Information Technology Specialist (Security) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-DTS-12678956 Department Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Salary $101,402.00 to $190,061.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/30/2025 Close Date 1/29/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located within the Department of Technology Services (DTS), Information Technology Security Office (ITSO). The candidates will be responsible for leading threat detection and incident coordination efforts within ITSO's 24/7 Security Operations Center and are empowered to task and direct all incident response activities in support of defensive cyber operations internal defense measures.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open until filled. Applications will be reviewed every two weeks beginning February 13, 2025. This position allows for recurring and situational telework, but does not qualify for full-time or remote telework.

Duties

The incumbent is methodical, analytical, has strong attention to detail, and has strong leadership and briefing skills. Technical knowledge and skills are required but the Judiciary Watch Officer is not necessarily the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for hands-on response but has sufficient technical knowledge to identify and task appropriate SMEs when required. Such expertise requires a broad technical background with emphasis on operational procedures.

Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Overseeing and directing cybersecurity and Information Technology (IT) operational teams. Ensure teams are effectively prioritized and assigned tasks based on the severity and impact of cybersecurity incidents or operational issues, while maintaining a timely and coordinated response.
  • Enforcing and oversee technical and management notification and escalation procedures, maintaining proper communication channels to engage stakeholders, senior leadership, and subject matter experts (SMEs) as required.
  • Leading incident and problem resolution by coordinating efforts across cybersecurity, IT, and business teams, leveraging SMEs to contain threats, mitigate risks, and efficiently restore systems to normal operations.
  • Maintaining comprehensive and accurate documentation of all incidents, actions taken, and lessons learned, ensuring compliance with judiciary guidelines, and supporting continuous process improvement through root cause analysis and post incident reviews.
  • Fostering collaboration with cross-functional teams to strengthen the judiciary's security posture by proactively identifying vulnerabilities, sharing insights from incidents, and driving security awareness initiatives.
  • Delivering clear, concise, and timely status updates to management and key stakeholders, translating complex technical findings into actionable business insights to facilitate informed decision-making.
  • Participating in a rotating on-call schedule to guarantee 24/7 incident response coverage, providing rapid and effective reaction to cybersecurity threats and operational disruptions.
  • Exhibiting exceptional critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills to effectively assess and respond to cybersecurity incidents and operational challenges under high-pressure situations with minimal impact to business operations.
  • Identifying opportunities for enhancing incident response capabilities by proposing and implementing innovative security solutions, automating repetitive tasks, and staying ahead of emerging threats while adhering to industry and federal best practices.
  • Contributing to the enhancement of Security Operations Center efficiency and customer service by refining incident response processes, optimizing workflows, and promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
  • Overseeing and execute cybersecurity incident response procedures as outlined in established playbooks, directing containment, eradication, and recovery efforts with precision and efficiency.
  • Providing daily briefings to executives and key stakeholders on the status of ongoing incidents and problems, offering strategic insights and actionable recommendations to support risk-based decision-making.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

  1. All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
  2. Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration of Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship for competitive status positions or conversion to a competitive status position with the AO. If non-citizens are considered for hire into a temporary or any other position with non-competitive status or when it is confirmed by the AO Human Resources Office there are no qualified U.S. citizens for a competitive status position (unless prohibited by a law or statue), non-citizens must provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at USAJOBS Help Center | Employment of non-citizens/. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
  3. All new AO employees will be required to complete an FBI fingerprint-based national criminal database and records check and pass a public trust suitability check.
  4. New employees to the AO will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights/responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
  5. All new AO employees are required to identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment.
  6. You will be required to serve a trial period if selected for a first-time appointment to the Federal government, transferring from another Federal agency, or serving as a first-time supervisor. Failure to successfully complete the trial period may result in termination of employment.
  7. If appointed to a temporary position, management may have the discretion of converting the position to permanent depending upon funding and staffing allocation.

Qualifications

Applicants must have demonstrated experience as listed below. This requirement is according to the AO Classification, Compensation, and Recruitment Systems which include interpretive guidance and reference to the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position. Specialized experience is demonstrated experience must demonstrate ALL areas defined below:
  • Knowledge of networking protocols to include detailed understanding of Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.
  • Experience with security infrastructure components, including firewalls, web application firewalls (WAFs), proxies, DNS, and routing protocols, with a deep understanding of their role in enterprise defense strategies.
  • Knowledge of operating system internals and built-in security mechanisms, enabling effective identification and remediation of vulnerabilities across Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms.
  • Knowledge of adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), with the ability to analyze and respond to evolving cybersecurity threats through proactive defensive measures.
  • Hands-on experience with endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions such as CrowdStrike and Qualys, while leveraging them to identify, contain, and remediate security incidents.
Desired, but Not Required:
  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  • GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
  • GIAC Security Operations Certified (GSOC)
  • GIAC Cloud Incident Response (GCIR)

Education

This position does not require education to qualify.

Additional information

The AO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this job. If you meet the minimum qualifications for this job, we will evaluate your application package, to assess the quality, depth, and complexity of your accomplishments, experience, and education as they relate to the requirements listed in this vacancy announcement.

You should be aware that your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume and/or narrative responses, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Failure to submit the mandatory narrative responses will result in not receiving full consideration and/or rating credit. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you, withdrawing an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.

Required Documents

For this job announcement the following documents and/or information are required:

  • Resume - Any written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications.
  • Citizenship - Include country of citizenship on resume.
  • Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - All applicants outside of the AO must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 to verify current or former Federal employment status.
  • Veterans Preference documentation - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214), if applicable Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) and an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 01/29/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click

  • Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12678956

Agency contact information

Bassin Njie
Address
Department of Technology Services
One Columbus Circle, NE
Washington, DC 20544
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and referral to the hiring official if determined qualified. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.


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


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