WATCH OFFICER

Duties

• Lead the multi-service Joint Operations Center (JOC) watch team to monitor emergent national security threats across air, land, maritime, and space domains.
• Serve as the primary point of contact to the Joint Staff for all Emergency Action Procedures (EAPs) to maintain continuous strategic connectivity.
• Recommend courses of action during real-world crises, contingencies, and theater exercises collaborating with USSOUTHCOM leadership to provide threat assessments to senior decision-makers.
• Brief daily USSOUTHCOM Operations Briefs, critical information papers, and operational messages to facilitate seamless communication and liaison across Joint Staff, Component Commands, Interagency partners, and country teams.
• Implement communication systems ensuring 100% watch-stander proficiency and uninterrupted theater command and control.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Position requires a Security Clearance at the TOP SECRET/Special Sensitive Level as the incumbent will be required to access, process, use, and safeguard classified National Defense information.
• This position is covered by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Program. The incumbent must pass urinalysis testing, as required prior to appointment and periodically thereafter.
• Business travel can be anticipated. Travel by military and/or commercial aircraft may be required in attending training, visiting other activities, and/or attending conferences up to 10% of the time.
• Incumbent must possess or be able to obtain and maintain a current and valid passport.
• This position is subject to uncommon tours of duty and/or shift work. Employee may be recalled to duty with little or no notice.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

• 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
• Current Department of Army Civilian Employees
• Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
• Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) Interchange Agreement
• Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
• Executive Order (E.O.) 12721
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
• Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
• Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
• Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Interchange Agreement Eligible
• People with Disabilities, Schedule A
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
• Reinstatement
• Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) analyzing multi-domain military operations (air, land, maritime) within a Command Center, to include characterizing emerging national security threats, conducting time-critical crisis actions, and executing operational reporting procedures (OPREPs) in support of deliberate planning, crisis action, or contingency operations; 2) Serving as a technical expert and liaison, coordinating strategic capabilities, validating and transmitting Emergency Action Messages (EAMs), and maintaining continuous command and control connectivity across high-level stakeholders; and 3) Leading multi-functional watch teams and leveraging Joint command and control automated information systems to analyze complex situational data, resolve operational bottlenecks, and formulate concise, substantive recommendations for general/flag officer or senior executive decision-makers. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-12).

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-12).

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the information sheet.
• This is a Science, Engineering and Analysis Career Field position.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit for more information.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
• Recruitment/Relocation/Retention Incentive may be authorized subject to management and organization discretion.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests : If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: