IT Specialist (Security Controls Assessor)

US Office of Intelligence and Analysis; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Office of Intelligence and Analysis (DHS) seeks a distinguished IT program lead to drive and support critical cybersecurity initiatives affecting national security systems. You will align IT project outcomes with agency goals, exercise independent assessments, and guide remediation actions.

This role requires strong leadership and advanced cyber expertise. Applicants must meet the nine competencies, with a proven track record in planning, implementing, and evaluating security controls

Qualifications

• Demonstrated IT-related experience meeting the nine competencies listed.
• Ability to lead independent assessments of information system security and privacy controls.
• Experience evaluating security controls against frameworks like NIST SP 800-53 and CNSSI 1253.
• Experience reviewing configurations, policies, scans, logs, and artifacts for remediation.
• Experience with on-premise and cloud security scanning tools and POAM validation.
• Experience performing ongoing security evaluations and impact analysis for reassessments.

Responsibilities

• Leads and supports IT projects and programs impacting National Security and Intelligence systems.
• Plans and implements operational cybersecurity programs under the CISO function.
• Provides managerial/administrative/technical leadership within security initiatives.

Skills

Attention to Detail

Customer Service

Decision Making

Information Management

Interpersonal Skills

Oral Communication

Problem Solving

Teamwork

Technical Competence

Job description

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A).

The primary purpose of this position is to Leads and supports ongoing IT projects and programs that have a significant impact on the delivery of National Security and Intelligence systems, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives.

Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position. Individual Occupational Requirement

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement that must be met prior to meeting the specialized experience. Applicants must possess IT-related experience demonstrating each of the nine (9) competencies listed below:

• Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending 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.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-13 you must have you must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service, in applying new technical practices to cybersecurity operations where precedents do not exist; assessing programs to determine where improvements in efficiencies and operations could be made; planning and implementing new operational cybersecurity programs; and providing managerial/administrative/technical leadership to the functions of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). You must possess the specialized experience that has provided you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. In addition to the specialized experience described above, you must have related experience in each of the competencies listed below which must be supported by the information contained in your resume and other application materials:

• Planning, conducting, and documenting independent assessments of information system security and privacy controls to determine control effectiveness, identify risk, support authorization decisions, and validate remediation activities in accordance with applicable federal/IC Risk Management Framework (RMF) and organizational policy.
• Evaluate technical, management, and operational controls against applicable frameworks, such as CNSSI 1253 and NIST SP 800-53 security controls.
• Review system configurations, policies, procedures, scans, logs, diagrams, inventories, and other artifacts to assist with the ability the identification of deficiencies, risk impact, likelihood, severity, and provide recommended remediation actions.
• Perform on-premise and Cloud-based Security Scanning vulnerability, compliance, and code-scanning tools.
• Evaluate Plans of Action and Milestones (POAM) and validate corrective actions to support POAM closure.
• Perform ongoing security evaluations, analyze vulnerability data, and change impacts to assist with determination of reassessment requirements.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

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.

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

This position is designated as Emergency Essential. Emergency Essential personnel must be able to serve during a continuity of operation event without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable).

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug‑free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.