NSA Cybersecurity Exercise (NCX) External Recruitment - Entry to Mid Level (Maryland)

Summary

The National Security Agency (NSA) is seeking cyber professionals to tackle complex cybersecurity challenges. This role involves identifying vulnerabilities in network infrastructure and providing support for cybersecurity missions, including incident response and vulnerability analysis.

Responsibilities

• Identify vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices and then figure out how to deal with them
• Support NSA's cybersecurity mission as System Vulnerability Analysts (SVAs)
• Work in wired and wireless network security, vulnerability discovery and analysis, scalable mitigations development, perimeter/boundary defense, collaboration platforms, mobile network security, tailored security solutions, reverse engineering, researching emerging network industry technologies and solutions, control system security, malware analysis, and ensuring adequacy of cybersecurity standards and configurations
• Fuse vulnerability assessments from all sources into a unified picture of network risk
• Find vulnerabilities, deliver analyses, craft mitigations, develop cybersecurity products, and educate customers to prevent and eradicate cyber threats
• Provide computer network defense capabilities, continuous monitoring, technical analysis, situational awareness, and incident response

Skills

• Degree must be in Computer Science or a related field (e.g., General Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Forensics, Cyber Security, Information Technology, Information Assurance, and Information Security)
• ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL Entry is with a Bachelor's degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• For Computer Science Work Roles: Degree must be in Computer Science (CS) or Software Engineering
• Related fields (e.g., Engineering, Mathematics) may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and advanced mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics)
• ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL Entry is with a Bachelor's degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants
• All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph
• Strong problem solving, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge or experience in the following areas: Defending against and/or mitigating system vulnerabilities related to network infrastructure devices and boundary defense, Network device operating systems, functionality and configuration, Network architecture and protocols, Port, protocol and services analysis, Network traffic analysis, Vulnerability detection, analysis and mitigations development, Reverse engineering, Fuzzing and penetration testing, Scripting languages, Software defined networking, Cellular technology, including 5G, Authentication mechanisms, Upper-level Math, Programming Language such as C/C++, Python, Assembly, Cloud Computing, Operating Systems Internals, Software Algorithms
• As a Cybersecurity CND Analyst, you will hone your technical proficiencies in multiple areas, as noted below: Network analysis, Network protocol analysis, Network Signature development (Including Snort and Suricata signatures), Operating system administration (Windows and Unix/Linux), Network security, Incident response, Computer and network forensics, Network administration, Vulnerability and malware analysis, Software reverse engineering (including familiarly with tools like Ghidra, IDA Pro, etc.), Low level protocol and packet analysis, Scripting and/or programming (examples include Python, C, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, Lua, etc.)

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Degree must be in Computer Science or a related field (e.g., General Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Forensics, Cyber Security, Information Technology, Information Assurance, and Information Security)
• ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL Entry is with a Bachelor's degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• For Computer Science Work Roles: Degree must be in Computer Science (CS) or Software Engineering
• Related fields (e.g., Engineering, Mathematics) may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and advanced mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics)
• ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL Entry is with a Bachelor's degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience
• An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position
• U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants
• All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph
• Strong problem solving, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge or experience in the following areas: Defending against and/or mitigating system vulnerabilities related to network infrastructure devices and boundary defense, Network device operating systems, functionality and configuration, Network architecture and protocols, Port, protocol and services analysis, Network traffic analysis, Vulnerability detection, analysis and mitigations development, Reverse engineering, Fuzzing and penetration testing, Scripting languages, Software defined networking, Cellular technology, including 5G, Authentication mechanisms, Upper-level Math, Programming Language such as C/C++, Python, Assembly, Cloud Computing, Operating Systems Internals, Software Algorithms
• As a Cybersecurity CND Analyst, you will hone your technical proficiencies in multiple areas, as noted below: Network analysis, Network protocol analysis, Network Signature development (Including Snort and Suricata signatures), Operating system administration (Windows and Unix/Linux), Network security, Incident response, Computer and network forensics, Network administration, Vulnerability and malware analysis, Software reverse engineering (including familiarly with tools like Ghidra, IDA Pro, etc.), Low level protocol and packet analysis, Scripting and/or programming (examples include Python, C, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, Lua, etc.)

Benefits

• NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.
• Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).
• DCIPS Trial Period: If selected for this position, you will be required to serve a two-year DCIPS trial period, unless you are a veterans' preference-eligible employee, in which case you are required to serve a one-year trial period.
• NSA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process.
• All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.
• NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates.