Cybersecurity Senior Specialist #5317

Cybersecurity Senior Specialist #5317
Pay Band: SAA-10 - $98000-$146992
Remote Work Status: Remote / FLSA Status: Exempt
Posting Date Range: 5/15/2023-5/29/2023
This vacancy announcement closes at 7pm EST. Late applications will not be accepted.

Link to apply: https://saa.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/129?c=saa

Job Description
This is professional work coordinating, implementing and maintaining technologies and processes to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Senate information systems. Work includes promoting system cybersecurity to safeguard information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or tampering. Incumbent utilizes all the security tools available to prevent system compromise and detect, react and respond to indicators of intrusion activity in the Senate’s data/voice networks. Work also involves working closely with other Sergeant at Arms (SAA) departments and the Senate user community to define security requirements, cybersecurity plans to address disaster recovery, recommend mitigation strategies, and encourage adoption of best practices. Work is performed under the direction of a Cybersecurity Supervisor and is peer-reviewed for accuracy and effectiveness.

Examples of Work
Responds to potential localized or widespread security events; uses various reports to help track and isolate user access problems and potential security incidents; creates daily situational reports while manning and supporting the Cyber Security Operations Center. Coordinates and performs automated vulnerability assessments; advises Senate office staff on effective remediation techniques. Coordinates and performs the critical security patch evaluation and certification process for supported Microsoft and non-Microsoft software. Promotes cybersecurity awareness and assists with developing security awareness materials; provides security reviews for Senate Office Cybersecurity operational environments; and assists in providing security training and awareness briefings. Assesses the impact of new cybersecurity threats and identifies and evaluates vulnerabilities within new technology and changes to Senate IT infrastructure. Researches, evaluates, tests, and recommends cybersecurity solutions and controls. Develops, implements, and maintains scripts and other automated tools to identify indicators of intrusion activity and to support effective cybersecurity workflow processes. Performs cybersecurity systems administration tasks and services for Senate employees and vendor maintenance access. Updates management as required on Cybersecurity related issues.

Minimum Qualifications

Work requires a Bachelor’s Degree in computer science, telecommunications, or a related field, and three to five years of progressively responsible experience within a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)-type environment or any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Understanding of computer operating systems, applications, and networking; understanding of key principles of information protection; knowledge of data security and access control systems, encryption, firewalls, network- and host-based security technologies and processes.
• Working knowledge of TCP/IP communications protocols and standards.
• Ability to identify potential security breaches and implement action plans in conjunction with diverse groups of stakeholders.
• Ability to interface with individuals at all levels of the organization in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to communicate functional issues and solutions effectively, both orally and in writing, to individuals possessing a broad range of functional knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Ability to re-focus work activities rapidly in response to changing requirements and priorities.
• Ability to handle sensitive information.
• Proficiency with office productivity tools including, but not limited to, spreadsheets, word processors, databases, and presentation software.
• Proficiency with one or more scripting language and/or integrated development environments.

Physical Demands and Working Environment

Work is essentially sedentary with occasional walking, standing, and bending; occasional lifting and carrying desktop computers, computer components, and/or packages of software media. Work is conducted in common office environments and security operations centers. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to resolve problems, handle incidents, participate in Continuity of Operations (COOP) exercises, or assist SAA staff in meeting critical deadlines. Expected to work unusual and perhaps unexpected hours during a COOP event.

Additional Examples of Work:

• Develop methods to monitor and measure risk, compliance, and assurance efforts.
• Provide ongoing optimization and problem-solving support.
• Provide recommendations for possible improvements and upgrades.
• Review or conduct audits of information technology (IT) programs and projects
• Update deployable cyber defense audit toolkit (e.g., specialized cyber defense software and hardware) to support cyber defense audit missions
• Update applicable cybersecurity policies, regulations, and compliance documents
• Support implementing recommendations regarding the selection of cost-effective security controls to
mitigate risk (e.g., protection of information, systems and processes)
• Contribute to information security risk assessment
• Contribute to testing of cybersecurity developed applications and/or systems
• Contribute to technical (evaluation of technology) and nontechnical (evaluation of people and operations) risk and vulnerability assessments of relevant technology focus areas (e.g., local computing
environment, network and infrastructure, enclave boundary, etc.)
• Senior contributor to audit reports that identify technical and procedural findings, and provide recommended remediation strategies/solutions
• Contribute to analysis of log files, evidence, and other information to determine best methods for identifying the perpetrator(s) of a network intrusion or other crimes
• Support team Lead as required in conducting cybersecurity Audit reviews
• Contribute to development of procedures and test fail-over for system operations transfer to an alternate site based on system availability requirements
• Contribute to documentation of original condition of digital and/or associated evidence (e.g., via digital photographs, written reports, hash function checking)
• Provide technical leadership employing information technology (IT) systems and digital storage media to solve, investigate, and/or prosecute cybercrimes and fraud committed against people and property
• Support systems security operations and maintenance activities are properly documented and updated as necessary
• Contribute to integration and implementation of Cross-Domain Solutions (CDS) in a secure
environment
• Senior contributor to identification and/or determination of whether a security incident is indicative of a violation of law that requires specific legal action
• Senior contributor identifying digital evidence for examination and analysis in such a way as to avoid
unintentional alteration.
• Senior contributor implementing system security measures in accordance with established procedures to ensure confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, and non-repudiation

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to support the design of valid and reliable assessments
• Ability to evaluate organization's risk tolerance and/or risk management approach
• Skill in contributing to application vulnerability assessments
• Skill in identifying gaps in technical delivery capabilities
• Skill in identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system
• Strong skill in reviewing logs to identify evidence of past intrusions
• Knowledge of penetration testing tools and techniques
• Knowledge of the use of social engineering techniques. (e.g., phishing, baiting, tailgating, etc.)
• Skill in using network analysis tools to identify vulnerabilities. (e.g., fuzzing, nmap, etc.)
• Skill to develop insights about the context of an organization’s threat environment
• Knowledge of advancements in information privacy technologies to ensure organizational adaptation and compliance
• Knowledge of cybersecurity and privacy principles and organizational requirements (relevant to
confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, non-repudiation)
• Knowledge of network traffic analysis methods.
• Knowledge of how traffic flows across the network (e.g., Transmission Control Protocol [TCP] and Internet Protocol [IP], Open System Interconnection Model [OSI], Information Technology Infrastructure Library, current version [ITIL])
• Knowledge of packet-level analysis.
• Knowledge of network security architecture concepts including topology, protocols, components, and
principles (e.g., application of defense-in-depth)
• Knowledge of basic system, network, and OS hardening techniques.
• Knowledge of test procedures, principles, and methodologies (e.g., Capabilities and Maturity Model
Integration (CMMI)).
• Knowledge of transmission records (e.g., Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Networking (IR), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi). paging, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)), and jamming techniques that enable transmission of undesirable information, or prevent installed systems from operating correctly.
• Knowledge of Intrusion Detection System (IDS)/Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) tools and applications.
• Knowledge of network protocols such as TCP/IP, Dynamic Host Configuration, Domain Name System (DNS), and directory services.
• Knowledge of network traffic analysis (tools, methodologies, processes).
• Knowledge of scripting languages

Licenses, Certification and Other Requirements
This position requires that the applicant obtain and maintain an applicable U.S. Government security clearance. Applicants must be U.S. citizens in order for the SAA to submit your application for a security clearance. For education requirements please see Minimum Qualifications.

Demonstrated by providing artifacts such as: a diploma/degree, cybersecurity certifications, or other relevant items demonstrating the participation of other cybersecurity activities like Cyber Patriot or other similar programs.

Conditions of Employment
To be employed by a Senate employing office in a paid position in the continental United States an individual must:
1. Be a U.S. citizen;
2. Be lawfully admitted for permanent residence and seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B);
3. Be (i) admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157 or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1158 and (ii) have filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; or
4. Owe allegiance to the U.S. (i.e., qualify as a non-citizen U.S. national under federal law).

Employment is contingent on background / security investigation results.  

BENEFITS AT-A-GLANCE

The SAA provides a highly competitive benefits package for all SAA staff. Our benefits extend beyond health care coverage to help provide employees with student loan reimbursement, professional development, transportation subsidy, TSP/retirement savings, access to our Employee Assistance Program, and more! For more information regarding SAA’s benefits, please visit https://sen.gov/OPPW 

ACCOMMODATIONS

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, the SAA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAA and need special assistance or an accommodation to complete the application process, please submit your request to employment@saa.senate.gov email with “Accommodation” in the subject line.

VOLUNTARY SELF-IDENTIFICATION FOR VETERANS' PREFERENCE

If you are identifying as veterans' preference eligible under the VEOA, please use this link  to complete your application for Veterans' Preference AFTER you apply for this position. The link will also be available on the "Thank You" page after you have submitted your job application.

Candidates only need to apply one time for veterans’ preference to be considered for all future veterans’ preference positions within the Senate Sergeant at Arms. 

• All supporting documents must ONLY be provided within the Veterans’ Preference Application and within the stated deadline of the job announcement.
• Late applications for veterans’ preference will not be considered.
• Documentation to obtain veterans’ preference will not be considered if attached to the job application.
• If you need to revise or resubmit your Application for Veterans' Preference/documents, please withdraw your previous Application for Veterans' Preference and resubmit. If you require assistance, please email employment@saa.senate.gov.
• To view additional information regarding the VEOA, please click here .

An applicant who declines to self-identify as a disabled veteran and/or to provide information and documentation regarding his/her disabled veteran’s status will not be subjected to an adverse employment action, but the individual may be ruled ineligible for veterans’ preference.