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Computer Scientist - Field Ops

Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Summary

At the FBI our computer scientists work alongside technology professionals within a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment to prevent cyberattacks through counterterrorism, counterintelligence, fraud, identity theft, and other crimes. These programming experts regularly support special agents and intelligence analysts in their investigations by designing, developing, and testing tools and systems to protect the American people and our national security.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/23/2026 to 02/01/2026
Salary
$77,540 to - $111,186 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
San Juan, PR
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
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
Excepted
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
DESTIMP-12871820-26-VL
Control number
855278000

Duties

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  • Performs system and network procurement, installation, administration, and security; develops and uses basic computing environments for analysis.
  • Develops and implements custom tools and methods, and uses, troubleshoots and modifies existing tools and methods to identify, isolate, preserve, and analyze digital data.
  • Identifies, vets, and implements new tools and methods.
  • Provides technical assistance in conducting interviews, searches, and other investigative and operational activity; performs liaison and outreach.
  • Drafts documents on technical and other professional matters in varying degrees of difficulty and at the appropriate technical level.
  • Stays current with major new advances in relevant technology-related topics; provides guidance on tools and methods related to these advances.
  • Testifies in court.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Must have (or be able to obtain) a valid driver's license.
  • Must be able to obtain a Top Secret-SCI clearance.
  • Some travel may be required.
  • Required Training: Selectees must successfully complete a 10-week mandatory Computer Scientist Field Operations Training at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL within the first year of employment.

Qualifications

GS-9: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. SE is defined as follows:

  • Troubleshot and modified as needed existing tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
  • Assisted with the development of custom tools and methods to identify, analyze, and preserve digital evidence.
  • Assisted in drafting documents on more advanced technical matters.
GS-11: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. SE is defined as follows:
  • Assisted others with basic system and network procurement, installation, administration, and security.
  • Used, troubleshot, and modified existing cyber tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
  • Assisted with the development and implementation of custom tools and methods.
  • Provided basic technical and other professional assistance in conducting interviews, searches, and other investigative and operation activity.
  • Drafted documents on basic technical and other professional matters, and assisted in drafting documents on advanced matters.
  • Assisted in coordinating with the private sector and other divisions.

Education

Positive Education Requirement

This position has a specific education requirement; all applicants must verify completion of this basic educational requirement by submitting a copy of their college transcripts at the time of application submission. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: All applicants must have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in combination of mathematics, statistics, AND computer science (15 of the 30 semester hours MUST have been in any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus). Courses designed to provide an introduction to computer science techniques and methodologies are acceptable; courses in teaching elementary, business or shop mathematics are NOT acceptable.

All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:

GS-9: Applicant must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

GS-11: Applicant must have a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

Additional information

To attract and retain highly qualified candidates, selectees may be eligible for a recruitment incentive of up to 20% or, for eligible current federal employees, a relocation incentive of up to 15%. Eligibility for a relocation incentive requires proof of a change in residence and an assignment at a worksite in a different geographic area greater than or equal to 50 miles from the prior worksite. Employees must sign a written service agreement completing a specified period of employment with the FBI at the new duty station. Recruitment and relocation incentives cannot be combined.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Please ensure that your specialized experience and requirements are clearly identifiable in your resume. Your application will be evaluated using the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed to verify that you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement and will be compared against your responses to the online assessment questionnaire. If your self-assessment in the vacancy questions is not supported by details in your resume or supporting documents, you may be disqualified from the Most Competitive category. Veterans' preference will be applied. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are found minimally qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.

The competencies will be used in a Structured Resume Review to objectively evaluate applicant resumes. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified below.

Your resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.

All applicants will be rated on the following Competencies:
  • Analytic Thinking
  • Communication
  • Interpersonal Ability
  • Problem Solving/Judgment
  • Technology Awareness

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