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Information Technology Cyber Security Specialist

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is in the Excepted Service under U.S.C. 50 § 3024(v) and appointments are made without regard to the requirements of the Competitive Service by laws, Executive order, or OPM regulations.

The postion is in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Office of Technology and Innovation (INR/TIO). INR/TIO manages the information technology programs and resources essential to the Department’s diplomatic and national security missions.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/23/2026 to 04/29/2026
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Occasional travel as required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
S/INR-EXC-2026-0014
Control number
866154000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Department of State career or career conditional status employees in the competitive service; U.S. Department of State excpeted service employees; employees who are on temporary or other non-status appointments who have reinstatement or non-competitive eligibility for a competitive service appointment (e.g., tenured Foreign Service employees, employees on an excepted service appointment at the USUN who have previous career status, etc.)

Duties

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  • Direct the collection and analysis of data from a variety of cyber defense tools (e.g., IDS/IPS, firewalls, and network traffic logs) to identify and mitigate sophisticated threats targeting the Department’s global Top Secret network.
  • Orchestrate the investigation, analysis, and response to complex cyber incidents within the Department’s national security enclave, ensuring rapid recovery and minimal impact on diplomatic missions.
  • Lead the design and integration efforts for secure IT frameworks, specifically spearheading the implementation of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and modern security protocols across the Top Secret Network.

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.
  • Obtain/maintain eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information

Qualifications

Applicants applying for the GS-14 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 a high level of attention to detail by applying personal knowledge and ability to provide expert 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 a high level of ability to serve customers by establishing and maintaining industry partnerships and providing expert guidance on complex and controversial cybersecurity issues which have long term impact on IT infrastructure security.
  3. Oral Communication - Incumbent demonstrates a high level of skill in communicating in order to provide expert advice and guidance on the impact of threats, risks and cybersecurity solutions, exchange information, brief senior officials, guide cross-functional teams, and engage with diverse stakeholders.
  4. Problem Solving - Incumbent clearly demonstrates the ability to evaluate, identify and prioritize problems by determining the most appropriate principles to apply to resolve a wide range of technical issues related to cybersecurity with limited supervisory involvement. 

AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 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 serving as a senior technical lead in the deployment of advanced cybersecurity solutions across a global infrastructure; this includes providing technical direction, managing project teams, and ensuring that complex IT methods and standards are consistently applied throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Experience serving in a Cyber Network Defense (CND)-aligned role, providing strategic oversight of the organizational defensive posture; this includes staying abreast of and enforcing security standards, overseeing the security and SOC architecture, managing the deployment and integration of enterprise-wide defensive tools (e.g., SIEM, EDR, and Vulnerability Scanners), and maturing the interdependencies between continuous monitoring, threat detection capabilities, and infrastructure hardening to reduce the organizational attack surface. 
  • Experience acting as a primary liaison between technical staff and senior management; this includes synthesizing complex technical data into executive briefings and providing expert recommendations to influence the resolution of controversial security and risk-based decisions.

      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-14 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 OAA@state.gov. 
  • 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.

For this announcement, all applicants will be assessed to determine if they 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. All applications that meet the required qualifications and determined to be best-qualified will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

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 IT technology application, design, and configuration
  • Knowledge of information data security and management
  • Skill in providing expert advice and guidance to managers regarding technological developments
  • Ability to present briefings to senior managers
  • Knowledge of advanced IT principles, standards, and practices sufficient to develop and interpret policies
  • Skill in reviewing Departmental information systems to ensure their compliance with information security and privacy policies and regulations

Veterans:  Although consideration of Veterans’ Preference is not required under 50 U.S.C. § 30240(v) to the extent it would be under the competitive service; the Department of State considers veterans' preference as a positive factor in the hiring process.


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Department of State - Agency Wide

The U.S. Department of State, our country’s lead foreign policy agency, provides employees with a dynamic international career whether at home or abroad and unique professional development opportunities.  Each day, our employees make a difference as they advance the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity, through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance.  We embrace our talented workforce which reflects the personal, professional, and educational strengths of our country. 

Named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes, we offer a workplace that values and rewards leadership, collaboration, innovation, and personal and professional development. Visit careers.state.gov to learn more about what it's like to work at the U.S. Department of State, what the agency does, the wide range of careers this agency offers, and the benefits available to employees.

Agency contact information

Tony Rice
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
RiceTL@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
Not accepting applications by Mail
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

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