Are you driven by a passion to work at the cutting edge of technology? Do you dream to make the impossible possible? The National Security Agency is seeking highly motivated Computer Science and Computer/Electrical Engineering professionals to drive its mission to develop new capabilities, design new approaches, help solve complex problems, and research new solutions to propel our mission.

As a Capabilities Development Specialist (CDS), your job will be to develop custom high-priority offensive and defensive capabilities targeting the hardest-to-reach adversarial networks in the world. In defense of our Nation, we conduct innovative research and produce hardware and software tools unlike anything in the world. By joining our team, you will apply and grow your expertise to create new ways to get critical information to our national decision makers. Whether it is in software, hardware, or cutting-edge research, if you are up for a challenge, have unbridled curiosity, and a drive to develop tomorrow's technologies and tools today, apply to join our team. Use your unique experiences and expertise to protect national security interests as part of the world's most advanced team of computer science and engineering professionals!

If you have interests, skills, or experience in one or more of the following areas, we'd like to hear from you:
- Software Specialties: Strong software development skills (C, C++, Assembly, ARM); Software RE/interactive debugging tools (e.g., Ghidra, OllyDbg, gdb); Software application vulnerability analysis and exploitation; Operating system internals; Mobile platform development and analysis; algorithmic analysis; prototyping.
- Malware Reverse Engineer: Perform advanced malware analysis/reverse engineering of specialized malware/complex files. CISSP, CEH, GREM, GPEN certifications are a plus.
- Hardware Specialties:
- Hardware RE, design, development, or testing (Verilog, VHDL, FPGA, PCB); Testing and debugging tools (JTAG, Oscilloscopes, etc.);

Job roles may include:
- Developing exploitation capabilities and analytics to enable foreign target network collection
- Designing hardware components and systems to further signals intelligence missions
- Analyzing sophisticated malware

Conditions of employment

• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

Degree must be in Computer Science (CS), Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field. Degrees in Information Technology, Information Systems, Information Security, Networking (Systems Administration), Information Assurance, or Cybersecurity may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and upper-level mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics).

Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: engineering hardware or software over their lifecycle (i.e., requirements analysis, design, development, implementation, testing, integration, deployment/installation, and maintenance), programming, vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, computer forensics, or systems engineering. Completion of military training in a relevant area such as JCAC (Joint Cyber Analysis course) will be considered towards the relevant experience requirement (i.e., 24-week JCAC course will count as 6 months of experience).

FULL PERFORMANCE
Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position.

SENIOR
Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 8 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position.

EXPERT
Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 9 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 7 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 11 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We're looking for someone with knowledge, skills, and experience in one or more of the following:
- Programming in languages such as C, C++, and Java, especially in kernel development and device driver development, network/socket programming, and embedded systems development
- Advanced malware analysis/reverse engineering skills for specialized malware/complex files. CISSP, CEH, GREM, GPEN certifications are a plus
- Assembly language(s)
- Hardware design (e.g., FPGA, VHDL, Verilog, PCB)
- Hardware Reverse Engineering
- RF system design (e.g., DSP, SDR)
- Embedded systems development
- Software reverse engineering/interactive debugging tools (e.g., Ghidra, OllyDbg, gdb)
- Hardware analysis tools (e.g., JTAG, Oscilloscopes)
- Software vulnerability analysis and exploitation

**VETERANS AND TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS**
Thank you for your service! The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions at NSA are in the Excepted Service under Title 10, United States Codes (U.S.C.), Section 1601 appointment authority.

Veterans' Preference
In accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, "DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System Employment and Placement," NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility upon application.

Acceptable documentation includes:
- DD-214: "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions (Copy 4);
OR
- Certification of Service:
A written document on letterhead from the appropriate branch of the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. The certification should include the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date;
AND
- Standard Form 15 (SF-15)
Application for 10-point Veteran Preference (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf).

If you are claiming a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more, the documentation you provide must specifically demonstrate this level of disability;
AND
- VA Letter of Disability (for 10pt and Sole Survivorship rating)

You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center, or online (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/).

**Failure to provide sufficient documentation of veterans' preference eligibility may preclude NSA from identifying you as a preference eligible candidate during the hiring selection process.

Next steps