This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
This public notice is issued under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit talent to occupations for which there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need. This means that we can hire any qualified candidate from this notice or any other source.
About this DHA notice:
-Current civil service employees will receive new appointments if selected under this DHA.
-For information on DHA, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
- Meet all eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
- Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959
If selected, you must meet the following conditions:
- Current or Former Political Appointees: 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 or NonCareer SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
- Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
- Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level).
- Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee. We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
Qualifications
To evaluate your qualifications, your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience described below. Your resume must not exceed two pages. To ensure your qualifications can be fully evaluated, we recommend including the following information:
- Name, address, telephone number, email address;
- Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
- Relevant work experience—should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.
- Education, certifications or licensures—If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure to include the required information and any required documents like transcripts.
Your resume should contain enough information to make a valid determination that you fully meet experience requirements for each grade level you are applying to. If you do not provide enough information for us to determine your qualifications, you may be rated ineligible
If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.
The GS-14 salary range starts at $127,829 per year and varies based on duty location.
If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.
To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level or higher in the Federal service and have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the nine competencies below:
IT SPECIALIST COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS:
- Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attention 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.
- Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or
information management systems.
- Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains
effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people
from varied backgrounds and different situations.
- 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.
- Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to
achieve goals.
- Technical Competence – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with,
understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as:
- Applying advanced network and cybersecurity concepts—including Zero Trust and modern software-defined architectures—to analyze, design, and modernize large-scale enterprise networks.
- Implementing complex security requirements across internal, external, and multi-cloud environments and integrating cybersecurity monitoring and management tools.
- Providing authoritative technical guidance to senior leadership and collaborating with cross-functional partners to resolve complex security and architecture challenges.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
Applicants are encouraged to make their resume searchable in their USAJOBS.gov profile. This will allow Federal hiring specialists and hiring managers across agencies to find their resume as part of agency recruitment campaigns or staffing searches.
If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency or
visit GSA's webpage.
On a case-by-case basis, the following incentives may be approved:
- Credit toward vacation leave if you are new to the federal government
Additional vacancies may be filled through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area as needed; through other means; or not at all.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
You will have access to many benefits including:
- Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans)
- Life insurance coverage with several options
- Sick leave and vacation time, including 11 paid holidays per year
- Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan)
- Transit and child care subsidies
- Flexible spending accounts
- Long-term care insurance
- Training and development
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.
Your application will be evaluated against the basic qualifications which includes any specialized experience and/or education requirements (if applicable). Qualified candidates will be considered in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire Guidelines. Applications will not be rated or ranked. Veterans’ Preference is not applicable to the direct hire recruitment procedures. Failure to submit a complete application or missing required supporting documentation may result in you not being considered for the position. Falsification of your background, education, and/or experience is grounds for non-selection or dismissal if hired.
SME Resume Review:
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will evaluate your resume to determine your qualifications for this position using a pass/fail process.
ICTAP/CTAP Candidates: The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found “well-qualified" for this vacancy. In addition to meeting the basic qualifications stated in the qualification section of this announcement, well qualified is defined as: experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, demonstrated by meeting at least 3 out of 5 KSA’s listed below:
- Expert knowledge of the IT Security area of specialization, its governing laws, regulations, methodologies, and/or policies to provide sound and authoritative technical guidance on all issues related to the assigned program.Comprehensive analytical skills to apply a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of INFOSEC program effectiveness.
- Comprehensive analytical skills to apply a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of INFOSEC program effectiveness.
- Mastery knowledge of information technology security application within the Federal Government to advise System Owners, Business Lines, Industry Partners, and client agencies in the analysis of complex mission requirements and applying information technology security in efficiently and effectively meeting these requirements.
- Mastery in the field of Information Technology Security to apply experimental theories and new developments to problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods and to make decisions or recommendations significantly changing, interpreting, or developing important public policies or programs.
- Skill in oral communication to present sensitive recommendations to higher authority, to obtain compliance with policies from activities within the regional or Central Office setting, to articulate positions/policy of vast technical complexity and to represent the agency on task forces.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.
Resume: Must not exceed two pages. Refer to the Qualifications section for resume requirements.
If you are ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.
Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.