Duties

This position will support the Program Office staff in implementing the goals and objectives of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) strategic plan. They will support staff with research on effective practices for cybersecurity workforce development and support project management for cybersecurity career discovery and career awareness activities. They may prepare and present briefings and demonstrations of technical progress and prepare and present material that documents project accomplishments to NIST customers including industry, academia, and other agencies.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. citizenship
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment
• Must have completed in the last 2 years, a qualifying degree
• Degree must be from a qualifying institution
• Fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
Experience must be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate GS-5 through GS-15 (or equivalent): For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled. Attention to Detail- Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Customer Service- Works with clients 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) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Oral Communication- Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Problem Solving- Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
In addition to the above basic requirements: applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of the specialized experience at the GS-6 level (ZP-I at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience with cybersecurity policy in the areas of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development.
OR
1 full year of graduate level education
OR
Applicants may qualify based on superior academic achievement

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application.

The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook .

Applicant Reconsideration

Education

This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.

Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.

Additional information

As required by Executive Order 14043 , Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.

The physical worksite for this position is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. However, the Applied Cybersecurity Division is currently under a mandatory telework posture due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, this position is currently under a 100 percent telework schedule. The position's telework schedule will likely change in the future when Applied Cybersecurity Division moves away from its mandatory telework posture. At that time, the incumbent will be expected to report to the physical work site in accordance with the updated status requirements of their supervisor. The nature and scope of future telework opportunities will be subject to the unit's telework policy, any applicable bargaining unit agreements, and supervisory approval. Payment of relocation expenses, as applicable, will be paid in accordance with this Job Opportunity Announcement. Non-compliance with the supervisor's telework-schedule requirement could result in adverse action, including separation.

PROGRAM COMPLETION AND CONVERSION: Upon completion of the 1-year career development program, Program participants may, at agency discretion, be non-competitively converted without a break in service, to a term, career or career conditional appointment. There is no guarantee for conversion. Conversion KPP for this position is: ZP-III

To be eligible for conversion, Recent Graduates must:

• Complete one continuous year of work experience acquired through a Recent Graduate Program
• Complete 40 hours of formal interactive training
• Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted
• Meet any agency-specific requirements specified in the Participant's Agreement, and
• Demonstrate successful job performance that results in a rating of record of at least Fully Successful and a recommendation for conversion by the first level supervisor.

More information on the Pathways Programs for students and recent graduates can be found if you click here .

Applicants will be on a trial period for the duration of the appointment

NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:

• Telework
• Flexible work schedules
• Paid parental leave
• Paid vacation
• Sick leave
• Family-friendly leave
• Child and elder-care resources
• On-site childcare center
• Lactation spaces
• Wellness programs
• Fitness center
• Employee assistance programs