Public Notice for IT SPECIALIST (INFOSEC) (Direct Hire) Job in Springfield, VA

Vacancy No. HQ-ES-IT-120802345-DHA Department Transportation Security Administration
Salary $120,579.00 to $185,234.00 Grade I to J
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/18/2025 Close Date 9/25/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Springfield, VA


Summary

The primary purpose of this IT Specialist (INFOSEC) position is to serve as a subject matter expert in the execution of the security authorization process for the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) Information Technology (IT) systems and the execution of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) information security performance plan which ensures compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

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 Public Notice for IT SPECIALIST (INFOSEC) (Direct Hire) position is located in Enterprise Support (ES), Information Technology (IT), Information Assurance & Cyber Security (IAD), Governance, Risk & Compliance Branch, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Serves as the subject matter expert (SME) in the execution of the Security Authorization (SA) and Ongoing Authorization (OA) processes for TSA IT systems. Reviews authorization, risk assessment, and assurance documents to confirm that the level of risk is within acceptable limits for each software application, system, and network that was assessed.
  • Ensures that the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Risk Management Framework (RMF) Special Publication (800-37) is properly applied to the agency IT systems enterprise.
  • Represents IAD Governance, Risk, and Compliance as a technical point of contact on projects, programs, and other work activities. Provides guidance and assistance related to Information Security.
  • As a project manager, monitors, and evaluates work of team of contractors, and provides oversight. Is responsible for successful and effective communication and collaboration across TSA offices.

If interested, please email your resume to: IT.IAD.Recruiting@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12802345."

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. Must be able to obtain and maintain Secret clearance.
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 minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following requirement(s) to be considered qualified for the position:

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 MUST include all of the following:
  • Applying FISMA and NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) to ensure compliance and effective risk management.
  • Conducting security assessments of information systems and networks using NIST RMF methodologies and tools independently, with minimal oversight.
  • Evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of security controls to mitigate risks, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend corrective actions.
  • Preparing and presenting comprehensive security assessment reports to management and assist in developing and implementing security policies and procedures.

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 MUST include all of the following:
  • Developing, updating, and maintaining cybersecurity documentation for systems, ensuring compliance with NIST standards, including conducting risk assessments in accordance with NIST 800-30 Rev 1.
  • Managing security assessment teams, providing oversight and guidance to security control assessors, and addressing complex security challenges with innovative solutions.
  • Conducting assessments of systems and cybersecurity controls, and effectively communicate security risks and compliance requirements to senior leadership.
  • Managing multiple projects concurrently, ensuring milestones are met and delivering high-quality results within established deadlines.

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.IAD.Recruiting@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12802345."

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.IAD.Recruiting@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12802345."

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.


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.


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.

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.IAD.Recruiting@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12802345." Indicate in the subject line which role you are interested in being considered for (e.g. IT SPECIALIST INFOSEC). 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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Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.