About DSS 

Employment at the Defense Security Service (DSS)

You're invited to help us make a difference

Keeping information and defense technologies from falling into the wrong hands is serious business. Stay at the forefront of the technological and global economic environment by joining our workforce. Together, we'll address evolving threats to national security, thus keeping our nation and our warfighter safe.

By joining DSS, you'll help us provide critical security education, training and awareness services and products to those who serve and protect our national security. Protecting this classified information maintains the integrity of the technologies, information, and products used by the warfighter in the field.

DSS Locations: Most of DSS activities are performed at the Defense Security Service headquarters, in Alexandria, VA, right outside of the nation’s capitol in Washington, DC. We also have 71 field offices across the nation.

The bulk of the DSS workforce consists of Security Specialists, who are either Personnel Security Specialists, adjudicating personnel security clearances, or Industrial Security Representatives, who conduct surveys and inspections of industrial (contractor) facilities to ensure they comply with Federal security requirements. Additionally, DSS employs a number of Information Technology (Information Security) Specialists who evaluate customer IT systems to ensure they meet security standards. A brief description of the work being done by these groups follows:

Industrial Security (IS) Representatives: IS Representatives are located nationwide. IS Representatives schedule and conduct security surveys of industrial facilities prior to granting a facility a security clearance by the Federal government. Facilities need this clearance before they can accomplish classified work. They also schedule and conduct recurring security inspections of cleared industrial facilities that perform classified contract work for the Federal government. IS Representatives are trained at the DSS Academy, which provides security education and training for the Department of Defense and other Federal Agencies.

Personnel Security Specialists: Personnel Security Specialists perform work as trained adjudicators working at DSS's Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO). Adjudicators determine the security eligibility of individuals at the Top Secret and Secret levels for those working in private industry and who need to have access to classified information to perform their jobs. These individuals work at one or more of the approximately 12,000 companies in the United States that hold facility security clearances and work on classified contracts for the government. The DISCO adjudicators make their personnel security eligibility determinations by considering the disqualifying and mitigating conditions contained in 13 adjudication guidelines. These guidelines address such subjects as criminal conduct, drug involvement, alcohol consumption, financial considerations, allegiance to the United States, foreign influence, and the use of information technology systems. DISCO adjudicators participate in an 18-month training program which includes classroom, computer based, and on the job training.

Information Technology (Information Security) Specialists: Information Technology Specialists for the Industrial Security Program (ISP) are geographically dispersed. In the field, outside of DSS headquarters, these individuals serve as Information System Security Specialists (ISSPs) who conduct Information System (IS) security reviews at cleared contractor facilities, validate that systems are configured in accordance with national level guidance, provide advice and assistance to customers, and act as subject matter experts. At DSS headquarters, IT Specialists also serve as System Security Plan (SSP) reviewers; conduct SSP reviews and assist the Designated Approving Authority (DAA) in making an IS accreditation determination. These specialists also assist the International Branch establish secure communications with foreign countries and evaluate IT mitigation strategies for the Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) branch. The Deputy Director of the Office of the DAA and four Regional DAAs (RDAA) manage all IT Specialists in ISP. These five individuals have the ultimate responsibility of formally approving information systems in Industry to process classified data and provide security oversight.

Like any corporation or Federal agency, DSS also employs support personnel, such as Budget Analysts, Human Resources Specialists, Contract Specialists, Communications Specialists, Program Analysts, and IT Specialists to accomplish our mission. The support functions of DSS comprise less than 20 percent of the DSS workforce.

The Defense Security Service advertises open positions on the Office of Personnel Management's USAJobs website. Find out about available employment opportunities at DSS by clicking here. For more information on upcoming recruiting events and employment with DSS please contact us at JOBS@dss.mil.