Duties

Summary

If you are ready to begin your new career or are looking for a place to make an impact, what better place than the top ranked agency in the federal government? We are looking for the best and brightest to join our team of dedicated professionals here at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where we are ranked the number one mid-size agency in the Best Places to Work in the federal government rankings!

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This position is located in the Office of Energy Infrastructure Security. The office provides leadership, expertise, and assistance to the Commission in identifying, communicating, and seeking comprehensive solutions to significant potential cyber and physical security risks to the energy infrastructure under the Commission's jurisdiction. The Office will both formulate and make recommendations for Commission action and undertake collaborative engagement with other federal and state agencies and the energy industry to work to identify and communicate risks and vulnerabilities to this nation's energy infrastructure and assist with the development of collaborative mitigation actions to minimize such risks.

Major Duties:

-- Performs and/or directs highly visible and critical special studies and analyses of energy systems for industrial control systems and security working in close partnership with private industry, state, federal, and researchers (to include vendors).

-- Serves as a subject matter expert and an authoritative technical advisor for the Office Director, front office, and management especially on issues of energy infrastructure security focusing on outreach and partnership.

-- Serves as subject matter expert to the Commission, the Commission Offices, and to other Federal agencies on matters of mutual interest concerning the energy industry.

-- Serves as a subject matter expert to the Commission on pioneering problems and situations arising in the energy industry, including those involving electric utility operations and energy infrastructure security analyses.

-- Provides recommendations based on studies that may affect the potential allocation of significant Commission resources.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some travel may be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
SL

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must meet specialized experience.
• Must provide SF-50 containing grade/step information.
• Some travel may be required.
• Successfully complete a background investigation.

Your resume must clearly document how you meet the specialized experience in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for this vacancy. All required documents must be received by the closing of this announcement. For this vacancy you must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 showing your current grade level. If you do not submit a required document, (e.g. most recent SF-50, transcripts, etc.) your application will be considered incomplete and you will not receive further consideration. FERC employees must submit all the required documentation to include the SF-50 and transcripts (if appropriate).

Qualifications

This position is EXCLUDED from the bargaining unit.

Please note - Only your resume and cover letter will be forwarded to the selecting official.

In order for your application to be considered, you must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

For this position, specialized experience is defined as: You must have significant experience working in the area of cyber security related to critical energy infrastructure.

Education

Additional information

FERC remains ranked #1 in Work/Life Balance, for the 7th year in a row, among the Best Places to Work through the Partnership for Public Service! As a leader in Work/Life Balance, we are proud to offer telework flexibilities in accordance with agency policy.

You must submit all required information by the closing date. If materials are not received, your resume will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. The materials you send with your resume will not be returned. If you are selected at a grade lower than the highest shown in this listing, you will be placed under a career development plan and can be non-competitively promoted when you successfully complete the requirements for the higher grade. Relocation expenses will not be paid.

It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual's employment experience will be used only to determine the person's qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination. Please use the following link for additional information: Mythbusters of Federal Hiring Policies .

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications Section. Your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies. The ideal candidate will possess the following:

1.) Extensive knowledge of the energy industry and the ability to apply such knowledge to analyze complex utility issues related to cyber security.

2.) Knowledge of the oil and natural gas industry, transmission, and distribution and the ability to apply such knowledge to analyze complex utility issues related to cyber security.

3.) Ability to work in a team environment performing investigations by utilizing partnerships related to electronic digital systems and operations by reviewing documents and submissions, conducting phone interviews, on-site facility reviews, or other methods of information gathering.

4.) Knowledge of North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability principles and standards and an understanding of utility regulations, principles, and practices for the regulation of the electric utility industry.

5.) Knowledge of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines and standards related to digital industrial control systems.

6.) Demonstrated ability to effectively present research, findings and recommendations both orally and in writing.

7.) Demonstrated ability to lead a multi-disciplinary team to achieve the desired results.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness , National security

Required Documents

Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you will not be considered for this position (or will not receive the special consideration, e.g. Vet's Preference, for which you may be eligible).

CURRENT FERC EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment Submit an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".) If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit an SF-50 showing that. Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, you must submit an additional SF-50 showing this grade in order to receive credit. (FERC EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO REQUIRED to submit any SF-50 which documents the experience with another organization other than FERC).

CTAP/ICTAP: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must submit proof of eligibility.

SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITIES DOCUMENTATION If you are applying under a special hiring authority, submit a copy of proof of your eligibility.

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACT (VEOA) DOCUMENTATION If you are applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA), you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, SF-15; along with required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. An SF-15 may be found at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

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.