An interview may be required for this position. If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration. Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). After the U.S. Secret Service completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. PLEASE NOTE: Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/29/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS, Complete the online questionnaire and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail. You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 10/29/2026. To view the required online questionnaire please visit https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13096244 To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides the Announcement Status and a "You applied on" date. This information does not confirm the agency application status. Use the "Track this Application" link for additional information regarding the agency application status, the documentation you submitted, and any correspondence sent related to this application. The Announcement Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact the Non-Law Enforcement Talent Acquisition Division at HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov OR by calling (202) 406-6420 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm EST (excluding Federal holidays) prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance. The Secret Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

Other information

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to HRsupport@usss.dhs.gov. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. This position is covered by Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) and additional compensation may be paid at the rate of up to 25% of the base salary. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone) (exception: a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring is authorized on one finger).