IT Specialist(INFOSEC), GS-2210-14, FPL GS-14 (DH)

Summary This position is located in Federal Student Aid/ Product Management Division in Washington, DC. The Duties APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 200 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 200th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.   We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application. As an IT Specialist (INFOSEC), GS-2210-14, you will be responsible for: •    Ensuring all stakeholder cybersecurity requirements for safeguarding FSA’s assets and business processes are fully integrated into every layer of the enterprise architecture. •    Directing the design, implementation, and management of robust cybersecurity solutions across hybrid environments, spanning Amazon web services (AWS) and on-premises systems, while developing architectural blueprints that deliver comprehensive protection for critical infrastructure •    Ensuring compliance with FSA Lifecycle Management Methodology, industry best practices, and regulatory standards by overseeing the development of security solutions, while serving as the Information System Owner (ISO) for both major and minor cybersecurity systems and applications. •    Delivering project status updates and enterprise security posture insights to executive leadership and non-technical stakeholders through clear, impactful presentations using PowerPoint, MS Project, and other briefing tools. •    Developing comprehensive security frameworks to secure Cl/CD pipelines and creating architectural "blueprints" that ensure end-to-end protection of critical infrastructure Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a US Citizen Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service. Relocation will not be paid. Must complete a Background Investigation and Fingerprint check. you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period. Condition of Employment: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: • 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. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. 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; religious; 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. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience. Qualifications Specialized Experience for the GS-14 One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-13 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments: 1. Experience designing and implementing end-to-end architectures, with a strong focus on configuring, automating, and tuning cybersecurity solution platforms in a cloud (e.g. Amazon Web Services [AWS] technology) to ensure full alignment with business enterprise security standards. 2. Experience designing AWS-based cybersecurity architectures using native cloud services and security technologies, including Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and logging capabilities, to enhance security posture and support integration across cloud and on-premises environments. 3. Experience applying governmental and industry cybersecurity regulations to design and manage cloud security solutions aligned with lifecycle management requirements. Basic Experience Requirements You must possess IT related experience (paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (e.g., IT certification), as appropriate) demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. 1.    Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. 2.    Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (i.e., 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 (e.g., ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (e.g., 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement). 1.    Ability to analyze organizational goals and translate them into technical requirements and functional specifications aligned with Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) principles. 2.    Knowledge of cybersecurity tools and platforms, including their integration and orchestration within enterprise cloud environments. 3.    Ability to apply management principles and compliance standards to develop security solutions, mitigations, and recommendations that meet governmental and/or industry mandates. 4.    Ability to communicate complex technical risks clearly to executive and non-technical audiences, to align them with business objectives to drive effective decision-making and continuous improvement. 5.    Knowledge of cybersecurity tools and platforms, including their integration and orchestration within enterprise cloud environments. Education Education cannot be substituted for experience for this position and grade level.  Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.  For further information, please click Foreign Education. Additional information Veterans’ Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email [email protected] to schedule a session with a career counselor (“Veterans Counseling Session” should be placed in the subject line of the email). Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment. Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check. Essential/Non-Essential: This position is considered essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures. Financial Disclosure: This position does not require financial disclosure. Bargaining Unit: This position is not included in the bargaining unit. Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency. 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 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. As an ED employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a work life balance, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you include alternative work schedules. You may be eligible to receive a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. You may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. You may be eligible to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program as a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive student loan repayments, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. 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.