Cybersecurity Technical Writer

Summary

This announcement is issued under the Direct Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Selectee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one year probationary period. The official title of this position is Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialist (INFOSEC) GS-2210-12/13

Duties

This position is located in the Cybersecurity Division (CSD), which leads CISA's cybersecurity efforts as the nation's flagship civilian cyber defense organization. CSD collaborates with partners across the government and private sector to enhance the nation's cybersecurity posture. Typical work assignments at the full performance level include, but are not limited to: Creating, editing, and reviewing cybersecurity technical products to ensure accuracy, internal consistency, and correct use of technical terminology prior to release Improving internal and external partner engagement by refining publication workflows and deliverables based on feedback and mission priorities Determining what cybersecurity information should be published and when, based on operational relevance, partner impact, and available technical validation Working as part of cross-functional teams to review, enhance, and standardize incident response practices and technical guidance products Reviewing technical content on indicators, malware, signatures, and adversary to ensure products accurately reflect current operational threats and vulnerabilities Organizing and maintaining cybersecurity data, product inputs, and publication artifacts within knowledge management systems to support timely retrieval and reuse Facilitating coordination between technical contributors and publication stakeholders to reconcile differing perspectives and meet timelines Requirements

You must be a U.S. citizen. Selective Service - Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service, see http://www.sss.gov/ All Federal employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. You must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable). This position has been identified as a drug testing designated position (TDP) for purposes of the CISA's Drug-Free Workplace Program. All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to a drug test to screen for illicit/illegal drug use prior to receiving a final offer of employment. A final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result. After appointment, you may be subject to periodic random drug testing. Qualifications

Do NOT copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. Your resume must describe your work and experience, in your own words. To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required proficiency level of competencies and experience for the respective grade level in which you are applying. COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT: Experience must be Information Technology (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. You must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the required competencies listed below and must meet or exceed the minimum proficiency level established for each by grade level. For more information, see Competency-Based Qualification Standard for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210. You qualify at the GS-12 and GS-13 grade levels, if you have the following competencies: Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) 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. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 3) Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) 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. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 3) Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. (For GS-12, Minimum Proficiency Level: 3 and for GS-13, Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals. (Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues. (For GS-12, Minimum Proficiency Level: 3 and for GS-13, Minimum Proficiency Level: 4) AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the competency requirement listed above, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower GS-grade level (or equivalent). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you 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. Such experience is typically gained in the IT field or through the performance of work where the primary concern is IT. You qualify at the GS-12 grade level, if you have: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level (or equivalent) performing all the following duties: Developing cybersecurity products (e.g., alerts/advisories, incident summaries, mitigation guidance, technical reports) for release to internal and external stakeholders; Collaborating across teams to deliver time-sensitive products under operational deadlines; AND Analyzing technical cybersecurity data to communicate indicators, malware behaviors, signatures, vulnerabilities, and adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures, and translating that into actionable mitigations and best practices. You qualify at the GS-13 grade level, if you have: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level (or equivalent) performing all the following duties: Reviewing and disseminating cybersecurity products (e.g., alerts/advisories, incident summaries, mitigation guidance, technical reports) to internal and external stakeholders; Leading coordination with internal and external stakeholders to gather input, adjudicate comments, and provide deliverables within established timeframes; AND Implementing improvements to work processes, publication workflows, or knowledge management systems to improve consistency, quality, and timeliness. 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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience. You must meet the qualification requirements specified in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. How You Will Be Evaluated

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Information Management Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Oral Communication Problem Solving Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technical Competence The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (I/CTAP): If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not I/CTAP eligible. View information about I/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered under I/CTAP, you must be rated eligible based on minimum qualifications for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veterans' preference procedures are not applicable when candidates are selected through Direct Hire Authority (DHA). Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter). Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process. To preview the application questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13074352 Other Information

Other incentives may be authorized. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Additional vacancies may be filled with this announcement. A one-year probationary period may be required during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued 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. If selected below the full performance level, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next higher grade level after meeting all regulatory requirements, and upon the recommendation of management. Promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.