Summary

This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration, in Cyber Security Forensics and Intelligence (JBB), Cyber Security (JB), Information Technology (J).

A successful candidate in this position will serve as a technical specialist and digital forensics expert leading a wide variety of investigations, inquiries, and tasks concerning incident and investigations management and with the preservation, identification, extraction, interpretation, and documentation of computer evidence.

Duties

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As an IT Cybersecurity Specialist, you will:

• Retrieve, recover, and preserve digital evidence. Use various host-based forensic tools such as Encase or FTK to search for and prepare information and evidence. Obtain and image various digital devices and provides information about the devices to assist investigations/inquiries.
• Examine and perform thorough technical analyses of computer-related evidence/information. Examine and analyze evidence/information from magnetic media storage devices (floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, optical disks, memory cards, magnetic strip cards, and the like). Analyze raw data (e.g. malware, network packets), log information, and other information sources in the course of incident response.
• Manage multiple threat analysis sources and their integration and use in the enterprise incident response teams.
• Provide timely detection, identification, and alerting of possible attacks/intrusions, anomalous activities, and misuse activities and distinguish these incidents and events from benign activities.
• Lead projects or efforts to maintain and improve our department's cyber defensive capabilities.
• Interact with other agencies such as the FBI to stay informed about threats to BPA's infrastructure.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answer to these questions is not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.

When you apply you will be asked a series of questions to determine your eligibility for employment and your qualification for this position specifically. You must answer all of these questions completely and truthfully.

Key Requirements:

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• You will be required to report in person to the official duty location.

Conditions of Employment:

• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• This position has been designated as Critical-Sensitive, High Risk, Tier 5 and requires a security clearance at the DOE "Q" level; the incumbent will be required to access, process, use, and safeguard classified information. The incumbent is required to obtain and maintain this clearance level; failure to do so may result in separation from federal service.
• This position requires an initial drug test prior to appointment and random drug or drug and alcohol testing thereafter. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug or drug and alcohol tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.
• Position may be required to participate in scheduled or ad hoc on call duties, including after hours, weekends, and holidays at management's discretion to support mission needs.
• The Computer Forensic Technician position is exposed to extremely sensitive unclassified information (SUI), classified information (Q), and extremely high level network access which requires a high degree of confidentiality, discreteness, professionalism and skill and requires a top secret (Q) for which the incumbent must qualify to hold or continue to hold the position.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT: 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 four 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.

1. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

To meet this requirement, you must demonstrate proficiency in each of the four competencies listed above as follows:

GS-13: Advanced - You can perform the actions associated with each of these competencies without assistance. You are recognized within your immediate organization as "a person to ask" when difficult questions arise regarding each of these competencies. Focus is on broad organizational/professional issues; You have consistently provided practical/relevant ideas and perspectives on process or practice improvements which may easily be implemented; You are capable of coaching others in the application of each of these competencies by translating complex nuances relating to each competency into easy to understand terms; You participate in senior level discussions regarding these competencies; You assist in the development of reference and resource materials in these competencies.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience 1) collecting, examining, and preserving digital evidence from various sources, such as hard drives and network packets, to support internal investigations or incident response activities; 2) analyzing network traffic, system logs, and other security data to identify, triage, and report on potential cybersecurity threats and anomalous activities; and 3) providing technical guidance on IT security controls or contributing to projects designed to enhance an organization's cyber-defensive capabilities.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There are no specific education requirements or substitution of education for experience for this position.

Additional information

• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.

Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.

BPA strives to ensure a safe and positive work environment.

We also understand the importance of work/life balance and offer a variety of programs and policies designed to create more flexible, responsive work environments supportive of commitments to community, home and family members. BPA also supports employees' overall wellness through its Be Well program, which helps employees adopt healthier lifestyles and feel better about their work/life balance. The program supports five key areas of life: career, community, financial, physical and social.

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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.