The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has many challenging and unique job opportunities, especially for veterans. Best part? Most Homeland Security jobs for Military Veterans have extensive benefits beyond just a paycheck.
If you’re looking for a new career with lots of opportunity for growth, the DHS has openings in mission support, law enforcement, immigration, travel security, and emergency prevention and response. Below is a short list of 10 of the more exciting Homeland Security jobs that DHS is currently hiring for. You can find a complete list through their Job Board and USA Jobs. GI Jobs also has a free job board for Military Veterans with DHS careers.
Here are 10 Homeland Security jobs you should consider.
1) Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Border patrol agents protect nearly 6,000 miles of our nation’s land borders, and as part of the Air and Marine Interdiction Agent force, you can also patrol over 2,000 miles of coastal borders as well as prevent illegal entry into the U.S. by air. Interested in something different? The CBP also has agricultural specialists who work to curtail the spread of pests and diseases from plants and animals to farms and other food supplies.
2) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
ICE is the DHS’s largest investigative agency, with more than 400 offices in the U.S. and around the world. From criminal investigations and intelligence officers to detention and deportation officers, if you’re looking for a job that will help you to continue to defend our nation, ICE may be a good place to begin. It even has a Health Service Corps if your background is more along the lines of providing medical care.
3) Secret Service (USSS)
From technical and clerical jobs to working as a special agent, the Secret Service has two primary missions: protection and criminal investigations. The protective mission encompasses protection of individuals such as the president, the vice president, former presidents, and visiting heads of state. The criminal investigation mission investigates a variety of crimes, such as counterfeiting, financial institution fraud, computer and telecommunications fraud, access device fraud, and money-laundering violations.
4) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA has a unique hiring situation: The agency hires full-time employees, on-call response employees, reservists, and even temporary local hires in times of emergencies or natural disasters. Jobs include firefighting, local government assistance, occupational health managers, hazard mitigation, IT specialist, and even insurance specialist.
5) Federal Protective Service (FPS)
The FPS provides security and law enforcement services at federal government facilities, and plays a leading role in the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure. It has the responsibility to provide a safe and secure workplace to approximately 9,000 federal facilities nationwide. The range of employment opportunities is huge, to include security assessment of vulnerabilities at facilities, installing alarm systems, contracting for security guard services, and managing K-9 detection operations.
6) Coast Guard (USCG)
Even though the Coast Guard is officially one of the five branches of the Armed Forces, it falls under the jurisdiction of DHS. With officer, enlisted, and civilian positions, the Coast Guard has 38,000 active duty personnel, 8,000 reservists, and 35,000 auxiliary personnel serving in a wide variety of positions. Think the Coast Guard is just about cruising around on a boat? Think again: USCG personnel are involved in aviation, drug interdiction, field intelligence, marine science, damage control, health services, and even being a gunner’s mate and dealing with small arms and explosives.
7) Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
While most of us think of the TSA as simply gate guards at the airport, we often forget that the TSA also includes federal air marshals, aviation regulatory specialists and transportation cargo inspectors. The TSA also has a free-to-employees professional coaching program to assist you in getting promoted, making the most of your benefits and setting long-term career plans. If you are interested in TSA careers, go to our Military Veterans job board.
8) Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)
More than 250 programs are taught through FLETC each year, with more than 20,000 students attending annually. If you have an instructor or training background, FLETC may be the right choice for you. Even if you’re not a potential instructor, FLETC has needs for administrative personnel, training analysis and coordination managers, and those who can assist with training development. We have FLETC job postings on our job board for Veterans, check it out!
9) National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)
These days, America is a nation of networks and systems that we rely on to do just about everything. The NPPD secures those networks and systems through cyber security, planning security for large, national events and public gatherings (such as New Year’s Eve in Times Square and the Super Bowl), and assessing risks to infrastructure at public buildings. Employees also help to create plans to mitigate risks from emergencies such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
10) Science & Technology (S&T)
A career with S&T can help you work toward creating a more strong and resilient nation – our nation – by working on a “hometown level.” S&T is responsible for programs such as Blue Campaign to help fight human trafficking, the Citizen Corps to help strengthen communities, and the Ready.gov website, which helps every citizen learn more about preparing themselves and their families for local and national emergencies. The S&T is also the creator of the new “Stop.Think.Connect.” campaign, which is educating Americans about how to be safer on the Internet, and how to secure your personal information online.
Homeland Security jobs for Military Veterans, search “Homeland Security Careers”
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