Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens

As an Identity Standards Lead at NIST, you will lead the research and development of technical standards for identity management systems. You will serve as a subject matter expert for the Digital Identity and PIV programs, ensuring technical alignment and representing the agency in global forums.

• Lead research and standards development for identity domains, including identity proofing, authentication, and federation.
• Manage and advance high-profile NIST Identity Projects, such as the Digital Identity Guidelines (SP 800-63) and the PIV card publication suite.
• Represent NIST smart card and identity programs in national policy discussions, standards bodies, and international engagements.
• Collaborate with identity and cryptography program leads to align technical standards with strategic agency initiatives.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizenship
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment
• Bargaining Unit Position: No

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
Experience must be IT-related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate . GS-5 through GS-15 (or equivalent): For all positions, individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled.

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.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level (ZP-III at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as:

1. Experience performing research and contributing to the development of technical standards for identity domains (such as identity proofing, authentication, or federation).
2. Experience assisting in the creation or update of digital identity guidelines and publications (such as NIST SP 800-63 or FIPS 201/PIV).
3. Experience participating in national or international standards bodies, technical committees, or policy engagement forums.
4. Experience working across technical teams to support the implementation of cybersecurity or identity-related projects.

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 translate directly into paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.

If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration

How you will be evaluated

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

Please prepare a resume that is no longer than two pages; only the first two pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended.

How you will be evaluated: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed in this announcement. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) may be used to review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume.

Applications will be assessed on the following competencies:

• External Awareness
• Information Technology Research and Development
• Technical Credibility
• Written Communication

Referral: All applicants may be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are not rated and ranked, and veteran preference does not apply.

CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that, in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - Section 8: Hiring Paths at NIST | NIST

The documents required may vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.

A complete application includes: 1) A resume (not to exceed two pages), 2) vacancy question responses regarding technical qualifications, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

Resume: All applicants must submit a resume by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their choosing. Please prepare a resume no longer than 2 pages; only the first 2 pages will be considered during the review process. Ensure your font is 11 points or larger and upload your resume as a .pdf document. This helps ensure your formatting looks exactly the way you intended. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We suggest you review the qualification requirements for this position, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports the position qualifications. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.

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