Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialist - Direct Hire Authority Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. IRM-2025-0020 Department Department of State - Agency Wide
Salary $122,198.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/22/2024 Close Date 11/29/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Summary

This serves as public notice for the use of OPM's Direct Hire Authority. Applicants who meet the qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration.

These positions are in the Office of Assessment & Authorization, Cyber Operations Directorate, Diplomatic Technology (DT/DCIO/CO/AA), in the U.S. Department of State.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection

Duties

  • Manages cybersecurity programs and provides authoritative advice and counsel to contacts on security implications, current and proposed IT policies and procedures, and infrastructure.
  • Conducts in depth analysis of statutory requirements and compares existing directives to assess the degree of change necessary to comply with newly formed requirements.
  • Serves as an Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) and cybersecurity expert to support cybersecurity programs or fully functional cloud capabilities.
  • Develops and establishes mechanisms that are designed to address and resolve technical and security related data and cloud computing problems and issues for the enterprise.
  • Applies Agile Project Management (APM) methodologies that include scope management, system boundary definition, iteration management and metrics and dashboards applications that are tailored to the full technology lifecycle projects.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. 

Applicants applying for the GS-14 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND specialized experience listed below:

  1. Attention to Detail - experience reviewing my own information technology-related work or data and have been responsible for reviewing the work of others to ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency with standards.
  2. Customer Service - developing and maintaining relationships with customers, anticipating and assessing the current and future information technology needs of customers, and developing or identifying information technology products or services that are tailored to meet customer needs.
  3. Oral Communication - briefing senior-level management and IT staff on the status of information technology systems, projects, or daily operations, including the communication of complex technical information to a non-technical audience.
  4. Problem Solving - identifying alternatives to address unique, highly complex, or sensitive information technology-related issues. I have anticipated information technology-related problems and have identified and evaluated potential sources of information to generate alternative solutions.

AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience managing all aspects of security for a portfolio of several IT systems, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and standards.
  • Experience coordinating with internal and external teams to implement and document security controls, enhancing the overall security posture of IT systems.
  • Experience briefing senior officials or their designated representatives on system security status, upcoming work, challenges, and accomplishments.

NOTE: In order to qualify for this position, your 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.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
  • If eligible, telework and/or remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.  Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

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.

Review our 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.

Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply. For this announcement, all applicants will be assessed to determine if they meet the qualifications for this position, specifically the education, specialized experience, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary to perform the work of the position.  All applications that meet the required qualifications will be referred to the selecting official in the order in which the applications were received.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following KSAs and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

  • Knowledge of information security principles, concepts, standards, and practices. 
  • Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and methodologies. 
  • Knowledge of information data security and management. 
  • Knowledge of IT project management principles, processes and lifecycle management,
  • Ability to analyze, assess, and improve program effectiveness as it relates to information technology. 
  • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for selection priority. Candidates are considered well qualified if their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) exceed the minimum qualifications described in the announcement.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1.  Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions. 

2.  Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans’ preference does not apply to this vacancy. Any supporting documentation received from veterans will be retained to document veteran’s status if selected.

  • To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
  • To claim 10-point preference, submit all required documentation outlined on the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.).  If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference.
  • To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim.
  • To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
  • For all preference claims:
    • DD-214 Member 4 copies are preferred and must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals.
    • If you are currently on active duty and applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement.
  • For more veterans’ preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

3.  ICTAP/CTAP documentation, if applicable. Visit our agency’s ICTAP and CTAP sites for required documentation.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Prepare your application in USAJOBS

To start your application, click Apply and we’ll walk you through the process to attach a resume and any required documents.

During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We’ll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won’t lose any changes.  You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process.

STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.

STEP 2: Submit your resume.  Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.

STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions.

STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.

To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency’s Civil Service selection process site.

Technical assistance with your on-line application is available through the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or by calling (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET

Alternate Application Procedures

If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.

Agency contact information

Marvin Nibblett
Phone
771-205-2889
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
NibblettMA2@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
600 19th Street NW
SA-17, 5th Floor
Washington, District of Columbia 20522-1705
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online application package is received, you will be notified through USAJOBS of your qualification status and referral or non-referral to the hiring official for further consideration. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. If a tentative job offer is made, the Department of State will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation. You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:

1. Upon receipt of your application.

2. Upon minimum qualification determinations.

3. After the certificate is issued.

4. After final selection is made. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status."

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.


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