Department of Homeland Security

Public Notice for IT Cyber Security Specialist (Direct Hire)

Annapolis Junction, Maryland Full time

Public Notice for IT Cyber Security Specialist (Direct Hire)

Department: Department of Homeland Security

Location(s): Annapolis Junction, Maryland

Salary Range: $120579 - $185234 Per Year

Job Summary: The primary purpose of this IT Cybersecurity Specialist position is to serve as a key advisor responsible for developing, securing, managing, operating, and maintaining mission-critical IT systems for assigned organizations and/or geographical location(s) by making recommendation on software and hardware implementation approaches, develop, deliver, and supporting IT systems and services.

Major Duties:

  • These vacancies will be filled through DHS/TSA's Direct-Hire Authority pursuant to TSA MD 1100.30-26. Under the Direct-Hire Authority, category grouping and Veterans' Preference does not apply. This Public Notice for IT Cyber Security Specialist (Direct Hire) position is located in Enterprise Support, Information Technology, Technology Solutions Division, Systems Management & Operations Branch, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to: Provide comprehensive technical advice in the planning, implementation, operation, upgrade and maintenance of hardware devices and applications. Plans and schedules the installation of new or modified hardware and operating systems and applications software. Applies experience and comprehensive technical knowledge applicable to the discipline as well as an understanding of new technologies and methodologies, to solve complex problems and develop improved technical processes or systems. Manages systems resources including performance, capacity, availability, serviceability, and recoverability. Install and configure commercial off-the-shelf (COT S) applications and software/hardware enhancement products. Develops and documents systems administration standard operating procedures. Defines, organizes, and assigns resources to accomplish organizational objectives and allocates resources to accomplish large work activities within established schedules. Develops, interprets, plans, and applies policy, process, procedure, and strategy in the delivery of multi-discipline IT services required to achieve data and system integration/inoperability for assigned systems and applications. Resolves hardware/software interface and interoperability problems. Applies technical knowledge and skill to include operating systems, security standards and configurations, system administration, integration and interoperability processes and procedures. Ensures systems availability, functionality, integrity, and efficiency. Develops and implements system diagnostic and maintenance tools to ensure the availability and functionality of systems required to support organizational objectives. Implement security procedures. Manage the installation and integration of system fixes, updates, and enhancements and/or ensure the rigorous application of information security/information assurance policies, principles, and practices in the delivery of systems administration services. If interested, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12806715."

Qualifications: FOR ALL IT POSITIONS: To qualify, you must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. 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. 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. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. In addition to the requirements for all IT positions, to qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-H Pay Band or GS-12 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience MUST include all the following: Experience administering Cisco Firepower, Cisco Catalyst switches, and Juniper SRX firewalls. Experience administering F5 Local Traffics Manager and Global Traffics Manager Experience utilizing Cisco switching and routing including OSPF, NAT, VLAN, VTP, STP configuration and troubleshooting. In addition to the requirements for all IT positions, to qualify for the SV-J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-I Pay Band or GS-13 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience MUST include all the following: Experience designing and deploying enterprise networks across multiple locations, including planning IP addressing schemes, subnetting, routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, BGP), and integrating diverse network devices. Experience designing and implementing secure network solutions, including next-generation firewalls, layer-2 and layer-3 switches, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and secure network architecture best practices, while conducting security audits, vulnerability assessments, and ensuring compliance with relevant security standards. Experience monitoring and optimizing network performance using tools such as NetFlow, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv3), and Wireshark, diagnosing and resolving issues like bottlenecks, packet loss, latency, and hardware failures, and implementing load balancing and traffic shaping techniques to improve efficiency. Experience providing systems, network, or data support while ensuring compliance with FISMA, implementing NIST Zero Trust Architecture, and applying Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs). Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. 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. You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If interested, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12806715."

How to Apply: All of the following must be received in our office by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard time) on the closing date of this announcement. If we do not receive all required information by the closing date, your application may not be considered. To apply for this position, please email your resume to: IT.TSD2025@tsa.dhs.gov & reference "Announcement Vacancy Number 12806715." and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. Your application must include: Resume Applicable supporting documents (see Required Documents Section) Veterans and Persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the documentation that is required, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Application Deadline: 2025-11-26