IT SPECIALIST (INFOSEC) (STEM)

ASSESSMENT FACTORS

1. Engages the client on routine to complex issues to ensure their needs and those of the organization are met.
2. Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills to compose and deliver responses to complex questions in a clear, concise, and organized manner.
3. Crafts effective recommendations for highly complex or sensitive situations that incorporate strategic direction by identifying the impact of the course of action.
4. Demonstrated knowledge & skill of IC & DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) processes (e.g., methods for assessing and mitigating risk), & assessing effectiveness of security
controls based on cybersecurity principles and tenets. (e.g., CIS CSC, NIST SP 800-53, Cybersecurity Framework, etc.)
5. Demonstrated experience and skill in verifying minimum security requirements are in place for assessed applications, systems, and/or networks and in providing cybersecurity
recommendations to leadership based on significant threats and vulnerabilities.

HIGHLY DESIRED SKILLS


1. Demonstrated knowledge of various types of computer architectures, network access, identity, and access management (e.g., public key infrastructure, Oauth, OpenID, SAML, SPML).
information technology (IT) security principles and methods (e.g., firewalls, demilitarized zones, encryption), computer networking concepts and protocols, and network security
methodologies.
2. Demonstrated experience in assessing security systems designs, recognizing vulnerabilities in security systems. (e.g., vulnerability and compliance scanning), and providing advice &
guidance.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of IC and DOD information technology (IT) risk management policies, requirements, and procedures

Individual Occupation Requirements

ALTERNATIVE A

All Applicants must meet the following minimum qualification requirements in order to be considered for this position:
Requirements may be met either through Education and/or Experience and/or a combination of both.

Education:
All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. The coursework must be either undergraduate or graduate and must include a minimum of 24 semester hours in one, or a combination of the following: computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management.

Level/Education:
GG-07 : One (1) full year of graduate level education; or Bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement
GG-09: Master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree; OR two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree
GG-11 and above: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree; OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

Experience
• Must be IT-related (paid or unpaid);
• May have involved the completion of specific and intensive training (for example, IT certification);
• Should have equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and should have been gained in the same or related field as the work of the position being filled;
• Should have been gained in the IT field or through the performance of work where the primary concern was IT;
• Should consist of at least one year at a level equivalent to the next lower GG level;
And

• Must have demonstrated each of the following four competencies:

1. Attention to detail: thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail;
2. Customer Service: works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations, knows about available products and services and is committed to providing quality products and services;
3. Oral Communication: effectively expresses information, takes into account the audience and nature of the information, 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 makes appropriate recommendations.
and

Specialized Experience
1. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

ALTERNATIVE B

GS-5 and GS-7 (or equivalent):
Education:
All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.
Level/Education:
GG-05 (or equivalent): Bachelor's degree in any field
GG-07 (or equivalent): One (1) full year of graduate level education; OR supervisor academic achievement. Education must demonstrate the competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

OR

Experience
Experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, certification), as appropriate.

For all positions, individuals must demonstrate they have experience in each of the four competencies listed below; the experience does not have to be IT-related. 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.
AND
Specialized Experience for GS-7 (or equivalent):
Positions at GS-7 (or equivalent) require one year of specialized experience at the next lower GS-grade (or equivalent). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. The employing agency is responsible for defining the specialized experience based on the requirements of the position being filled.