Booming market for security-cleared employees.

• Author: Pappalardo, Joe
• Position: Homeland Defense Briefs - Brief Article

Workers with U.S. security clearances are in high demand, and a backlog in security clearance processing is making them even more valuable.

Correspondingly, Internet-based job boards, which are tailored specifically for security cleared-candidates, are booming. Posted jobs range from electricians to network engineers and program managers. Positions are located at every country with a U.S. military presence, including the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan.

It can take up to two years for an individual to receive a security clearance. The number of candidates awaiting clearances was recently recorded at more than 400,000. Responsibility for clearance investigations recently has been handed from the Defense Security Service to the Office of Personnel Management in an effort to reduce this backlog.

Rachel Staras, co-founder of ClearanceJobs.com, said the number of active job postings is up more than 200...