What are the responsibilities and job description for the Personnel Security Specialist Section Supervisor position at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)?
Description
Are you a security professional looking for a rewarding leadership opportunity in Personnel Security? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and enjoy leading a team to drive innovation, compliance, and efficiency?
In this role, you will oversee and manage a team of nine Personnel Security Specialists within the Security Services Department (SECD). You will play a key role in ensuring compliance with security policies and procedures, streamlining workflows, and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration. Your leadership will be instrumental in enhancing processes, managing security operations, and providing strategic guidance to support APL’s mission and its sponsors.
As the Personnel Security Specialist Section Supervisor, you will:
Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications if you:
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at http://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.
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About Us
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity of perspectives, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.
The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Minimum Rate
$62,900 Annually
Maximum Rate
$180,300 Annually
Are you a security professional looking for a rewarding leadership opportunity in Personnel Security? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and enjoy leading a team to drive innovation, compliance, and efficiency?
If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL as a Personnel Security Specialist Section Supervisor.
In this role, you will oversee and manage a team of nine Personnel Security Specialists within the Security Services Department (SECD). You will play a key role in ensuring compliance with security policies and procedures, streamlining workflows, and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration. Your leadership will be instrumental in enhancing processes, managing security operations, and providing strategic guidance to support APL’s mission and its sponsors.
As the Personnel Security Specialist Section Supervisor, you will:
- Lead and Manage the Personnel Security Team (ZSG-001) – Oversee team operations, provide guidance, and support career growth and professional development.
- Coordinate with Leadership & Government Security Agencies – Collaborate with the Facility Security Officer (FSO), ZSG leadership, and DCSA on NISP and DoD security policy interpretations, risk management, and compliance.
- Ensure Compliance & Policy Implementation – Maintain adherence to government regulations, security policies, and procedural changes while providing strategic recommendations for workflow improvements.
- Ensure internal policies and procedures, (Standard Operating Procedures for Personnel Security), are maintained and updated as necessary.
- Oversee Personnel Security Operations – Manage personnel clearance processing, badging, adverse information reporting, security incident investigations, and administrative inquiries within a Type AA facility program.
- Administer Business Functions – Support hiring and retention efforts, oversee section operations, and evaluate team performance.
- Support Departmental Strategy – Contribute to the development and execution of SECD’s strategic goals and operational priorities.
- Analyze & Improve Processes – Conduct workflow and security assessments, identify best practices, and implement process automation to enhance efficiency.
- Manage Security Systems & Reporting – Oversee internal and external security databases (SIMS, NBIS, NISS, DISS), ensuring data integrity and accurate, timely submissions of clearance requests.
- Communicate Policy & Regulatory Changes – Provide timely updates to management and team members regarding changes to security policies, government regulations, and compliance requirements.
Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications if you:
- Possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience in a related field.
- Have 3 years of experience as a Personnel Security Specialist or in a related security role.
- Demonstrate strong leadership, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
- Have demonstrated understating of Federal Investigative Standards (FIS), Security Executive Agent Directives (SEADs), Executive Orders (EOs), and U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (US CFR).
- Possess experience with security databases such as SIMS, NBIS, NISS, and/or DISS.
- Exhibit excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across all levels of staff, leadership, and government agencies (e.g., DCSA, NCIS, NAVSEA, etc.).
- Have expertise in personnel security, security investigations, and audits.
- Are adaptable, able to manage change, and effectively resolve issues in a high-paced, multi-program environment.
- Demonstrate a track record of integrity, leadership, and operational excellence.
- Hold an active Secret security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Top Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.
Why Work at APL?
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at http://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.
#LI-AG1
About Us
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity of perspectives, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.
The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Minimum Rate
$62,900 Annually
Maximum Rate
$180,300 Annually
Salary : $62,900 - $180,300
