More ISCD Job Openings

I just received an email from USAJobs.com about two sets of job openings in DHS Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (the CFATS people). They have multiple job openings for Chemical Security Inspectors (and I’ve been calling them Chemical Facility Security Inspectors to avoid the ‘CSI’ tag) and Supervisory Chemical Security Inspectors.

Locations

The job listings say that there are openings in multiple locations for each of these positions.

For the CSI there are “many” openings in the following cities:

• Memphis, TN
• Fort Snelling, MN
• Madison, WI
• Albuquerque, NM
• Buffalo, NY
• San Francisco, CA
• San Antonio, TX
• Brea, CA
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Louisville, KY

For the SCSI there are “few” openings in the following cities:

• Grand Prairie, TX
• Houston, TX
• New York, NY
• West Chester, PA
• Tallahassee, FL
• Saint Louis, MO
• Baton Rouge, LA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Knoxville, TN
• Seattle, WA
• Kansas City, MO
• Portland, OR
• San Francisco, CA
• Brea, CA
• Richmond, VA

Does it seem kind of odd that there are openings in more cities for SCSI than for CSI? Something is odd there; I’ll try to find out what. At least it seems that there are more actual openings (many vs few) for CSI than for SCSI.

Too Many Vacancies

Now there are a ‘few’ vacancies in each city for SCSI. So does that mean 45 (few – 3, 3*15 cities)? The many vacancies for SCSI  could mean 40 (many – 4, 4*10). That would be 85 positions out of about 160 authorized. This is way too many folks missing from the ranks. I seem to recall hearing 120 inspectors on hand in various hearings. Have we been losing that many folks because of the problems at ISCD?

CSI Qualifications

The CSI lists slightly different qualifications for people being hired at the GS-09, GS-11, GS-12, or GS-13 levels. The GS-09 (entry level) qualifications include one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) that involved knowledge of:

• Homeland security;

• Infrastructure protection;

• Information security;

• Intelligence and law enforcement information; and

• Information analysis, along with knowledge of analytical and investigative techniques.

Alternatively an applicant could have a Master’s degree in one of the following qualifying fields:

• Safety Engineering;

• Industrial Hygiene Inspection;

• Chemical Engineering; and

• Process Safety Engineering.

Interestingly, a degree in chemistry or criminal justice without additional course work in one of the above fields would not be qualifying. Combinations of the experience and educational requirements can be used. Obviously I’m hitting the highlights here, see the job listing for more details.

SCSI Qualifications

As one might expect the qualifications for the SCSI position are a bit less complicated. The applicant must have one full year of experience at the GS-13 level (in the public or private sector) that includes:

• Evaluating subordinate chemical inspector preparation, performance, and reporting on chemical facility inspections;

• Reporting on chemical facilities by utilizing the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS); and

• Supervising the work performance of other chemical facility inspectors.

Ammonium Nitrate Security Program

There is an odd difference between the descriptions of the two job positions; even taking into account that one is a supervisory position and the other is not. The CSI Job Summary section of the job listing notes in addition to doing CFATS inspections the job would require the CSI to “plan, organize, schedule and conduct on-site inspections of ammonium nitrate facilities”. The SCSI Job Summary does not say anything about CFATS but does provide a similar mention of inspections at ammonium nitrate facilities.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, DHS does not plan to issue the Ammonium Nitrate Security Program final rule until December and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in 2014 or even 2015 when the final rule was actually published. But, these job listings both seem to indicate that DHS is ramping up now for that enforcement effort.

Need for Good Folks

Well, the CFATS program, for all of its faults, is an important program that needs good people. If you are interested (or know someone that should be interested, tell them) get your applications in through USAJobs.gov. The CSI jobs close January 30^th and the SCSI jobs close January 29^th.