IT Cybersecurity Specialist, GS-2210-14 Job in Alameda, CA

Vacancy No. 24-2928-HQ-MLJ-DHA-R1 Department U.S. Coast Guard
Salary $152,105.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/8/2024 Close Date 11/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Alameda, CA


Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Deputy Commandant for Operations, Assistant Commandant for Intelligence, Coast Guard (CG) Cyber Command, Operations Department, Cyber E&P Division, Cyber Protection Team, Alameda, CA.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens. Subject position(s) will be filled through Direct Hire Authority. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for further consideration. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating, Veterans Preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy

Duties

You will serve as an Information Technology (IT) Cybersecurity Specialist in the USCG within CGCYBER, responsible for the planning, analysis, and enhancement of Cyber Protection Team (CPT) information systems and technically supporting CPT assessment, threat hunting, and incident response missions. You will also be responsible for providing on-scene technical expertise and guidance in reducing Cyber risk and defending Marine Transportation System (MTS) networks; liaison with other USCG organization elements as well as other government on emerging IT security issues.

Being a CG civilian makes you a valuable member of the CG team. Typical work assignments include:

  • Developing information system capabilities and configuring them to prevent and defend against unauthorized access to systems, networks, and data; conducting risk and vulnerability assessments of planned and installed information systems to identify vulnerabilities, risks, and protection needs.
  • Developing virtualized infrastructure.
  • Ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems, networks, and data through the planning, analysis, development, implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of information systems security programs, policies, procedures, and tools.
  • Providing timely detection, identification, and alerting of possible attacks/intrusions, anomalous activities, and misuse activities and distinguishing these incidents and events from benign activities.
  • Providing expert technical support to enterprise-wide cyber defense technicians to resolve cyber defense incidents; performing initial, forensically sound collection of images and inspecting to discern possible mitigation/remediation on enterprise systems.
  • Conducting analysis of mission data to create tools and techniques to improve CPT operator effectiveness.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • This position requires a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
  • Must undergo and complete a Single Scope Background Investigation.

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

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience includes the following:

  • IT Strategic planning and project planning activities; AND
  • Developing and configuring virtualized infrastructure; AND
  • Conducting risk and vulnerability assessments; AND
  • Using and deploying data aggregation tools (e.g. Security information and event management).

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirement, you must also have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below.

Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

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.

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.

Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

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.

Education

This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here

Additional information

Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 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, or imprisonment.

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 at click here

 Recruitment incentives may be authorized.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 202-372-0000. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(K)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; Disabled Veterans Leave; sick leave and paid federal holidays.  Other benefits may include:  flexible work schedules; telework; voluntary tuition assistance; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; voluntary credentialing; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers.  DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and development as well as mentoring program opportunities.  For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select “Benefits.”

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your résumé and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be referred for consideration. The following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities are needed to perform this job:

  1. Knowledge of Cybersecurity principles, methods, tools and operations.
  2. Skill in managing projects, to include plan development and schedules, estimating resource requirements, defining milestones and deliverables, and evaluating accomplishments and metrics to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
  3. Skill in using cybersecurity tools.
  4. Ability to effectively develop tools and infrastructure.
  5. Ability to communicate orally and in writing.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

1. Your resume

2. If you are claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), submit a copy of your agency notice, most recent performance rating and most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level and duty location. If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. To be considered eligible, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. Please see ICTAP eligibility.

3. OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

All documentation as outlined above must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you are unable to submit your documents electronically, you may fax or mail the documents. A fax cover sheet will be provided to you from the system, with fax number and instructions to transmit the requested documents. The required documents will also be accepted by mail and must be received by the closing date of the announcement. The mailing address is COMMANDANT, ATTN OFFICE OF CIVILIAN HUMAN RESOURCES (JOBS), US COAST GUARD, 2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7912, WASHINGTON, DC 20593-7912.

How to Apply

Complete applications for this vacancy must be received on-line by 11:59p.m ET on the closing date of the announcement. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign in to USAJOBS, take the online questionnaire and submit the required documents to provide proof of qualifications. If you are claiming veterans’ preference, you will be required to submit proof. See Required Documents section for more detail regarding a complete application package.

High self-assessment in the vacancy questions that is not supported by information in your resume and/or supporting documents may impact you or eliminate you from consideration.

If claiming eligibility under the VOW Act: The VOW Act requires Federal agencies to treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligibles, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD214. In order to be considered under the VOW Act, the certification must specify that the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package for this job announcement. The certification must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members’ military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters. Agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment.

If applying on-line poses a hardship to you, the Help Desk listed on the announcement will provide assistance to ensure that applications are submitted on-line by the closing date. You must contact the Help Desk prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance. Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, excluding Federal holidays.

Agency contact information

USCG Applicant Support
Phone
866-656-6830
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
mgshelp@monster.com
Address
United States Coast Guard
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE
STOP 7120
Washington, District of Columbia 20593
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging the receipt of your application. USAJOBS no longer provides application status updates automatically. To check the status of your application, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Track this Application".

NOTE: Selectee(s) must be available to report to duty within 120 calendar days of the closing date of the announcement.

For more information on applying for federal employment click here.

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


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.