Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Information Technology Specialist (INFOSEC)

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Office of Information Technology
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Information Technology, located in the following locations:

  • Ashburn VA
  • Lorton VA
  • Washington, DC.
  • SeaTac, WA

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/13/2024 to 03/19/2024
Salary
$59,966 to - $158,860 per year

Salary listed reflects the rest of U.S. scale and will be adjusted to meet locality pay or cost of living expenses of the duty location at selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 14
Locations
6 vacancies in the following locations:
Washington, DC
Ashburn, VA
Lorton, VA
Seatac, WA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
OIT-DE(DHA)-12345192-SY
Control number
781249000

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Open to all U.S. Citizens. This announcement will be utilized to fill positions through the Direct Hire Authority.

Duties

Help

Joining Customs & Border Protection will allow you to use your expertise in Information Technology principles, concepts and methods to support Information Technology systems and services.

As an Information Technology Specialist, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals supporting the mission by implementing and maintaining various IT application software components. Typical work assignments include:

  • Investigating, analyzing, and responding to cyber incidents within a network environment or enclave by examining log files from a variety of sources (e.g., individual host logs, network traffic logs, firewall logs, and intrusion detection system [IDS] logs) to identify possible threats to network security.
  • Ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems, networks, and data through the planning, analysis development, implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of information systems security programs, and policies, procedures, and tools
  • Providing expert technical advice and guidance to management officials in the appropriate application of technology to agency mission and programs
  • Conducting information system security analysis to determine and document appropriate security requirements during design state of system.
  • Using data collected from a variety of cyber defense tools (e.g., IDS alerts, firewalls, network traffic logs) to analyze events that occur within their environments for the purposes of mitigating threats and developing content.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
  • Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
  • You may be required to pass a background investigation
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
  • As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

  • Assisting with researching, developing, planning and coordinating the delivery of cybersecurity training programs
  • Planning and performing assignments; as well as assists with developing new methods, approaches, and procedures
  • Interpreting, and applying cybersecurity policies within a complex technical environment.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Interpreting general cybersecurity policies on his/her own initiative and applying policy to complex situations.
  • Reviewing proposed new systems, networks, and software designs for potential security risks.
  • Supporting coordination and/or collaboration on security activities ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems, networks, and data.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Tracking compliance requirements and creating reports for senior leadership.
  • Conducting research, analysis, and correlation across a wide variety of all source data sets.
  • Reviewing proposed new systems, networks, and software designs for potential security risks.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Implementing high-level security requirements such as those resulting from laws, regulations, or Presidential directives.
  • Responding to enterprise level crises and/or urgent situations for the purpose of mitigating all immediate and potential cyber threats.
  • Identifying potential improvements in the way security plans and policies are implemented.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Performing security assessments of systems and networks for identification and mitigation of security vulnerabilities.
  • Leading research and evaluations of technical and all-source intelligence to develop in-depth analysis and assessment on threats to systems, critical networks and critical infrastructure.
  • Assessing new systems design methodologies to improve software quality.
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements.

Education Substitution:

GS-09: A master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience required at this level. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours.

GS-11: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three years full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree from an accredited college or university, if related may be substituted for the specialized experience required at the GS-09 grade level. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 54 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 3 years of full-time study requirement.

GS-12: No Education Substitution

GS-13: No Education Substitution

GS-14: No Education Substitution

Combining Experience and Education: To combine your education and experience, you must convert each to a percentage, and then add the percentages. The combined total of your percentage of education and experience must equal at least 100% in order to qualify. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, convert the quarter hours into semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by the fraction 2/3. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, divide the number of graduate semester hours in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level, by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, you must divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by the required number of months of experience. Add your percentages of education and experience. The two percentages must total at least 100%.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 03/19/2024.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process.

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:
  • Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
  • A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
  • Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
  • Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Additional information

Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Bargaining Unit: Some positions are covered under the bargaining unit, this will be determined upon selection.

Security Clearance: You may be required to obtain a Secret or higher level clearance for this position.

Drug Test: CBP may require you to take and clear a drug test prior to your appointment to this position.

Promotion Potential: This announcement will be used to fill several positions with varying levels of promotion potential, to be determined by the hiring official at time of selection.
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons 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 or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is being filled under a Direct Hire Authority. We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. All applicants who meet minimum qualifications and any basic requirements applicable to this position, will be forwarded to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview. As a part of the interview process, additional selection criteria may be administered by the hiring manager.

The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

  • Knowledge and skill in applying IT systems security principles, concepts, and methods to oversee security compliance of Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA)
  • Knowledge to conduct comprehensive system evaluations, audits, awareness, and reviews for compliance
  • Knowledge of and ability in monitoring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of assigned FISMA system(s) to include compliance with organizational IT security requirements.
  • Skill in using and understanding security event correlation tools to triage the alerts seen on Security Information Event Management (SIEM) tools/applications
  • Knowledge of project management principles and methods sufficient to communicate and present complex briefings to senior management and/or customers.
Veterans: Veterans preference does not apply to selections made using the Direct Hire Authority. Veteran applicants will be considered along with all other applicants who apply.

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must have knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as defined above which clearly exceed the minimum qualification and any applicable basic requirements for the vacancy. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this job announcement.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.