Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Instructional Systems Specialist

Department of the Army
Joint Activities
U.S. Cyber Command - J7

Summary

About the Position: This position is a DOD Cyber Excepted Service (CES) personnel system position in the Excepted Service under 10 USC 1599f. Employees occupying CES positions are in the Excepted Service and must adhere to U.S. Code, Title 10, as well as Department of Defense Instruction 1400.25. This position is located at the U.S. Cyber Command in Fort Meade, Maryland.

Overview

Help
Posted today · Apply by 08/03/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 3, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—You may be eligible for situational telework only, including emergency and OPM prescribed "unscheduled telework".
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$121,785 - $166,440 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 13
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DAKB-26-12995548-CES
Control number
877873000

Duties

Help
  • Anticipates operational requirements and develops effective and efficient solutions related to changes in material resources, work requirements, and personnel needs supporting the leadership’s guidance.
  • Develops total training requirements that may include Performance Work Statements to support PCTE-related programs and initiatives.
  • Directs analyses of course material and operational procedures to determine the best requirements for revising existing instructional systems or developing new training programs.
  • Maintains liaison with agencies outside USCYBERCOM ensuring individual training and evaluation materials meet field requirements.
  • Develops innovative and effective methods for education or training program improvements and recommends appropriate policy revisions.
  • Provides oversight to a cadre of contract personnel and collaborates with military project leads.
  • Monitors the overall effectiveness of the instructional materials developed for AOCs, FAs, MOS, AFSC, ASI, SEI, and functional training programs hosted on the PCTE platform.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Three year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET SCI clearance as a condition of employment and must complete a counterintelligence scope polygraph exam.
  • This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing. Employee must pass screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment and periodic drug screening thereafter.
  • The incumbent must meet NSA personnel security requirements outlined in NSA/CSS Policy 5-1.
  • Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military and/or commercial aircraft up to 25% of the time.
  • The incumbent may be recalled to duty, may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays, and may be required to work overtime.
  • Mission essential designated employees are defined for peacetime operations.
  • Positions must be manned under all weather conditions for reasons of continuity of medical, safety, national defense, and other crucial operations (e.g., security, fire protection, medical, communications, etc.).
  • Mission employees required to remain on duty or report to work regardless of any general announcement.
  • This is a DoD Cyber Excepted Service (CES) personnel system position in the Excepted Service under 10 USC 1599f. Appointment to this position does not confer competitive status.
  • Prior to appointment applicants are required to sign a statement indicating they understand the conditions of employment or assignment to the position and acknowledge the consequences of failing to meet and maintain those required conditions.

Qualifications

CYBER EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITIONS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE TWO-PAGE RESUME LIMIT. YOUR FULL RESUME WILL NEED TO BE UPLOADED TO YOUR USAJOBS PROFILE USING THE DOCUMENT TYPE "OTHER DOCUMENTS".

This position is in the Professional Work Category at the Full Performance Work Level within the CES Occupational Structure.

Who May Apply:
Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Education Requirement for Instructional Systems Specialist:

Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours appropriate to the work of the position to be filled. The course work must have included study in at least four of the following five areas: (1) Learning theory, psychology of learning, educational psychology: Study of learning theories as they relate to the systematic design, development, and validation of instructional material. (2) Instructional design practices: Study of the principles and techniques used in designing training programs, developing design strategy and models, and applying design methods to the improvement of instructional effectiveness. (3) Educational evaluation: Study of the techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of instructional/educational programs, including developing written and performance tests and survey instruments, and determining reliability and validity of evaluation instruments. (4) Instructional product development: Study of the techniques appropriate for developing training materials, including identifying learner characteristics, specifying objectives, applying training strategy, validating training materials, and evaluating training. OR (5) Computers in education and training: Study of the application of computers in education and training, including selecting appropriate computer software.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe one year of specialized experience that demonstrates the possession of knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Such experience is typically in or directly related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience would be demonstrated by overseeing the design of training products aligned with military specialty standards such as Army Military Occupational Skills (MOS), Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC), or Career Management Fields (CMF); managing the integration of computer and data technologies to facilitate distributive learning ensuring the training concepts are maintained within a Life Cycle Management Process and evaluating technical accuracy and operational relevance of cyber training support documents; and coordinating training programs across external agencies to include collaborating with military project leads, providing technical oversight to contract training specialists, and establishing performance standards.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

Additional information

  • If you are a current federal career/career-conditional employee, you will be placed on an excepted appointment.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • This position requires a 3 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a FC32 - Training, Capabilities and Doctrine Warfighting Developers Career Field position.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
  • Recruitment and/or Relocation incentives may be authorized if it is determined to be in the best interest of the Government.

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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Joint Activities

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
KB-W6HWAA US CYBER COMMAND
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Meade, MD 20755
US

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.