Duties

Summary

Come work for the USPTO, we have been ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal government! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been serving the economic interests of America for more than 200 years. We are responsible for granting US intellectual property rights for patents and trademarks. The USPTO is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and has over 12,000 employees. For more information about the USPTO, please visit the USPTO Careers Website.

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Responsibilities

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary and Director on the application of information technology (IT) to support and improve the Agency's business processes. The Office of Organizational Policy and Governance (OPG) provides the management and oversight of enterprise Information Technology (IT) strategies, guidance, policies, and agency-wide cybersecurity. This position fall under the CIO Cybersecurity Operations Branch who is responsible for enterprise monitoring and event hub which provides a view into a wide range of network, infrastructure, system, and application-related events that must be analyzed, correlated, and assessed to successfully monitor performance and refer action to appropriate support groups for associated problem areas.

This position serves as a Cybersecurity Specialist in the CIO Cybersecurity Operations Branch and is responsible for performing the following duties:

• Developing long-range plans for IT security systems that anticipate, identify, evaluate, mitigate, and minimize risks associated with IT systems vulnerabilities.
• Implementing security threats assessment and analysis programs designed to anticipate, assess, and minimize system vulnerability (e.g., intrusion, Firewall or access authentication programs.)
• Implementing security forensics programs across platforms.
• Reviewing proposed new systems, networks, and software designs for potential security risks.
• Recommending mitigation or countermeasures, and resolves integration issues related to the implementation of new systems within the existing infrastructure.
• Identifying the need to change security infrastructure, systems, processes and procedures based on new security technologies or threats.
• Ensuring that the necessary monitoring and management tools, technologies, and practices are implemented.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience and IT competencies.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)

1

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM Website .

Specialized Experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service.

Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service. In order to meet the specialized experience for this position you must meet all the below skill sets:

Skill Set 1 - Investigating, preserving, and analyzing persistent threats that identify sources and methods used to exploit vulnerabilities in the system and/or network.

Skill Set 2 -Developing and implementing an IT security forensics program.

Skill Set 3 - Providing security administration and configuration to security infrastructure devices.

In addition to meeting specialized experience requirements, you must have the following IT-related experience demonstrating these competencies:

Attention to Detail-Is thorough, accurate and consistent when accomplishing a task with concern for all the areas involved. Pursues quality in all tasks performed.

Customer Service-Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external business partners 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). Provides information or assistance. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement. Effectively manages customer relationships.

Communication -Makes clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed. Speaks and writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner that is appropriate to the audience. Facilitates an open exchange of ideas to ensure all group input is considered. Handles technical, sensitive or controversial topics with agility, involving executives/managers as appropriate.

Problem Solving -Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes sound recommendations.

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.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience at this grade level.

Additional information

Applicants applying for this position must be a United States Citizen.

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

This is a non bargaining unit position.

This is a Noncritical Sensitive position and has a risk level designation of "Secret Clearance".

Except as prohibited by law, all applicants tentatively selected for positions needing a Secret Clearance will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and, if appointed, the incumbent will be subjected to random drug testing procedures.

Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website .

Probationary Period- If selected, you may be required to complete an initial one-year probationary period.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.

Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.

Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) will be eligible if they are assigned to the "well qualified" quality category under the category rating procedures. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the ‘Required Documents' section of this announcement.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.

All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email ( oeeod@uspto.gov ) or phone (571-272-8292).

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply; therefore, your responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans' preference does not apply in DHA, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

This Vacancy is using the Direct-Hire authority to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Using the Office of Personnel Management's approved government-wide direct hire authorities, agencies may appoint candidates directly to jobs, without regard to the provision of Title 5 U.S.C 3309 through 3318, for which OPM determines that there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need.

Applicants applying as CTAP or ICTAP candidates, and are determined CTAP or ICTAP eligible, must exceed the minimum qualification requirements to be referred under this selection priority placement program by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. For those deemed eligible and who meet the minimum qualifications, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles who are not determined well-qualified by scoring at least 85 will not be referred under the CTAP/ICTAP selection priority placement program; however, will be referred for selection consideration with other minimally qualified applicants. The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies, please do not provide a separate written response:

KSA 1: Ability to plan, organize, and direct studies to develop long-range forecasts and recommend innovative solutions.

KSA 2: Ability to use project management principles to detect, prevent, investigate, and resolve security breaches.

KSA 3: Knowledge of IT Security concepts, standards, and methods to ensure protection of automated information against security threats and vulnerabilities.

KSA 4: Knowledge of IT architecture to design, develop, and manage systems that meet current and future business requirements.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

A complete application consists of:
1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the specialized experience in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume.

Supporting Documentation:

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements for this position may be contacted within 7 business days of the closing date of this announcement to submit follow-up supporting documentation if applicable. Applicants CTAP/ICTAP eligibility who fail to submit supplemental documentation within 5 business days of receiving the request will not lose consideration for this position, however they will not be entitled to special or priority consideration.

Supporting documents that may be requested of applicants after the closing date of this announcement are:
1. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) documentation: Applicants will be asked to submit:
(1) A copy of your specific RIF notice, written notice of your expected separation or other documentation of priority consideration status; and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL etc.;
(2) A copy of your latest SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
(3) A copy of your last performance appraisal and rating; and
(4) Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

You can choose ONE of the following methods to submit Supporting Documents:
1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Department of Commerce application site which you access through the USAJobs site.
OR
2) You can fax your documents to 571-258-4254 using the system generated fax cover sheet.

Your application and all required documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this job announcement.

NOTE: The preceding documentation requirements are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants--if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your rating. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.