Environmental Protection Agency – Washington D.C.

IT Cybersecurity Specialist (Digital Forensics)

Duties

The Office of Investigations conducts the EPA OIG’s criminal investigations, which look for violations of the law. Investigations may involve such areas as financial fraud, employee misconduct, intrusion into EPA systems and computers, impersonating EPA officials and theft of EPA property and funds. This position is located in the Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency. Incumbent will be assigned to the Headquarters Operations Division within the Office of Investigations.

Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will perform the following duties: 

• Performs computer media analyses and network intrusion detection.
• Providing support to the criminal investigators in extremely sensitive investigations which are directed at the detection of crimes perpetrated by electronic means against EPA resources.
• Conducts examinations of computers and media generated by computers to develop evidence as an expert in the specialty area of forensic computer science.
• Maintains state-of-the-art knowledge and technical proficiency in the field of computer media forensics and network intrusions.
• Prepares formal written reports suitable for legal presentation which state results, interpretation, and professional opinions/conclusions.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must submit a resume and required documents–see How to Apply section.
• This is a term position (see Other Information on assignment limits).

• If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.
• If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period.
• You will be required to obtain and maintain a top-secret security clearance.
• This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

Qualifications

All applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 

GS-09: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service performing all of the following:

• Screen large quantities of intelligence reports and/or data from various sources including ongoing intrusion investigations from domestic, foreign law enforcement, and/or intelligence agencies;
• Participate in conducting forensics data recovery at crime scenes and/or media analysis of seized electronic evidence as litigation support of criminal investigations;
• Utilize forensic computer science techniques/methods to examine computers and/or media generated by computers to develop evidence in support of criminal investigations;
• Utilize computer operating systems to ensure proper protection of evidence used in investigating computer crimes.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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. 

In addition to the above specialized experience, applicants MUST also meet the IT-Related proficiency level for all four of the 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.

Evidence of the above specialized experience and IT-related proficiency must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience

Education

This position does not have a mandatory education requirement.

EDUCATION CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR THE FOLLOWING GRADE LEVEL:

You may substitute education for specialized experience required for the GS-9 level: Master’s or equivalent graduate degree; OR, two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR, LL.B or J.D., if related (Transcripts Required).

OR

You may have a combination of education and experience to qualify at the GS-9 level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position, may be substituted to meet the experience requirements of the position (Transcripts Required). To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned, (you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned), then identify the percentage of required experience you possess, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09.

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable during the application process. Official transcripts will be required upon appointment. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you MUST show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

You MUST submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified.

There is NO substitution for specialized experience for the GS-12 and GS-13 grade levels.  

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement.