SECURITY SPECIALIST (PROTECTION) (GS-12)
Army National Guard Units
Helena, MT · $90k–$116k a year · Posted November 4, 2026
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- Best cities for security jobs #1 San Francisco (316 openings)
- Best cities for security pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($241k)
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- Employers with the most security jobs #1 Amazon (318 roles)
Pay compared with the market
This listing pays about $102,935 a year. Across 41 open security specialist listings that state pay, the middle half runs $80,500 to $118,000 and the median is $103,000. That is inside the middle half of those listings and at the median.
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AI use among security guards is little observed so far. Measured exposure for security guards: 0% (little observed).
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About the job
Summary
THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 32 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION. This National Guard position is for a SECURITY SPECIALIST (PROTECTION), Position Description Number D1164P01, and is part of the Montana Army National Guard, J3/7. (A copy of the Position Description can be obtained from HRO upon request.) Selecting Official: LTC Genger
Duties
Serves as the JFHQ-State authority and expert on all matters involving protection functional elements and integration of enabling functional requirements, policy, procedures, program status and serves as the conduit of information between the intelligence community and local state and federal law enforcement. Serves as the focal point to coordinate, de-conflict, and integrate various force protection staff initiatives, policies, and activities within the state. Serves as consultant to the Adjutant General, JFHQ-State, and unit commanders on protection. Establishes working relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies operating within the state on behalf of the Adjutant General. Conducts intelligence integration and information operations to assess potential threat and creates JFHQ-State integrated protection program. Prepares protection plans, templates and planning tools for subordinate units, writes comprehensive all hazard plans, directs the use of active, and passive security measures, and incorporates random antiterrorism measures to protect personnel, installations and Geographically Separated Units (GSU's), conducts protection resource management to prioritize and generate protective measure. Reviews practices and activities to ensure compliance with directives and integration with other security and related programs. Provides recommendations, briefings, updates, and staff studies across a broad range of security specialties to influence installation-level decision-making and policy development. Responsible for synchronizing daily operations and integration, coordination and plans resource management requirements for the Protection Program functional elements of Antiterrorism (AT), Intelligence Support to Antiterrorism, Emergency Management (EM), Insider Threat, LawEnforcement (LE), Mission Assurance (MA), and Physical Security (PS) for the State. Integrates subfunctional areas and develops a holistic protection program that meets the Adjutant General's objectives, Army National Guard (ARNG), Air National Guard (ANG), National Guard Bureau (NGB), Army regulatory, and Air Force Instruction requirements. Involves all measures related security for all state installations, facilities, arms/munitions storage activities, and personnel. Often interprets broad, non-specific higher headquarters directives for ARNG/ANG applicability and implementation. When U.S., DoD, NGB, Unified Commands, Army and Air Force directives are not specific, formulates local protection procedures and policies based on unique command and operational needs. On a regular basis, accomplishes assignments requiring application of new concepts and theories to security problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted security measures or procedures. Receives filter, focus, and fuse information from military intelligence sources, publicly available information sources, and local, state and federal law enforcement sources to develop a clear understanding of real or potential threat to all state forces. Must review classified information and determine what information constitutes law enforcement sensitive information. Responsible for the declassification of military intelligence that is deemed law enforcement sensitive and requires dissemination to local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies operating within the state. Plans, conducts, directs the conduct of, or coordinates on site security studies, projects, assessments, and surveys of the State in relationship to protection activities. Works with engineers to assess and sign off on all construction projects within the state to ascertain that protection construction standards are complied with. Activities assessed may encompass all security specialties. Analyzes data to identify physical and operations security compliance or non-compliance, vulnerabilities, trends, strengths, and benchmarks. Determines, formulates, coordinates, and implements specific JFHQ-State guidance and actions to correct security deficiencies, overcome vague or competing requirements, promote the growth of sound security procedures, and justify major fiscal expenditures and procurement of needed security technology, security aids and equipment, manpower, and infrastructure. Represents the Adjutant General at meetings, conferences, workshops, panels, etc., at NGB, MAJCOM, MACOM and other federal agency levels as the state Protection Officer. Serves as the chairperson for various boards and working groups to include intra-agency or inter-organizational committees to identify and resolve or to assign responsibilities for resolving safeguards and security issues or to perform similar work assignments, the Protection charters and Threat Working Group. Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Military Grades: O2/1LT - O4/MAJ GENERAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Must have experience that may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Must have at least 1 year equivalent to at least next lower grade level of experience, education or training in collecting and analyzing data effectively, efficiently, and accurately. Able to apply procedures and directives by reading and interpreting technical material. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing, using presentation and report formats. Demonstrated ability to follow directions, to read, understand, and retain a variety of instructions, regulations, and procedures. Learned ability to assess the surrounding environment to recognize immediate risk levels. Must have the education and validated understanding of the basic principles and concepts of the occupational series and grade for one of the seven organizational program disciplines and its applicable Security Series career. ***(MUST address your experiences in detail on your resume as they relate to these general and specialized experience requirements, to be considered for this position)*** PLACEMENT STATUS/TENURE OF SELECTEE: TEMPORARY PROMOTION/REASSIGNMENT/CHANGE TO LOWER GRADE - For Title 32 permanent selectees only: This is an obligated position. If a permanent employee of this agency and in the Title 32 Excepted civil service accepts this position, he/she will retain their permanent status AND have rights to return to their previous Title 32 position. TEMPORARY PROMOTION/REASSIGNMENT/CHANGE TO LOWER GRADE - For Title 32 Indefinite selectees only: This is an obligated position. If an indefinite employee of this agency and in the Title 32 Excepted civil service accepts this position, he/she will retain their indefinite status AND may return to their previous Title 32 indefinite position if it is still available. INDEFINITE APPOINTMENT - For Current Title 5 selectees only: This is an obligated position. If an on-board employee in the Title 5 excepted civil service accepts this position, he/she will convert to a T32 indefinite appointment (tenure 3). This employee will have no reemployment rights to their previous T5 position. INDEFINITE APPOINTMENT - State National Guard Members (includes T32 NTE employees and MTNG members not currently a federal employee): This is an obligated position. Selectee will be appointed as an indefinite employee (tenure 3).
How you will be evaluated
Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
How to apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13107459 A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Other information
If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)).