Signals Analyst - Mid to Experienced Level (MD, CO)

National Security Agency Inc; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 105,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

National Security Agency seeks SIGINT analysis professionals (Signals Analysts) to advance our capabilities in COMINT, ELINT, FISINT, and PROFORMA intelligence. You will analyze signals, develop processing models, and report findings to inform intelligence customers.

Responsibilities include modeling signal behavior, transforming signals between domains, coding analysis tools, and collaborating with managers and engineers to optimize resources and deliver critical intelligence.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science or related technical field.
• Relevant military education or training programs (e.g., MSAP, MESAP, MOSAP).
• Experience in signals analysis (COMINT/ELINT/FISINT/PROFORMA) or related areas.

Responsibilities

• Characterize signals in RF and digital domains; model signal behavior.
• Develop processing models and scripts for analysis.
• Report signal characteristics and maintain knowledge bases.
• Collaborate with collection managers, analysts, and reporters to deliver intelligence.

Skills

Signals analysis

Programming / script development

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science or related technical field

Relevant military education or training programs

Tools

Programming languages

Job description

Responsibilities

Given today's rapid evolution of signals and advancements in adversarial technologies, the NSA must maintain and develop a highly talented workforce of SIGINT analysis professionals, e.g. Signals Analysts and Target Systems Analysts, spanning expertise in communications intelligence (COMINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT), and PROFORMA (formatted data communications) intelligence. These professionals play a vital part in maintaining our technical capabilities to recover, understand, exploit and derive intelligence from foreign communications and signals.

• COMINT is technical and intelligence information derived from foreign communications; it includes intelligence derived from the content of the communications to and from individuals, networks, or devices.
• ELINT is technical and geolocation information derived from foreign non-communication electromagnetic emissions, most commonly from radars, weapons systems, beacons, navigational systems and electromagnetic interference.
• FISINT consists of technical information and intelligence derived from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of foreign aerospace, surface and subsurface systems.
• PROFORMA is machine-generated data communications associated with military C4ISR, civil, industrial, commercial and personal applications; analysis of PROFORMA data conveys information derived from sensors and/or control systems.

Responsibilities of Signals Analyst Professionals may include:

• Levy deep technical understanding of signal characteristics to determine signal structure, define signal parameters, identify signal content, and model signal behavior within the RF and digital domains.
• Transform signals between domains, and create processing models and scripts.
• Report technical characteristics of signals and maintain knowledge bases.
• Support access and follow‑on analytic activities.
• Analyze engineering and technical information related to weapon and space systems.
• Conduct target analysis and research.
• Use knowledge of customer requirements to collect, process, analyze and/or report on signals intelligence information.
• Identify and analyze signal waveforms (e.g., weapon systems or communication systems), bit streams (e.g., multiplexers, error correction, voice and video compression, or instrumentation systems), and/or protocols (e.g., link layer, network layer, or application layer).
• Develop software code to support analysis and/or processing using a variety of architectures and solutions.
• Report signal parametric data and intelligence information in databases, narrative reports, and oral presentations.
• Collaborate with collection managers, developers, analysts, and reporters to optimize resources, develop new solutions to analytic challenges, fuse multiple sources of information, and deliver critical intelligence to a variety of customers.

Job Summary

Signals Analysis is a cutting‑edge technical discipline that seeks to identify the purpose, content and user(s) of signals. Given today's rapidly evolving global communications, the NSA must maintain and develop a highly talented and diverse workforce of Signals Analysts who are a vital part in maintaining our technical capabilities to use the most sophisticated means to recover, understand, and derive intelligence from all manner of foreign signals.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position: Degree must be in Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, a Physical Science, or a related technical field. A broader range of degrees may be considered for those who have completed a relevant military training program. Relevant military education in a relevant military degree, relevant military training, or military development program (for example, Intermediate Tech ELINT Analyst, 451/461 (Intermediate Signals Analysis), 452 (Advanced Signals Analysis), Military Signals Analysis Program (MSAP), Military ELINT Signals Analysis Program (MESAP), or Military Operational Signals Analysis Program (MOSAP)). Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: signals analysis (COMINT, ELINT, FISINT or PROFORMA); protocol analysis; network troubleshooting; network traffic characterization; network security analysis; or design and engineering of aerospace, communications, electronic or industrial systems. If not credited toward education requirement, completion of relevant military training will be considered towards the experience requirement. FULL PERFORMANCE: Entry is with a high school diploma or GED plus 7 years of relevant experience plus relevant military education; or an Associate's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, plus relevant military education; or a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree and no experience. SENIOR: Entry is with a high school diploma or GED plus 10 years of relevant experience plus relevant military education; or an Associate's degree plus 8 years of relevant experience, plus relevant military education; or a Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. Salary Range: $105,262 - $192,764 (Full Performance, Senior) Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position. Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience. Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package. Work Schedule: This is a full‑time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible). DCIPS Trial Period: If selected for this position, you will be required to serve a two‑year DCIPS trial period, unless you are a veterans' preference‑eligible employee, in which case you are required to serve a one‑year trial period. This trial period runs concurrently with your commitment to the position, if applicable. Before finalizing your appointment at the conclusion of your trial period, NSA will determine whether your continued employment advances the public interest. This decision will be based on factors such as your performance and conduct; the Agency's needs and interests; whether your continued employment would advance the Agency's organizational goals; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. If you do not receive certification for continued employment, you should receive written notice prior to the end of your trial period that your employment will be terminated and the effective date of such termination.

DCIPS Disclaimer

• VETERANS AND TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS** Thank you for your service! The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions at NSA are in the Excepted Service under Title 10, United States Codes (U.S.C.), Section 1601 appointment authority. Veterans' Preference In accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, "DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System Employment and Placement," NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility upon application. Acceptable documentation includes: - DD-214: "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions (Copy 4); OR - Certification of Service: A written document on letterhead from the appropriate branch of 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 not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. The certification should include the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date; AND - Standard Form 15 (SF-15) Application for 10-point Veteran Preference (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf). If you are claiming a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more, the documentation you provide must specifically demonstrate this level of disability; AND - VA Letter of Disability (for 10pt and Sole Survivorship rating) You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center, or online (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/). **Failure to provide sufficient documentation of veterans' preference eligibility may preclude NSA from identifying you as a preference eligible candidate during the hiring selection process.

Skills

• accountable
• flexible
• resilient
• communicate effectively
• collaborate with others

• applying specialized tools and computer-based programs to process data for analytic problems
• assessing applicability of available tools to various situations
• combining analytics, tools, and visualization to support analysis
• interpreting output of specialized tools and computer-based programs
• programming / script development
• weapon system design or testing
• telemetry system design or implementation

Potential areas of specialization include: ELINT Bauded Discovery Analysis Bauded Internals Analysis Bauded Waveform Analysis COMINT Protocol Analysis FISINT Protocol Analysis Operational Target Tracking PROFORMA Analysis NOTE: A copy of your unofficial transcript is highly encouraged to be submitted with your application to expedite processing.