PSYCHOLOGIST

About the role

Trust Decision's Behavioral Science Division is seeking an experienced psychologist to advise personnel security specialists on psychological conditions and substance use. You will conduct psychological evaluations, prepare specialized consultations for adjudicative staff, and serve as a technical expert on risks for espionage, sabotage, or directed violence. This is a unique opportunity for clinical/forensic psychologists with extensive knowledge of personnel security issues.

Responsibilities

• Independently conducts high-volume psychological evaluations (averaging at least 150 annually) for national security and suitability purposes, utilizing clinical interviews and behavioral health records to identify potential security, counterintelligence (CI), or insider risk concerns.
• Consults and communicates directly with other psychologists, personnel security adjudicators, attorneys and supervisors on psychological conditions and behaviors of concern which may be relevant to personnel security.
• Reviews reports created by the evaluating health care professional to ensure these reports meet adjudicative readiness, communicating directly with medical professionals to collaboratively resolve ambiguities or lack of specificity in received work products.
• Creates concise and informative reports for personnel security professionals, insider risk professionals, and security leadership based on an expert level knowledge of psychological principles.
• Reviews work products of allied professionals, such as personnel security specialists and consulting and embedded psychologists for technical accuracy and professional sufficiency; works with leadership to rectify defects and ensure contract compliance.
• Provides trainings, research presentations, or orientations to work groups within Trust Decision Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Department of War and other United States Government and professional agencies, alone or in coordination with personnel security specialists.
• Provides professional support to ensure branch-wide productivity of adjudicators, psychologists and other branch members meet Trust Decision (Adjudications) and DCSA standards.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12‑31‑59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must be a licensed clinical psychologist in a U.S. state or territory.
• Relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants.
• This is a Drug Testing designated position; a negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the entry‑on‑date.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in clinical psychology is required for grades GS‑11 and above.
• Specialized experience must include:
  • Extensive familiarity with psycho‑pharmacology and other psychological treatments;
  • Working knowledge of psychopathology including personality disorders and substance use disorders;
  • Providing briefings on psychologically relevant topics to a variety of audiences, including senior leaders;
  • Conducting, supervising or reviewing psychological evaluations for security purposes or other forensic/clinical evaluations.
• Key competencies evaluated:
  • Psychology – Knowledge of human behavior and performance, mental processes, and assessment/treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • Planning and Evaluating – Organizes work, sets priorities, determines resource requirements, establishes goals, coordinates with others, monitors progress, and evaluates outcomes.
  • Reasoning – Identifies rules, principles, or relationships; analyzes information and draws accurate conclusions.
• Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Schedule

• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Overtime: Occasionally
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• PCS (Permanent Change of Station): Not Authorized
• FLSA: Exempt
• Telework Eligibility: Supervisors may