Summary

If you have background in computer science and a passion for working with emerging technology and driving IT projects, join our team at NSA. Our experts work on cutting-edge innovations that solve complex problems affecting national security.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

National Guard and reserves

Current members, those who want to join or transitioning military members.

Students

Current students enrolled in an accredited high school, college or graduate institution.

Recent graduates

Individuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Duties

Computer Systems Architects at NSA use commercial and government-developed hardware, software, networking, and security products to:

• Modernize IT architecture through analysis of research and introducing changes based on evolving project requirements
• Integrate industry trends, emerging technologies and standards, and new vendor features
• Collaborate with experts in technical and application teams to identify, evaluate, and recommend technical solutions to support project requirements
• Produce compliance results for established project requirements and IT architecture
• Define and analyze data requirements, mapping legacy data stores and formats to logical and physical data models
• Propose standard ways for information transport between IT systems and stored within corporate knowledge databases
• Perform architectural alignment of the enterprise logical data model and physical data models

This position will involve significant System Administration work.

**Please upload a copy of your transcripts from all schools attended prior to applying for this position. Unofficial transcripts are fine at this stage. The minimum qualifications for this position require a degree that demonstrates a concentration of Computer Science (CS) courses in foundational CS areas.**

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

Degree must be in Computer Science (CS). Related fields (e.g., Engineering, Mathematics, Information Technology, Information Systems) may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and advanced mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics).

Relevant experience must be in the design/development of computer or information systems and include engineering hardware and/or software over their lifecycle (i.e., requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, integration, deployment/installation, and maintenance), programming, computer systems research, reverse engineering, and/or computer/network security. Completion of military training in a relevant area such as JCAC (Joint Cyber Analysis course) will be considered towards the relevant experience requirement (i.e., 24-week JCAC course will count as 6 months of experience).

ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL
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.

Additional information

Pay: 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.

Salary Range: $87,362 - $123,388 (Entry/Developmental)
Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position.

Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience.

Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).

DCIPS Trial Period:
If selected for this position, you will be required to serve a two-year DCIPS trial period, unless you are a veterans' preference-eligible employee, in which case you are required to serve a one-year trial period. This trial period runs concurrently with your commitment to the position, if applicable. Before finalizing your appointment at the conclusion of your trial period, NSA will determine whether your continued employment advances the public interest. This decision will be based on factors such as your performance and conduct; the Agency's needs and interests; whether your continued employment would advance the Agency's organizational goals; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
If you do not receive certification for continued employment, you should receive written notice prior to the end of your trial period that your employment will be terminated and the effective date of such termination.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

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

The ideal candidate is a self-starter with a desire for continual learning and strong problem-solving, analytic, and interpersonal skills who is able to:

• Work in a team environment
• Adapt to change
• Provide innovative solutions
• Communicate effectively
• Use resources effectively and efficiently, orchestrating multiple activities simultaneously
• Derive and develop requirements from customer interaction and needs

The ideal candidate will also reflect specialized skill and experience in one or more of the following:

• System administration in any operating system, with a preference in Unix/Linux.
• Programming and scripting experience (e.g., C, C++, Java, Assembly, Python, Perl, Ruby, Bash, Node.js, Spark, Puppet, SALT, Ansible)
• Network protocols and hardware
• Virtualization fundamentals
• Cloud architecture
• Security architectures and appliances
• High Performance Computing (HPC) or large data center systems
• Ability to create and maintain System Security Plans (SSPs)

Required Documents

**VETERANS AND TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS**
Thank you for your service! The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions at NSA are in the Excepted Service under Title 10, United States Codes (U.S.C.), Section 1601 appointment authority.

Veterans' Preference
In accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, "DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System Employment and Placement," NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility upon application.

Acceptable documentation includes:

• DD-214: "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions (Copy 4);

OR

• Certification of Service:

A written document on letterhead from the appropriate branch of the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. The certification should include the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date;
AND

• Standard Form 15 (SF-15)

Application for 10-point Veteran Preference (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf\_fill/sf15.pdf).

If you are claiming a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more, the documentation you provide must specifically demonstrate this level of disability;
AND

• VA Letter of Disability (for 10pt and Sole Survivorship rating)

You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center, or online (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/).

**Failure to provide sufficient documentation of veterans' preference eligibility may preclude NSA from identifying you as a preference eligible candidate during the hiring selection process.

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.

How to Apply

Please visit our application site to apply:https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1262406

Agency contact information

NSA POC

Phone

1-844-424-4737

Email

[email protected]

Next steps

Please visit our application site to apply: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1262406

Overview

Accepting applications

Location

few vacancies in the following location:

San Antonio, TX

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

No

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.

Salary

$87,362 - $123,388 per year

Pay scale & grade

GG 7 - 9

Promotion potential

None

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

Not required

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 1550 Computer Science

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Excepted Service

Represented by a union

No

Drug test

Yes

Security clearance

Top Secret

Position sensitivity and risk

Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

• National security

Financial disclosure required

No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

1262406

Control number

883666500