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IT Cyber Security Specialist (DIRECT HIRE)

Department of Homeland Security
Transportation Security Administration
Information Technology / Information Technology (IT) - Operational Technology (OT) Delivery Branch

Summary

The incumbent serves as an IT Cyber Security Specialist within the Information Technology (IT) / Operational Technology (OT) Delivery Branch, which is responsible for designing, developing, deploying, maintaining, and enhancing mission-critical hardware and software solutions aimed to provide secure and reliable interoperability between DHS's frontend/backend IT systems and the security screening systems used for conducting airport security screening operations nationwide.

Overview

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This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with departmental policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$121,785 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
SV I - J
Promotion potential
J - This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to a higher banded position without further competition. Promotion is not guaranteed and is dependent on agency needs and supervisory recommendation.
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 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
No
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
TS-IT-27-13091208-P
Control number
889674200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to All U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals

Duties

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This IT Cyber Security Specialist (DIRECT HIRE) position is located in the Information Technology (IT) - Operational Technology (OT) Delivery Branch, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Leads teams that design and develop software solutions free of cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Continuously tests software solutions to ensure they remain free of emerging cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Performs adaptive maintenance on software solutions to remediate cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
  • Leads many aspects of SELC (Software Engineering Lifecycle) following Agile (Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) or Scrum) delivery methods (e.g. iteration/sprint planning, daily standup, and retrospectives) to ensure documented procedures and policies are followed or modified as needed, supports Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery, and implementation of Agile principles.
  • Drives ongoing technical support services for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) application programs, including integration design and integration of complex IT Systems and infrastructure.
  • Serves as a principal technical specialist and consultant in the development of operational metrics, organizational performance requirements, and operational processes to ensure effective, efficient, and secure management.
  • Communicates complex technical requirements effectively with executives from the private sector and U.S. Government officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), TSA, and other Federal, state, and local agencies.
Note: The duties are listed at the full performance level, SV-J band.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  1. You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
  2. You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
  3. You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
  4. Selective Service registration is required.
  5. Required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450, (5CFR Part 2634, Subpart I USOGE, 6/08). Executive Branch Personnel Confidential Financial Disclosure Report upon entering the position and annually, in accordance with TSA Directive 1100.73-5 Employee Responsibilities and Code of Conduct.
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications

FOR ALL IT POSITIONS: To qualify, you must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below.

  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.
  5. Technical Competence - 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.
  6. Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following requirement(s) to be considered qualified for the position:

To qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-H or GS-12 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Experience identifying, assessing, and helping remediate cybersecurity vulnerabilities in software, operating systems, networks, and related infrastructure.
  • Experience applying federal cybersecurity and information-security requirements, standards, and risk-management practices to protect information systems.
  • Experience preparing technical documentation, status reports, briefings, and recommendations for managers, customers, and technical stakeholders.

To qualify for the SV-J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-I or GS-13 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Experience leading the design, development, implementation, and sustainment of secure, complex software applications and enterprise IT systems.
  • Experience leading technical planning activities, including defining requirements, developing project plans and schedules, coordinating resources, and managing technical risks.
  • Experience evaluating new technologies, architectures, and service-delivery approaches and recommending solutions that improve security, reliability, performance, and operational effectiveness to internal and external stakeholders.


Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

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.

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Additional information

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: www.opm.gov/

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

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. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessments include 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.

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.

You may preview the questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13091208

Transportation Security Administration

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. Make an impact; join DHS.

Agency contact information

Text "Hiring" to 275872
Phone
275872
Address
TS - Information Technology
DO NOT MAIL
DO NOT MAIL, VA 22150
US

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https://www.tsa.gov/about

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