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Information Technology Specialist (Security)

Department Of State Headquarters

Job Location:

Washington, DC - USA

Yearly Salary: USD 121785 - 121785

Posted: 6 October 2026 (3 days ago)

Application Deadline: 4 January 2027

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Summary

This serves as public notice for the use of OPMs Direct Hire Authority. Applicants who meet the qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

This position is located in the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology Office of Cyber Security Testing Monitoring & Response (DT/CTMR) & monitors & conducts incident response for the Agencys classified/unclassified IT systems

Duties

Utilizes cyber defense tools to continuously monitor and analyze enterprise systems to detect malicious activity.
Analyzes malicious activity to determine weaknesses exploitation and effects on systems and information.
Documents and escalate incidents that can potentially cause ongoing and immediate impact to the environment.
Adheres to incident response processes and recommends process and or policy improvements.
Provides cybersecurity recommendations to Senior Leadership and advise on deficiencies and corrective actions.
Produces contextual reports for senior leaders on network exploitation against agency-specific systems.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.
Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
Obtain/maintain eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities visit: must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.
Applicants applying for the GS-13 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND specialized experience listed below:
1. Attention to Detail - Monitors and analyzes network activity documents and correlates incidents and ensures controls and processes accurately address identified risks.
2. Customer Service - Provides timely alerts reports and recommendations to Department leadership and other stakeholders and follows up to ensure corrective actions are completed.
3. Oral Communication - Delivers clear authoritative briefings and incident updates to leadership and contractor teams explaining threats impacts and recommended actions.
4. Problem Solving - Manages the full incident lifecycle evaluates and improves cybersecurity capabilities and processes leads CIRT projects and directs contractor efforts to resolve complex cyber threats.
AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
- Experience as a senior cyber incident responder managing cybersecurity events from detection and monitoring through analysis and mitigation of threats.
- Experience documenting and escalating cyber incidents analyzing incident and trend data to assess attack effectiveness and applying and improving incident response processes.
- Experience briefing senior leadership and contractor teams on cybersecurity risks and solutions through oral and written reports.
NOTE: In order to qualify for this position your experience MUST be 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. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.
Education
Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.
Additional information
- To request a reasonable accommodation foradditionaltime on thetimed sections of theassessment pleasesubmityour request using the Request a Reasonable Accommodation button within theAssessment Application.
  Forall otherreasonable accommodationsat the U.S. Department of State please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations(OAA)at.
  OAAis responsible forreviewing andadjudicatingreasonable accommodation(RA)requests for the Assessment Battery being usedfor this following applies to all RA requests:
  RA requestscoveradditionaltime on timed sections only.
  Applicantssubmittinga RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed treatingmedical provider. The documentation should describe the nature severity and expected duration of the conditionidentifythe relevant medical condition or diagnosis and explain the basis for the requested extension.RA requests that do notcontainsupporting medical documentation attachmentsatthetime ofinitialrequest may be subject to further review.
  Note:the following documents do not on their own qualify for automatic approval oftheRA request:Schedule A letters VA benefits lettersorSSA letters.
  Applicants MUSTsubmittheir application before the vacancy closes even if pending anaccommodationdecision.
  Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process.
  Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request isadjudicatedto complete the assessment generated after the allottedtimeframewill not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy.
  If a different type of RA is needed please contact OAA directly at.
- If eligible situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
- Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
- Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority veterans preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply.
- Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPMs CTAP & ICTAP eligibilitywebsite for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an85 or above meet Minimum Qualifications and demonstrateproficiencyin some but notall major aspects of the position.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.