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DHS Headquarters

Senior Operational Medicine Advisor

Washington, District of Columbia $151661 - $228000 PA SL Closes Oct 28, 2026
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Summary

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. PROFESSIONAL/MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (P/MTQs): The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of the Professional/Mandatory Technical Qualifications (P/MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application must not exceed two (2) pages i.e., one (1) page double-sided or two (2) pages one-sided. You must possess all of the mandatory Professional/MandatoryTechnical Qualifications (P/MTQs). These qualifications would typically be acquired through education, experience, and training which reflect progressive development and achievement in leading teams and/or projects for a comprehensive business program in a complex organization. Typically, experience of this nature is gained at or above the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service, or its equivalent with state or local government, the private sector or nongovernmental organizations. An individual's total experience and education must demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position. PROFESSIONAL/MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (P/MTQs): P/MTQ 1: Demonstrated experience in a leadership role related to operational and tactical medicine which required extensive engagement with internal and external partners, clinicians, and other stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and rapid development and execution of comprehensive medical response plans under dynamic, high-pressure conditions. P/MTQ 2. Demonstrated extensive knowledge of operational medicine strategies, including medical intelligence gathering, site-survey methodologies, and medical contingency planning for high-profile missions, protective security missions, or specialized operational deployments. P/MTQ 3. Demonstrated skill in integrating counter-threat medical planning with physical security, law enforcement operations, and force health protection strategies, including during asymmetric or high-consequence national security incident. Time-in-grade requirements do not apply to SL positions. Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Current or Former Political Appointees: OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the DHS Headquarters Executive Services team. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veterans, Peace Corps / VISTA volunteers, and people 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 and contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Major Duties

The Senior Advisor provides a critical linkage between the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) (Director, Office of Health Security) and other OHS/IO senior leadership and OHS Directorates/Units including Field Medical Operations (FMO). This leadership and expertise may also be applied to other specific program areas within OHS or applied generally across the organization as needed. Specific responsibilities include: Serves as a technical consultant and senior advisor to the CMO and other OHS senior leadership on emerging health threats, operational medical support to Components, and force health protection strategies. Initiates and reviews medical operations analysis projects to evaluate resource utilization, identify systemic vulnerabilities in field care, and suggest strategic program improvements. Provides advice and policy leadership guidance to aid in shaping operational medicine programmatic goals and advances programs and understanding the planned activities of Departments and Agencies across the federal interagency and varying levels of state and local government, foreign-allied governments, academic healthcare systems and institutions, and private industry. Provides guidance on provision of medical support to the DHS workforce during both steady-state, major special events, and high-risk domestic and international operations and travel, including protocols and procedures related to providing immediate trauma stabilization and resuscitative care in non-clinical environments. Assists in the design and execution of robust medical contingency plans, including establishing dedicated trauma pathways, identifying vetted local medical facilities, and pre-positioning specialized medical assets in coordination with DHS Components and the federal interagency. Serves on panels, committees, and technical groups at national or international levels; gives technical presentations and briefings; writes authoritative papers and technical reviews; and prepares Congressional testimony for use by OHS senior leadership. Translates emerging global health and asymmetric health threat intelligence into actionable protective medical protocols to safeguard frontline law enforcement and other personnel. Serves as a key member of the OHS incident response cadre because the incumbent plays a direct role in supporting the Department's Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs) and health security operations during national crises and emergencies. Performs senior-level health and medical policy review, research and other programmatic activities to further the organization's goals and objectives. Initiate and implement broad and innovative practices for continuous improvement and program development. Makes recommendations based on analyses and assists in planning and implementing new policies, regulations, or legislation.

Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. 1. RESUME: Applicants must submit a two-page resume describing your qualifications. Your resume should also demonstrate the level of skills, characteristics, qualities, and technical competence required for successful performance in this position, as reflected in the P/MTQs. Consult USAJOBS - How do I write a resume for a federal job. Applicants who fail to show evidence of the P/MTQs in their resume will not be forwarded for further consideration. 2. TRANSCRIPTS: Your transcripts must support your claim that you meet the education requirements for the position. Upload under "Transcript" document type in the agency application system. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable: Are you a current or former Federal employee? SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must submit a Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that that reflects your grade/step (e.g., a Within-Grade Increase or Promotion/Reassignment), and career or career-conditional tenure in the competitive service. For members of the SES - if you are a current member of the SES, you must provide an SF-50 documenting your appointment, as well as an SF-50 showing satisfactory completion of the SES Probationary Period. You must also provide an SF-50 demonstrating proof of previous career/career conditional appointment in the competitive service. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference. The member 4 copy of your DD214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10-point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions (you must submit a DD214-member copy 4). Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), Agency Beginning and ending dates of appointment. Career Transition Assistance Programs (CTAP) Eligibility: A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation ; or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, or a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement. A copy of your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, promotion potential, and duty location. These programs apply to DHS employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (obtain a score of 85 or higher on assessments); and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility. For more nformation: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp IMPORTANT: Failure to submit any of the required documents listed above may result in loss of consideration because your application package will be considered incomplete. It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents are submitted. Please do not submit any additional information not requested above. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or questionnaire may result in removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in removal from consideration.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date 10/28/2026 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 and upload your résumé and/or other required 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. It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. DHS Headquarters Executive Services team will not modify or change any part of your application. Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact [email protected].