Clarification from the agency

• U.S. Citizens • Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) • lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)

Typical work assignments include, but are not limited to:

GS-09:

• Participate in defining elements of project scope, objectives, and success criteria for cybersecurity process and tooling enhancements; contribute to drafting user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Assist in gathering and documenting functional requirements from customers and partners; capture integration needs for secure, scalable, and automatable cybersecurity solutions.
• Respond to taskings to establish and maintain communication with internal/external stakeholders (government partners, vendors, researchers) to align on priorities, timelines, risks, and coordinated cybersecurity response activities.
• Support needs analyses and feasibility studies to identify opportunities for improved cybersecurity business processes and automation aligned with CSD missions.
• Assist with basic risk analyses and trade-off assessments; help prepare recommendations for cybersecurity control enhancements.
• Participate in developing and maintaining cybersecurity policies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), programs, and implementation guidelines aligned to CSD subdivision missions.
• Support development of performance measures and continuous improvement plans that strengthen cybersecurity information sharing, coordinated response, and timely reduction of risk to critical infrastructure.
• Help develop and maintain methods to monitor and measure cybersecurity risk, compliance, and assurance activities.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• Selective Service - Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service, see http://www.sss.gov/
• All Federal employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.
• 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.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable).
• This position has been identified as a drug testing designated position (TDP) for purposes of the CISA's Drug-Free Workplace Program. All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to a drug test to screen for illicit/illegal drug use prior to receiving a final offer of employment. A final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result. After appointment, you may be subject to periodic random drug testing.

Qualifications

Do NOT copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. Your resume must describe your work and experience, in your own words.

To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required education or competencies and experience for the respective grade level in which you are applying:

EDUCATION: Degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks.

All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing your qualifications on education. Applications submitted without this information may not be considered.

You qualify at the GS-09 grade level, if you have:
Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree.

You qualify at the GS-11 grade level, if you have:
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES: Experience must be Information Technology (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.

You must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the required competencies listed below:

You qualify at the GS-09 grade level, if you have:

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. Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations
4. Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
5. Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

You qualify at the GS-11 grade level, if you have:

1. Attention to Detail
2. Customer Service
3. Interpersonal Skills
4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
5. Teamwork
6. 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.

You qualify at the GS-12, if you have:

1. Attention to Detail
2. Customer Service
3. Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
4. Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
5. Interpersonal Skills
6. 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.
7. Problem Solving
8. Teamwork
9. Technical Competence

AND

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the qualification requirement listed above, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower GS-grade level (or equivalent). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you 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.

GS-09
You qualify at the GS-09 grade level if you have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level (or equivalent) performing at least two the following duties:

1. Assisting with providing ongoing problem-solving support of information systems; or
2. Providing support to ensure compliance of automated information system security protocols; or
3. Assisting with conducting risk assessments of installed information systems to identify protection needs of activities; or
4. Assisting with assessments of new system designs methodologies to improve software quality

GS-11
You qualify at the GS-11 grade level if you have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level (or equivalent) performing at least two the following duties:

1. Assessing new system design methodologies to improve software quality; or
2. Conducting risk assessments of installed information systems to identify protection needs of activities; or
3. Ensuring integration of security protocols and risk management considerations throughout the IT system engineering life cycle including planning, design, development, test, and integration; or
4. Ensuring continuous improvement efforts are considered and built into the program, including development and refinement of IT/cyber security policies and procedures and associated guidance documents

GS-12
You qualify at the GS-12 grade level if you have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level (or equivalent) performing at least three of the following duties:

1. Controlling authorization level for all personnel requiring user access to automated information systems; or
2. Evaluating the security impact of system changes to existing or proposed computerized systems; or
3. Conducting studies of new automated information systems equipment to prepare effective security procedures; or
4. Ensuring compliance of automated information system security protocols and procedures; or
5. Supporting IT/cyber risk management to include risk identification, response plan, and mitigation strategies for project level risk.

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.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

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 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.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (I/CTAP): If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not I/CTAP eligible. View information about I/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered under I/CTAP, you must be rated eligible based on minimum qualifications for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Veterans' preference procedures are not applicable when candidates are selected through Direct Hire Authority (DHA).

To preview the application questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12957959

All documents, including transcripts, must be in English.

1. RESUME: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. Be clear and specific in describing your job-related qualifications, as HR cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Include dates (month and year) and hours worked per week. For military or Federal civilian service, you MUST include your pay plan/band, series, and/or rank/grade (e.g., Captain, E-5, GS-0301-9). Do NOT include photographs, social media links (e.g., LinkedIn), inappropriate content, or other personal or sensitive information such as date of birth, social security number, gender, religious affiliation. IF INCLUDED YOUR RESUME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

2. COMPLETE APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRE AND ONLINE USA HIRE ASSESSMENTS

• If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form.

3. OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (only submit if applicable):

• CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action which shows the grade, step, tenure (block 24) "1" (Career) or "2" (Career-Conditional), and position occupied (block 34) "1" (Competitive Service). Provide proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an Interchange Agreement. If applying for a higher grade, provide a SF-50 which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade or promotion potential held. You may need to provide more than one (1) SF-50,if your SF-50 does not clearly demonstrate that you meet the one-year time-in-grade requirement(examples of appropriate SF-50s include Appointment/Conversion, Within-Grade/Range Increases and Promotion actions). NOTE: Pay adjustments and awards are NOT acceptable.
• QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION: Submit a copy of your transcripts from an accredited institution. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, name of the educational institution, declared degree program, course title(s), credits completed, grade, date of completion, Grade Point Average (GPA), and date of degree conferral. If selected, an official transcript will be required.
• VETERAN DOCUMENTATION: Submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 or equivalent).
  • ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of active service, rank/grade, expected character of service (i.e., honorable or general) and type of separation (i.e., separation or retirement). NOTE: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If selected, a DD-214 must be provided prior to appointment.
  • 10-POINT VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If claiming 10-point Veterans' Preference, you will need to submit a SF-15 and provide an official document from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying your overall compensable service-connected disability rating (NOTE: Your overall percentage must be clearly shown), and/or any other associated documentation based on your preference.
• INTERAGENCY/CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (I/CTAP): Submit a copy of the following:
  • Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  • SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through reemployment priority list (RPL), etc.;
  • Latest performance appraisal including your rating; AND
  • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
• CURRENT OR FORMER POLITICAL SCHEDULE A, SCHEDULE C, NON-CAREER SES OR PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE EMPLOYEE: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
  • Position title;
  • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
  • Agency; AND
  • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Next steps