Supervisory IT Cybersecurity Specialist-Direct Hire

ATF; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) seeks a Supervisory IT Cybersecurity Specialist to lead enterprise cybersecurity programs in support of regulatory, criminal enforcement, and administrative missions. Based in Washington, DC, you will guide RMF implementations, risk management, and incident response, ensuring FISMA/NIST compliance across agency IT systems.

The role requires specialized experience in cybersecurity governance, security control assessments, continuous

Qualifications

• Specialized experience demonstrated in cybersecurity theories, principles, standards, methods and practices.
• Experience managing enterprise security programs with federal requirements (FISMA, NIST, OMB).
• Experience guiding risk-management activities including RMF, POA&M, and continuous monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Develops and directs agency-wide cybersecurity policies, standards, priorities, governance mechanisms and implementation strategies.
• Ensure enterprise systems comply with federal information security requirements (FISMA/NIST).
• Oversee enterprise cybersecurity operations and continuous monitoring to identify and mitigate threats and vulnerabilities.
• Establishes program priorities, objectives, performance measures and resource requirements for the IT Security organization.
• Supervise assigned professionals and oversee contractor support personnel.

Skills

Cybersecurity policies

RMF

NIST guidance

Continuous monitoring

Incident response

Risk management

Job description

Summary

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will work in the Office of Science and Technology (OST), Office of Cybersecurity. This position supports enterprise IT capabilities that enable ATF's regulatory, criminal enforcement, and administrative missions.

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will work in the Office of Science and Technology (OST), Office of Cybersecurity. This position supports enterprise IT capabilities that enable ATF's regulatory, criminal enforcement, and administrative missions.

Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) is a hiring authority granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address critical hiring needs or severe candidate shortages

Duties

The major duties of the Supervisory IT Cybersecurity Specialist position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develops, establishes, interprets, and directs agency-wide cybersecurity policies, standards, priorities, governance mechanisms, and implementation strategies
• Ensure enterprise systems and technology services maintain compliance with applicable Federal information security requirements, including FISMA-related responsibilities and NIST security standards and guidance.
• Oversee enterprise cybersecurity operations and the continuous monitoring of networks, systems, and automated security controls to identify, prioritize, and mitigate threats and vulnerabilities.
• Establishes program priorities, objectives, performance measures, and resource requirements for the Office of Cybersecurity/IT Security organization.
• Serves as first-level supervisor for assigned professional and administrative employees and provides direction and oversight to contractor support personnel.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be U.S. Citizen or National
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Pass drug screening and subject to random drug test.
• Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
• You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements by the closing of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for the Supervisory IT Cybersecurity Specialist position at the GS-15 grade level, candidates must meet the following specialized experience by the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized experience

Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

Experience

Candidates must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-14) (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience must include all of the following:

• Serving as a technical authority in cybersecurity theories, principles, concepts, standards, methods, and practices; AND
• Managing enterprise-level security programs involving Federal information security law and policy, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, the Federal Information Security Modernization (FISMA) Act, security control assessment, authorization decision support, continuous monitoring strategy, vulnerability remediation, and coordinated incident response; AND
• Implementing and maintaining cybersecurity resilience for enterprise systems and technology services to ensure compliance with applicable Federal information security requirements; AND
• Directing agency cybersecurity risk-management activities, including execution of the Risk Management Framework (RMF), authorization processes, security control assessments, continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and development and tracking of Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&M); AND
• Integrating cybersecurity requirements into enterprise architecture, technology investments, acquisition processes, business workflows, and law-enforcement mission operations.

Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement (11/03/2026) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

This announcement is being advertised under an agency specific OR a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority approved by OPM for filling vacancies when a severe shortage or critical hiring need exists. Veterans Preference and other Category Rating procedures do not apply to this announcement. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements of the position. The hiring office may interview and select any qualified candidate of their choosing from the qualified pool. See OPM, Direct Hire Authority for more information.

A one-year probationary period is required for new supervisors and managers.

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP):

• Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
• Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and
• Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

Probationary Period:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

EEO Statement/Policy

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Selective Service

If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

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.

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.