Responsibilities The professionals at the National Security Agency (NSA) have one common goal: to protect our nation. The mission requires a strong offense and a steadfast defense. The offense collects, processes and disseminates intelligence information derived from foreign signals for intelligence and counterintelligence purposes. The defense prevents adversaries from gaining access to sensitive classified national security information. The need to maintain our core Computer Science group is vital to provide the technical capabilities necessary to successfully execute NSA's mission. The increased complexity of supporting NSA's mission requires world class researchers, programmers, and developers who operate in teams in areas such as software engineering, information technology infrastructure, high performance computing, data science, architectures, computer security, and networking in order to design and develop advanced tools, techniques, and systems. Description of Position Cryptanalytic Computer Scientists employ the hybrid skill-set of advanced computer science, electrical engineering and mathematics to ensure solutions to the most difficult cryptanalytic problems and take full advantage of the NSA's software and hardware capabilities. Cryptanalytic Computer Scientists are hired into positions directly supporting a technical mission office or the Cryptanalytic Computer Network Operations Development Program (C2DP). The NSA/CSS Cryptanalytic Computer Network Operations Development Program is a 3 year development program designed to produce professional level Cryptanalytic Computer Scientists through an intensive, structured program of formal training courses and diverse work assignments. NSA's Computer Science field offers participation in a vast array of challenging projects, systems, networks and applications necessary to manipulate and analyze enormous volumes of data at staggering speeds. As a member of a technical mission office or the C2DP, Cryptanalytic Computer Scientists solve challenging cryptanalytic, high-performance computing, and computer network operations problems of critical importance to protecting the nation's interests in cyberspace. Other responsibilities may include: - using principles, techniques, procedures, and tools to architect and facilitate the development of hardware solutions - applying software engineering principles to design and/or develop software applications - developing methods and applications for tools to exploit and analyze computer systems and network vulnerabilities - designing and optimizing algorithms, data structures, modeling, and analytics to solve real-world scientific problems Skills The ideal candidate is someone with a desire for continual learning and strong problem-solving, analytic and interpersonal skills who is/can: - flexible - communicate effectively - collaborate with others Specialized skills and experience in one or more of the following is required: - Programming (low level, high level, parallel) - Computer systems research - Simulation/model development and prototyping - Software engineering - Hardware engineering - Computational science - Algorithm analysis and design - Reverse engineering Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule On-the job training, Internal NSA courses, and external training will be made available based on the need and experience of the selectee. Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirements between 0600 and 1800 (flexible). Mandatory Qualification Reqs Salary Range: $70,519 - $87,868 (Entry/Developmental) *The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. 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. Degree must be in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics (including Applied Math); or a related field (ie, other Engineering or Math) with at least one programming and at least four upper-level math classes (Calculus and above). Relevant experience must be in a computer science area (ie theoretical or applied), designing/developing/using/evaluating mathematic models, methods, and/or techniques (eg, algorithm development) to study issues and solve problems, engineering (electrical or computer), and/or high performance computing. Salary Range: $81,571 - $108,643 (Full Performance) *The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. 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. Degree must be in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics (including Applied Math); or a related field (ie, other Engineering or Math) with at least one programming and at least four upper-level math classes (Calculus and above). Relevant experience must be in a computer science area (ie theoretical or applied), designing/developing/using/evaluating mathematic models, methods, and/or techniques (eg, algorithm development) to study issues and solve problems, engineering (electrical or computer), and/or high performance computing. How To Apply - External To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply' button located at the top right of this posting. After completing the application for the first time, or reviewing previously entered information, and clicking the 'Submit' button, you will receive a confirmation email. Please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept emails from (see application details). Please attach an unofficial copy of your transcripts when applying for this position. Providing a copy of your transcripts is especially critical since the minimum qualifications for this position require a CS/CE degree OR a degree that demonstrates a concentration of CS coursework. For example, degrees in Computer Networking, Information Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Information Security, Information Assurance, Cyber Security, and Digital Forensics MAY be considered for this position IF your coursework/transcripts demonstrate a concentration of CS coursework. Foundational CS coursework includes the following courses: Computer Architecture, Programming Languages, Data Structures, and Algorithms. PLEASE NOTE: US Citizenship is required for all applicants. Reasonable accommodations provided to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process where appropriate. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. 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. This position is a Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under 10 USC 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility. Please note that you may be asked a series of questions depending on the position you apply for. Your responses will be used as part of the screening process of your application and will assist in determining your eligibility for the position. Be sure to elaborate on experiences in your resume. Failure to provide the required information or providing inaccurate information will result in your application not being considered for this position. Only those applicants who meet the qualifications for the position will be contacted to begin employment processing. Please Note: Job Posting could close earlier than the closing date due to sufficient number of applicants or position no longer available. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. DCIPS Disclaimer The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority.See job description