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Cybersecurity Specialist

Office of Personnel Management
Various Federal government agencies may hire from this announcement.

Summary

The US Tech Force is an elite corps of top engineering talent, building the future of American government technology. Backed by the White House, the initiative tackles America's most pressing technological challenges by infusing top AI, engineering management, and modern software development talent directly into federal agencies.

If you want to deploy your technical expertise in service of American excellence and AI leadership, apply to join the US Tech Force today!

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/17/2026 to 05/15/2026
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year

This is the General Schedule (GS) salary range for the Washington, DC area. Final salary depends on duty location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Agencies may hire for positions throughout the metropolitan area of
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Varies by hiring agency - Some positions may require travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Varies by hiring agency - Some positions may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Term - Not to Exceed 2 years. May be extended to a max of 4 years.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
Yes - Varies by hiring agency - Some positions may require a financial disclosure.
Bargaining unit status
Yes - Varies by hiring agency - Some positions may be covered by a bargaining unit.
Announcement number
TF-12930708-26-AB
Control number
865627100

This job is open to

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U.S. citizens and nationals.

Duties

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The specific duties assigned to a Cybersecurity Specialist may differ by hiring agency, Examples may include:

  • Providing guidance on all aspects of the planning and implementation of cybersecurity system security controls and associated processes.
  • Serving as the cybersecurity representative in federal and industry meetings and coordination efforts.
  • Providing technical oversight for cybersecurity requirements and implementations and in the development of long-range security plans.
  • Conducting analyses and providing recommended resolution of complex issues affecting security operations and for ensuring the integration of IT programs and services.
  • Performing and/or directing studies to identify risk within the enterprise and supports remediation audit efforts.
  • Investigating security incidents and developing security resolutions. Implementing remediation measures and strengthening authentication and authorization controls.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

This is a shared announcement used by multiple Federal agencies. If you are invited to interview or receive a job offer, be sure to confirm the specific conditions of employment with the hiring agency. Specific requirements vary by hiring agency and include:

  • May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
  • May be covered by a bargaining unit.
  • May qualify for bonuses, incentives, and/or reimbursement of relocation expenses, in accordance with hiring agency policy.
  • May require financial disclosure filing upon appointment and annually.
  • May require a pre-employment drug test and/or random drug testing during the period of employment.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov.
  • Per Public Law 104-134, all Federal employees are required to have Federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Security clearance varies by hiring agency. Must be able to pass a background investigation and/or obtain and hold a security clearance, as determined by the hiring agency.
  • Selective service registration is required, as applicable.
  • Travel varies by hiring agency.

Qualifications

This announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/15/2026. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date.

Minimum Qualification Requirement:
Under the updated Competency-Based Qualification Standard for the IT Management Series (2210), applicants must:

  1. Meet or exceed all required general competencies at the minimum proficiency level for the GS-14 grade,
  2. Meet or exceed all required technical competencies established for this announcement for the GS-14 grade, and
  3. Demonstrate you have the required specialized experience for the position.
You may be considered ineligible and removed from further consideration for the position, if you fail to meet any of the criteria above.

Specialized Experience

You must demonstrate the competencies required to successfully perform the duties of the position. These competencies are normally attained through one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of the position being filled but may be obtained through other means. Experience may be paid or unpaid (internships, volunteerism). Experience must be validated through the assessment process, consistent with OPM's skills-based hiring policy.

Qualifying specialized experience includes:
  • Leading risk and vulnerability assessments,such as directing comprehensive risk assessments and vulnerability analyses of enterprise systems, networks, and software to identify systemic weaknesses and inform mitigation strategies.
  • Building cybersecurity architecture, such as developing long-range system security strategies to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise systems.
  • Evaluating cybersecurity programs, such as assessing enterprise cybersecurity programs to identify gaps, ensure compliance with organizational requirements, and recommend improvements to enhance overall program effectiveness.
Specialized experience must show demonstrable competencies aligned to the position's job analysis and the IT-2210 standard.

General Competencies

Attention to Detail
Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Customer Service
Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
Decision Making
Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
Information Management
Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
Interpersonal Skills
Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations
Oral Communication
Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
Problem Solving
Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
Teamwork
Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

Technical Competency
Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

The following technical competencies are required for this position:

Threat Detection and Analysis
Vulnerability Assessment and Management
Incident Response and Mitigation
Security Principles and Cryptography
General Programming and Algorithms
Debugging and Troubleshooting
Requirement Understanding and Implement

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

  • Agencies across the Federal government may hire from this announcement.
  • Agencies with non-General Schedule (non-GS) pay plans or bands may hire from this announcement when the vacancy they are filling is equivalent to the GS grade advertised. The hiring agency's servicing HR office must verify grade-equivalency alignment with the advertised GS grade. Selections from this announcement must be for the GS grade (or equivalent pay plan or band) included in the announcement.
  • Tech Force Fellowship:Those selected will join a cohort of individuals that receive leadership training, get exposure to America's top technology CEOs and gain unparalleled exposure to policymaking and national-scale impact. This may include CEO fireside chats, networking events, coding training/certificates, and other opportunities.
  • Final duty location is within the Washington, DC or surrounding metropolitan area and pay will be determined by the hiring agency. The salary range posted in this announcement is an approximation and subject to locality adjustment.
  • Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be available, depending on the hiring agency's policies.
  • Appointments are made under Schedule A (r) hiring authority for 2-year terms. There are no rights to further Federal employment in either the competitive or excepted service upon expiration of appointment.
  • Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.
  • Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing online assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the online assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the online assessment. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

To be found minimally qualified, you must demonstrate proficiency in the general and technical competencies listed in the Qualifications section of the job announcement. At this level, individuals apply the competencies in considerably difficult situations, require little to no guidance, and demonstrate broad and in-depth understanding of the competency.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
Accountability, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork, Oral Communication, Problem Solving, Information Management, Threat Detection and Analysis, Vulnerability Assessment and Management, Incident Response and Mitigation, Security Principles and Cryptography, General Programming and Algorithms, Debugging and Troubleshooting, Requirement Understanding and Implement

Application questionnaire: Applicants must complete a questionnaire as part of the application process. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12930708. Applicants identifying as meeting minimum qualifications for the position will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

Online Assessments:

  • USA Hire Assessments: The USA Hire Assessments include a passing score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
  • Basic Coding and Cybersecurity Analyst Assessments: These online assessments include a passing score based on the required proficiency in technical competencies. You must meet or exceed the passing score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the passing score or fail to complete the assessment
Resume review: Your resume will be reviewed to confirm your qualifications for this position based on the required minimum qualifications. Applicants passing the resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

Interview: Applicants will participate in an interview to further assess their qualifications relative to the required minimum qualifications. Applicants passing the interview will be ranked as described below.

Ranking and Preference: Qualified candidates will be placed on an unranked list. Candidates with veterans' preference will be ranked ahead of candidates without veterans' preference.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Office of Personnel Management

The US Tech Force is an elite corps of top engineering talent building the future of American government technology. Backed by the White House, the initiative tackles America's most pressing technological challenges by infusing top AI, engineering management and modern software development talent directly into federal agencies.

Through a 2-year program, Tech Force engineers, designers, data scientists and product managers will run mission-critical federal projects. Participants will modernize government services, rebuild outdated systems and ensure that the government adopts an AI-first development approach in addressing the most complex defense, industrial and civic challenges of our era.

You will be part of a cohort of individuals working in teams that directly report to Cabinet-level leadership. In addition to your core development work, you will receive leadership training, get exposure to America's top technology CEOs and gain unparalleled exposure to policymaking and national-scale impact. At the conclusion of your two years, you will have the opportunity to showcase your talents directly to our Nation's top private sector technology companies for permanent employment opportunities.

Put your technical expertise to work advancing US innovation and AI leadership - apply to join the US Tech Force today!

Agency contact information

U.S. Tech Force
Email
USTFapplicantinquiries@opm.gov
Address
Various Federal Government Agencies
Positions are located in the metropolitan area surrounding
Washington, DC 20415
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of Personnel Management, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://Techforce.gov

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