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Information Technology Specialist (Security)

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located in the Facility Technologies Division (FT), Office of Technology Innovation and Engineering (TIE), Cyber and Technology Security Directorate (CTS),
Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), Department of State (DoS), which is mandated with the identification, development, evaluation, and implementation of state-of-the-art existing and emerging security technologies.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/24/2026 to 03/04/2026
Salary
$102,415 to - $133,142 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Arlington, VA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - May require occasional domestic and overseas travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Announcement number
M/DS-DHA-2026-0002
Control number
858525600

Duties

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  • Serves as a bureau contact for coordination, implementation, and/or enforcement of assigned information cybersecurity policies and portfolios.
  • Participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of security programs to minimize system vulnerabilities such as intrusion detection or access authentication programs.
  • Assesses networked systems for vulnerabilities while creating an inventory of their various components.
  • Participates in a variety of law enforcement and security related investigations involving the acquisition of digital data and computer forensic analyses.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

Applicants applying for the GS-12 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND specialized experience listed below:

  1. Attention to Detail - Incumbent demonstrates attention to detail by applying personal knowledge and ability to provide technical analysis and consultation focused on current global cyber threat environment and associated risks in order to mitigate cybersecurity vulnerabilities and risks.
  2. Customer Service - Incumbent demonstrates an ability to serve customers by responding to inquiries in a timely fashion and providing guidance on complex and controversial cybersecurity issues which have long term impact on IT infrastructure security.
  3. Oral Communication - Incumbent demonstrates skill in communicating in order to provide advice and guidance, exchange information, plan and coordinate activities, recommend new methods and approaches, and resolve problems.
  4. Problem Solving - Incumbent demonstrates the ability to solve and prioritize problems by determining the most appropriate principles to apply and resolving a wide range of technical issues related to cybersecurity

AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience implementing information cybersecurity programs designed to minimize system vulnerabilities.
  • Experience participating in cybersecurity assessments, investigations or audits of digital systems.
  • Experience providing technical recommendations to management on vulnerabilities and threats to information and information systems.

NOTE: In order to qualify for this position, your experience MUST be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov. 
  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. [REMOVE content, as appropriate, for the position]. 
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

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.

Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, veterans’ preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply. For this announcement, all applicants will be forwarded to the selecting official for further consideration, and you may be subject to assessments during the selection process (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, structured interview, etc.). If you are selected, we will review your resume and required documents to determine if you meet the qualifications for this position, specifically the education, specialized experience, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary to perform the work of the position.

Your resume limited to two pages serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following KSAs and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

  • Knowledge of information technology life cycle management concepts.
  • Knowledge of cybersecurity threats and countermeasures.
  • Ability to develop, interpret, and apply policies governing information technology.
  • Knowledge of information technology specialty areas (e.g., application systems design). 
  • Ability to interpret and apply legislation, statutes, policies, and regulations
  • Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for selection priority. Candidates are considered well qualified if their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) exceed the minimum qualifications described in the announcement.


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