Physical Scientist (Digital Forensic Examiner)
Summary
About the Position: Fort Bragg is known as the “Home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces.” It is a culturally diverse area with both rural and city populations and is co-located at Fayetteville, NC. It is centrally located just hours away from the beautiful beaches of North Carolina and the scenic Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. Fayetteville Regional Airport is located 12 miles outside of Fort Bragg’s gates and Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 70 miles away.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a Digital Forensic Cellular Phone Exploitation (CELLEX) Examiner focused on the technical exploitation and forensic examination of computers, mobile devices, hard drives, and other electronic devices for an Intelligence Brigade.
- Conduct digital media forensics and analysis of computers and mobile communications information storage devices in support of cryptologic requirements and operations.
- Analyze workflows to optimize existing operating processes and/or develop new processes for the purpose of forensics exploitation and analysis.
- Utilize forensic analysis to develop, modify, and evaluate quality control activities that include peer reviews of examinations, instrument maintenance and calibration, and proficiency testing programs.
- Plan and conduct research projects in which efforts may result in significant scientific developments and publications in latent print identification.
- Facilitate publication and presentation of research in forensic journals, other publications and professional meetings and symposium.
- Receive, inventory and accountable for physical evidence (weighing up to 40 pounds) and maintains integrity of submitted evidence.
Travel Required
50% or less – You may be expected to travel for this position.
Conditions of Employment
- This is an Emergency Essential position.
- Requires extensive travel (30% of the time), both CONUS and OCONUS, on very short notice. Frequent extended duty with long hours under high pressure with generally high-risk job responsibilities.
- Subject to short notice recall. Must reside within normal commuting distance of Fort Bragg (50 miles).
- Incumbent must be eligible for, receive, and retain a TOP SECRET/Single Scope Background Investigation (TS/SSBI), with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and selected Special Access Programs.
- Must successfully pass urinalysis screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment and periodically thereafter, in accordance with Change 3 to AR 600-85, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Program.
- Must be willing to undergo and successfully complete counter-intelligence scope polygraph with No Deception Indicated (NDI).
- Must undergo a pre-employment deployable physical examination.
Qualifications
US Citizens
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Requirement for Physical Scientist (Digital Forensic Examiner/Latent Prints):
A. Degree: Bachelor’s degree (or higher degree) in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.
OR
B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to one of the majors, as shown in A above, that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes being responsible for extraction of CELLEX to recover data and other forms of evidence regarding the history, alteration or manipulation of the evidence; using state of the art or developed hardware and software programs to recover data, including fragmented files from damaged or altered data storage devices, and when necessary modifying systems, hardware, software and diagnostic tools; evaluating and advising on the feasibility of new technology and equipment for incorporation into existing processes; planning and conducting research projects in which efforts may result in significant scientific developments and publications in latent print identification. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone–no substitution of education for experience is permitted.
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
- Forensics
- Research
- Strategic Thinking
- Technical Competence