IT Specialist (INFOSEC)

Summary

The Information Technology (IT) Security Specialist position is located in the Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), Office of Information Security (OIS), Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC). OI&T provides adaptable, secure, and cost-effective technology services across the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The mission of CSOC is to protect the VA's information daily by monitoring, responding to and reporting cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Duties

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OIT Mission: The mission of the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) is to collaborate with our business partners to create the best experience for all Veterans.

OIT Vision: To become a world-class organization that provides a seamless, unified Veteran experience through the delivery of state-of-the-art technology.

Major Duties:

• Fuses multiple intelligence disciplines to assess cyber threat capabilities of current and emerging threats to drive insight to inform policymakers/operators.
• Conducts research and evaluates technical and all-source intelligence to develop in-depth analysis and assessment on threats to systems, critical networks and critical infrastructure.
• Analyzes technical and intelligence information to provide cyber threat indicators/indications, warnings, and trends.
• Synthesizes and places intelligence information into context; draws insights about the possible implications.
• Prepares assessments and cyber threat profiles of current events based on collection and research using classified and open-source information sources and understanding of the attackers' motivation, language, organization, and social behaviors, thereby helping organizations become more proactive in their security posture and defense.
• Supports all aspects of the intelligence lifecycle (e.g., plan, collect, evaluate, assess, report).
• Provides cybersecurity recommendations to leadership based on significant threats and vulnerabilities.
• Investigates, analyzes, and responds to cyber incidents within the network environment.
• Monitors and reports changes in threat dispositions, activities, tactics, capabilities, objectives, etc.
• Uses data collected from a variety of cyber defense tools to analyze events that occur within their environments for the purpose of mitigating threats.
• Analyzes digital evidence and investigates computer security incidents to derive useful information in support of system/network vulnerability mitigation.
• Develops assessment plans and measures of performance/effectiveness for cyber events.
• Monitors external data sources to maintain currency of cyber defense threat conditions and assesses their potential impact on the enterprise.
• Performs analysis of log files from a variety of sources (e.g., individual host logs, network traffic logs, firewall logs, and IDS logs) to identify possible threats to network security.
• Coordinates with intelligence analysts to correlate threat assessment data.
• Investigates, analyzes, and responds to cyber incidents within the network environment.
• Develops and maintains procedures to handle incidents and mitigate their impact on the organization's security posture.
• Analyzes data/information from one or multiple sources to conduct preparation of the environment.
• Monitors and reports on validated threat activities while maintaining awareness of the status of the dynamic operating environment.
• Analyze technical and intelligence information to provide cyber threat indicators, indications, warnings, and trends.
• Ensures proper classification, storage, and handling of intelligence data to maintain its integrity and availability.

Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist (INFOSEC)/PD17448A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Travel Required: Occasional travel may be required as needed for this position.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8AM-4:30PM; Tour of duty will be determined based on organizational needs.

Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the Agency Policy

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Physical Demands: The work is sedentary. Some work may require walking and standing in conjunction with travel and to attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site. Some employees may carry light items, such as papers, books, or small parts, or drive a motor vehicle. The work does not require any special physical effort.

Working Conditions: The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. Some employees may occasionally be exposed to uncomfortable conditions in such places as research and production facilities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Selectee is subject to background/suitability investigation
• Selected applicant will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing.
• Complete the initial online assessment.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, all qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement 08/18/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For the GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Applicants must meet all requirements when a request is received to fill a vacancy. You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Basic Requirements Experience:Experience must be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate. For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the five competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled.

• 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.
• 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.

AND

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as: incumbent require access to sensitive information and a TS(SCI) Clearance. Incumbents must be able to access a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF). Knowledge and skill in applying methods used to evaluate, implement, and disseminate IT security tools and procedures; IT security certification and accreditation requirements; network operations and protocols; or computer forensics principles. This knowledge is used to: develop implement and coordinate activities designed to ensure protection and restore IT systems, services and capabilities; monitor and evaluate systems' compliance with IT security requirements; provide advice and guidance in implementing IT security policies and procedures in the development and operation of network systems; and/or ensure proper protection of evidence used in investigating computer crimes.

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at ;br>
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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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

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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.

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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.