Summary

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is recruiting professionals to support a range of leadership roles in Cybersecurity Engineering, including System Testing and Evaluation Manager, Senior Software Developer, and Lead Secure Software Assessor. These positions are in the DHS Cybersecurity Service.

Duties

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DHS Cybersecurity Service (DHS-CS) uses a multi-phase assessment process to qualify applicants seeking employment through the DHS-CS. Given the ever-advancing nature of cybersecurity and the ongoing need for cybersecurity talent, DHS-CS uses "Talent Pools" to pull qualified applicants (i.e., individuals who have successfully completed the multi-phase assessment process for their capability and career track/level) for consideration for these jobs.

This announcement is being used to fill the Cybersecurity Engineering Talent Pool. By applying to this job announcement, you are opting to be part of the DHS-CS Talent Pool for ongoing consideration for employment for relevant open jobs and will remain eligible for consideration for up to one year from the date of completion.

By applying to this job announcement, you are not just applying for a specific job but are opting to be part of the DHS-CS Talent pool for ongoing consideration for employment in this Technical Capability and will remain eligible for consideration for up to one year from the date of completion.

There are a variety of Cybersecurity Engineering opportunities across the Department, including supporting several specialized programs at the DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (PLCY), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), DHS Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Secret Service.

Depending on your career level and role, DHS Cybersecurity Service employees in the Leadership Career Track, with a technical capability in Cybersecurity Engineering, will generally apply their expertise to perform a range of tasks, including:

• Overseeing software, hardware, and systems engineers developing new and refining/enhancing existing technical capabilities, ensuring full integration with security objectives, principles, and processes.
• Working with stakeholders to identify and recommend methods for incorporating promising technologies to meet organizational cybersecurity requirements based on their ability to stay current on emerging technologies, and their applications to current and emerging business processes (e.g., cloud, mobile).
• Building practical solutions in full consideration of lifecycle of costs, acquisitions, program and projects, management, and budget.
• Leading and managing teams that identify engineering requirements for, and ensure interoperability of, internal and external systems.
• Proactively assisting DHS leaders with decision-making and actions related to design and implementation of cybersecurity.
• Proposing, overseeing and/or organizing collaborative efforts to stay abreast of current events, marketplace developments, and emerging threats to required systems or networks providing system security consultation and engineering to business owners, system owners, and developers.
• Using known information to maintain security process coordination within the Department's lifecycle management and governance processes.
• Leading and managing teams that perform cybersecurity functions (e.g., encryption, access control, and identity management) to reduce exploitation opportunities.
• Coordinating with systems architects and developers, as needed, to provide oversight in the development of design solutions, system security controls, and countermeasures (including designing and developing new cybersecurity tools/technologies).
• Developing supporting documentation on risk analyses, feasibility studies, and/or trade-off analyses to refine functional requirements and specifications and maintain technical security configuration baselines.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or national.
• You must be 18 years of age.
• Must be registered for the Selective Service (if you are a male).
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Security clearance levels may vary.
• Must be able to submit to a drug test and receive a negative result.
• Must be able to comply with ethics and standards of conduct requirements, including completing any applicable financial disclosure.
• May be required to serve a 3 year probationary period.

Qualifications

DHS Cybersecurity Service employees start at career levels and salaries matching their experience and expertise. In recruiting for this opportunity, DHS may hire employees at higher or lower career levels and associated salaries. This position is in the Leadership Track across a range of career levels. Employees in this career track generally:

• Have between 5-15 years of cybersecurity work experience.
• Have between 0-5 years of cybersecurity leadership experience.
• Are capable of serving as a seasoned cybersecurity manager who oversees multiple DHS or Federal cybersecurity programs or DHS organizations, including employees and contract resources, through subordinate managers.

DHS Cybersecurity Service employees with a technical capability in Cybersecurity Engineering will generally:

• Conduct software, hardware, and systems engineering to develop new and refine/enhance existing technical capabilities, ensuring full integration with security objectives, principles, and processes.
• Build practical solutions in full consideration of lifecycle of costs, acquisitions, program and projects, management, and budget.
• Identify engineering requirements for, and ensure interoperability of, internal and external systems.
• Demonstrate strategic risk understanding, considering impact of security breaches or vulnerabilities in every aspect of the engineering process.
• Stay current on emerging technologies, and their applications to current and emerging business processes (e.g., cloud, mobile) to identify and recommend methods for incorporating promising technologies to meet organizational cybersecurity requirements.

DHS Cybersecurity Service employees start at career levels and salaries matching their experience and expertise. In recruiting for this opportunity, DHS may hire employees at higher or lower career levels and associated salaries. To learn more about DHS Cybersecurity Service career tracks and levels, visit our application portal.

This position is focused on Cybersecurity Engineering.

DHS Cybersecurity Service jobs are structured cybersecurity specializations - called technical capabilities. To learn more about technical capabilities, visit our application portal.

Education

Degrees are not required for jobs in the DHS Cybersecurity Service, but DHS is interested in your level of education and the topics you studied. As you submit initial application information, you will be asked questions about your education.

Additional information

Salary: Listed salary ranges reflects typical starting salaries available to employees in most of the United States across applicable career levels. Within the provided range, average salaries vary for each career level.

Lead Cybersecurity Specialist: $123,600 - $158,500

Cybersecurity Manager: $143,300- $184,000

Senior Cybersecurity Manager: $167,800 - $207,500

In some geographic areas, average starting salaries will be higher because of a local cybersecurity labor market supplement (e.g., metro Washington, D.C. +10%).

Actual salaries of individual employees may be higher or lower than provided figures. For an overview of the salaries available in the DHS Cybersecurity Service, visit Resources.

Benefits: DHS Cybersecurity Service employees receive a range of federal employment benefits designed to support their professional and personal lives. To learn more about benefits, visit our application portal.More information about the specific benefits available to you will be provided as you progress through the application process.

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.

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.