PUBLIC NOTICE for IT Cyber Security Specialist (INFOSEC) (Direct Hire) Job

Vacancy No. HQ-ES-IT-12778815-DHA Department Transportation Security Administration
Salary $90,025.00 to $138,296.00 Grade I to J
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/22/2025 Close Date 9/23/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Colorado Springs, COAnnapolis Junction, MD


Summary

Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America's transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to All U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals

Duties

These vacancies will be filled through DHS/TSA's Direct-Hire Authority pursuant to TSA MD 1100.30-26. Under the Direct-Hire Authority, category grouping and Veterans' Preference does not apply.


This Information Technology Cyber Security Specialist (INFOSEC) position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation Security Administration, Information Technology, Technology Solutions Division, Systems Management & Operations Branch.


Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Serve as Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) responsible for leading the implementation of security programs designed to anticipate, assess, and minimize system vulnerabilities (e.g., intrusion detection or access authentication programs). Coordinates the implementation of security programs across platforms, and establishes vulnerability reporting criteria.
  • Performs work pertaining to the implementation of information technology (IT) security programs, projects, and systems designed to anticipate, assess, and minimize system vulnerabilities
  • Performs risk analyses independent of operating platforms. Ensures procedures fully support NIST Special Publication 800- 37 and properly applied to the agency IT systems enterprise, particularly steps 4, 5, and 6 of the Risk Management Framework (RMF), and the guidelines in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) M-14-03 (Enhancing the Security of Federal Information and Information Systems) for managing information security risk on a continuous basis.
  • May act as a key technical point of contact to internal and external contacts on projects, programs, and other work activities. Provides guidance and assistance related to the DHS Information Security Performance Plan and the TSA Security Authorization and Ongoing Authorization processes.
If interested, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12778815."

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  1. You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
  2. You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
  3. You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
  4. Selective Service registration is required.
  5. Employee must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance based on a Background Investigation (BI).
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications

FOR ALL IT POSITIONS: To qualify, you must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below.
  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 requirements for all IT positions to qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-H or GS-12 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Developing and implementing IT security/cybersecurity strategies to support infrastructure security; AND
  • Applying IT security practices and cybersecurity principles and concepts to ensure the protection of IT infrastructures; AND
  • Applying project management principles, methods, and practices to plan and carry out complex IT projects (e.g., establishing priorities, developing plans and schedules, resource requirements, defining milestones and deliverables, evaluating, and reporting on accomplishments, provisioning equipment, etc.); AND
  • Experience with security scanning tools (AppScan, Tenable Nessus, BurpSuite Professional) including interpreting scan results.
In addition to the requirements for all IT positions to qualify for the SV- J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-I or GS-13 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Lead the planning and implementation of IT security/cybersecurity strategies to support infrastructure security throughout the project life cycle.
  • Experience performing Information System Security Officer (ISSO) duties, ensuring compliance with National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), and advising leadership on implementing Cyber security best practices.
  • Experience with security scanning tools (AppScan, Tenable Nessus, BurpSuite Professional) including interpreting scan results.
  • Applying project management principles, methods, and practices to plan and carry out complex IT projects (e.g., establishing priorities, developing plans and schedules, resource requirements, defining milestones and deliverables, evaluating, and reporting on accomplishments, provisioning equipment, etc.

Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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 translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

If interested, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12778815."

Additional information


Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: www.opm.gov/

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location - 240 hours, foreign duty location - 360 hours, or TSES position - 720 hours). TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.

If interested, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12778815."

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.

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.

You will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of the competencies required for this position. We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your category placement may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.


Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Documentation is needed to verify the eligibilities you are claiming.

Resumes must include the following:

1. Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including month and year) for work experience.
2. Number of hours worked in a position (i.e., full-time or part-time). If part-time, (i.e., less than 35 - 40 hours per week) state the total number of hours worked per week.
3. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your performance level for federal civilian positions (i.e., band or grade).

If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position.

Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate content, classified information, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc. on your resume.

Utilizing the USAJOBS Resume Builder and completing all available fields is strongly encouraged.

Detail Documentation: Eligible applicants who wish to qualify for this position based upon experience obtained while serving on a detail with TSA must submit signed copies of the corresponding TSA form 1160, Terms And Conditions For Temporary Internal Assignment -Detail, or an SF-52, as supporting documentation with their application otherwise the experience cannot be credited.

Veterans: If claiming VEOA or Veterans Preference- submit a copy of the official DD-214, which must include the character of service (i.e., with an Honorable or General discharge). If no DD-214 is available, please submit a memo/certification of military service as outlined in the VOW Act. This will be annotated in block 24 on member copy 2,4, or 7 of the DD-214. If claiming veterans' consideration which involves considering your disability rating, you must submit a VA Letter or a disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces. Note: All veterans claiming 10-point preference must also submit a SF-15.

Note: VOW Act Certification-- A "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active-duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.

If the certification has expired; an agency must request other documentation (e.g., a copy of the DD form 214) that demonstrates the service member is a preference eligible per 5 U.S.C. 2108, before veterans' preference can be awarded.

TSA Employees: Current TSA employees are strongly encouraged to submit the most recent non-Award SF-50, at the time of application, to support eligibility for Status consideration. TSA employees who do not submit the SF-50 with the application must document their current TSA position in their resume and may be required to provide the SF-50 document during the selection process. TSA employees may obtain a copy of their most recent non-Award SF-50 at https://eopf.opm.gov/dhs/.

Current or Former Federal Civilian employees (Non-TSA): You must submit a legible copy of a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. The SF-50 block 24 must contain a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must contain a "1" or "2."

Individuals with Disabilities: Documentation of eligibility for employment under this hiring authority can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Documentation is used to verify that the individual being hired is indeed a person with an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability.

Military Spouse Preference:If you are eligible based on one of the below, please submit the following:
(1) spouse of an active-duty member of the armed forces: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and PCS orders showing dependency (if applicable)
(2) a spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and VA Letter or disability determination showing 100%
(3) spouse of a service member killed while on active duty: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, documentation from the Armed Forces casualty office

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

All of the following must be received in our office by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard time) on the closing date of this announcement. If we do not receive all required information by the closing date, your application may not be considered.

To apply for this position, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12778815."submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. Your application must include:

  1. Resume
  2. Applicable supporting documents (see Required Documents Section)


Veterans and Persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the documentation that is required, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Agency contact information

Talent Management
Address
ES - Information Technology
6595 Springfield Center Dr
Springfield, VA 22150
US

Next steps



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