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IT Specialist (INFOSEC)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology
Office of Information Security (OIS)

Summary

Join the Office of Information Security (OIS) service line under OIT and be part of VA's digital transformation. OIS manages VA's cybersecurity program to protect Veteran data and VA information systems. Delivers enterprise-wide strategy, policy, governance, and network defense through collaboration with VA and OIT. As an IT Cybersecurity Specialist, you will enhance the security posture and resilience of VA's IT systems and data and protect the privacy and trust of Veterans and their families.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$140,604 - $187,093 per year

Salary listed is the lowest and highest in the two vacancy locations. Once a selection is made and the location known, the salary will be determined.

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
14
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 Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
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
OIS-DHA-13081881-NBU-27-SD
Control number
887707600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

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Duties

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  • Advises and makes recommendations to senior officials concerning the feasibility and appropriateness of the department's cyber tools, technologies and configuration guidelines.
  • Provide governing expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations to management and other technical specialists on critical IT issues.
  • Provides expert analysis and advice on complex risk management compliance and/or program issues and serves as a resource for congressional inquiries and Inspector General complaints in the identification and investigation of cybersecurity risk management problems.
  • Responsible for program/project resources, allocation plans, workforce development plans, budget forecasts, initiatives, and policies.
  • Coordinates the Advanced Analytics team analysts' activities to ensure that all workflow, analysis activities, work products and security recommendations are accurate and complete with regards to VA and CSOC policies and procedures.
  • Develops solutions to integration/interoperability, manages assigned projects, communicates complex technical requirements to non-technical personnel and prepares and presents briefings to senior management officials on complex/controversial issues.
  • Incumbent will have the broadest latitude in the exercise of own initiatives to create unique approaches to the solution of technical and administrative IT architecture problems.
This position is primarily aligned to the following NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework work roles: 511-Cyber Defense Analyst

For more information about these work roles, where they fit within the larger Cyber Workforce, and how they can support your unique career journey, please visit the Cyber Career Pathways tool on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies website: https://niccs.us-cert.gov/workforce-development/cyber-career-pathways

Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist (INFOSEC)/PD17668A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Travel Required: Occasional travel may be required as needed for this position
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the Agency Policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Remote: This is not a remote position
Telework: This position may be authorized for ADHOC/situational telework
Bargaining Unit Eligible: No

Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary during the planning/preparation phase. The work may require walking and standing for prolong periods in conjunction with travel and at the onsite assessment location. The incumbent may carry light items such as papers, books or computers, or drive a motor vehicle. The work does not require any special physical effort.

Working Conditions: The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. This position requires occasional travel using both air and ground transportation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Selectee is subject to background/suitability investigation.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.
  • To be considered for this position, applicants must complete all required steps in the process.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

All required documents must be uploaded at the time you submit your application. The system supports only one submission. Applicants will not be able to edit their application or upload additional documents once it has been submitted.

Applications that are incomplete-including those missing required documentation-will not be considered. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the Required Documents section and ensuring all mandatory materials are included prior to submission.

Note: Applicants will not be contacted for missing information. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation necessary to determine qualification and eligibility.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/12/2026.

You must meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements, Specialized Experience and Selective Placement Factors to qualify for this series as described below.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must have information technology-related experience demonstrating all of the four competencies listed below. Ensure that this experience is clearly described in your resume:

  1. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
-AND-

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Such experience is typically gained in the IT field or through the performance of work where the primary concern is IT.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as evaluating technical information related to the job, and advising on technical issues; applying principles, methods, and tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and managing projects and resources, including technical performance and requirement compliance; identifying and analyzing problems by weighing relevancy and accuracy of all available information to generate and evaluate alternative solutions and make concrete recommendations.

-AND-

Selective Placement Factor: This position includes a skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to -and essential for- satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume.

Selective Placement Factor for this position is successfully identifying and evaluating new and emerging enterprise technologies, defining, managing and leading cybersecurity related programs and/or projects, to include cloud and artificial intelligence technologies.

Evidence of all of these requirements must be reflected in your resume.

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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those who have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Education

There is no educational substitution for this position at this grade level.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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 the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. 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 Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based 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 here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):


The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these 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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology

Our Mission: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Agency contact information

Recruitment Team One A
Email
VAOITOPSHRRPTeam1A@va.gov
Address
DAS for Information Technology - 103
810 Vermont Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20240
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://digital.va.gov/careers/

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