Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No prior federal service is required.

• Manage the security status and authorization of assigned systems under the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA).
• Oversee the Risk Management Framework (RMF) process for assigned systems, following National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance and federal requirements.
• Track Plans of Action and Milestones (POA/M), address risks, and complete annual security control reviews on time.
• Work with offices and teams to create required system documentation, such as contingency plans and other materials for Security Assessment and Authorization (SA/A).
• Provide cybersecurity advice to Business Owners (BOs), System Owners (SOs), technical teams, and Information System Security Officers (ISSOs).

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.

All qualification requirements must be met by 12/15/2025. Your application package will not be considered if it is missing any of the required documents listed under the "Required Documents" tab.

Probationary Period. One-year probationary period may be required.

Selective Service. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

Background Suitability Investigation. Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation and the granting of a federal suitability or security clearance. If selected, you may be offered tentative employment until the background investigation has been fully adjudicated.

Qualifications

This announcement is issued under the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Appointee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one-year probationary period. Under this DHA announcement applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official.

Veterans' preference, Category Rating and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply under the Direct-Hire Authority.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet the Basic Experience requirement and the Specialized Experience as described below.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the Basic Experience requirement and the Specialized Experience as described below.

Basic Experience:
Experience must be 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.

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.

Specialized Experience:
Applicants must have at least one year of full-time specialized work experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the next lower level, GS-13, in the federal government. Specialized experience is defined as:

1. Leading cybersecurity risk management initiatives for enterprise-scale information systems to ensure security controls are properly implemented, documented, and aligned with industry-recognized cybersecurity frameworks and organizational security objectives.
2. Directing cross-functional cybersecurity teams and guiding system owners, security specialists, and technical experts to ensure security requirements are understood, executed, and maintained throughout the system lifecycle.
3. Assessing system architecture, technologies, and software solutions to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate security implications, and recommend risk-based strategies that strengthen system resilience and support informed decision-making.
4. Overseeing independent security evaluations and validating security documentation and remediation plans to confirm accuracy, completeness, and effectiveness, enabling senior leadership to make well-supported risk acceptance and operational readiness decisions.

*Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. 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.

A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

How you will be evaluated

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

To preview the application questionnaire, click on the following link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12837556.

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated 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 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 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.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). The ICTAP provides eligible displaced federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility, you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and you are found Well Qualified for this vacancy. Well Qualified means you must meet all the minimum qualification standards listed above and be assessed and assigned the rating of at least Well Qualified to receive special selection priority. Well Qualified is further defined as possessing the Basic Qualifications and meeting the specialized experience noted above.

You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition website.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to HumanResourcesDivision@FRTIB.GOV.

Please be advised, the following documents are required even if you are already a current federal employee or employee of the FRTIB:

1. Federal Resume Information: Your resume may be longer than two pages; however, only the first two pages will be reviewed when we evaluate your qualifications. Anything beyond page two will not be considered. Be sure the first two pages of your resume clearly show the relevant experience you want us to consider, including the start and end dates for each job (month, day, and year) and the number of hours you worked each week (for example, 40 hours/week). If your resume does not include this information, we may not be able to determine whether you qualify, and you may not be considered for this position. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent version will be used to evaluate your application.

2. Responses to the occupational questionnaire.

3. You must submit supporting documents verifying your selection priority eligibility along with your application package. Omitting these documents may result in no preference being adjudicated for you. These documents may include, but are not limited to:

• ICTAP documentation. RIF separation notice along with your last performance rating or appraisal.
• Schedule A documentation. A qualifying letter from a doctor's or vocational rehabilitation office indicating you are eligible for hire under the Schedule A hiring authority.

4. College transcripts. Transcripts must be legible and possess the school name imprinted on the transcript or be on school letterhead; you may be asked to submit official transcripts upon selection.

Next steps