IT Cybersecurity Specialist (Digital Evidence)

Summary

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Office of Forensic Sciences, Digital Evidence Laboratory.

This primary purpose of this position is to perform as a senior digital forensic examiner, analyzing seized digital evidence, performing on-site acquisition/duplication of digital evidence for DEA, testifying in Federal and state courts as an expert witness, and providing subject matter expertise and advice to both DEA investigators and examiners in the laboratory.

Duties

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As an IT Cybersecurity Specialist (Digital Evidence), your typical work assignments may include:

• Serving as a subject matter expert (SME) within DEA's Digital Evidence Laboratory on the forensic analysis of state-of-the-art emerging digital technologies.
• Providing technical expertise for forensic deployments, best practices for preservation of evidence, and forensic analysis support.
• Performing live analysis utilizing virtual machines, bootable lab environments, or sandbox environments.
• Providing training in a large number of areas such as: evidence identification and handling, evidence examination methods, review tools and methodologies, digital evidence interview needs, digital evidence cases studies, and specialized investigation needs such as drug or chemical diversion or advanced complex conspiracy investigations.
• Advising more junior Digital Forensic Examiners and field Digital Evidence Technicians on computer evidence issues such as search strategies, witness interview topics, evidence duplication, computer usage, computer communication, recovered data reliability.
  
  

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Incumbent is subject to random drug testing.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
• Selectee will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (OR 1-year OR 2-year trial period, as appropriate) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Applicant must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license while employed in the position and will be required to operate the motor vehicle in accordance with applicable OPM regulations and related requirements of DOJ/DEA.
• Applicants must complete all required courses of DEA's Digital Evidence Laboratory's training program within the first year of employment.
  
  

Qualifications

For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement.

Basic Qualification Requirements

• 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.
  
  

Applicants applying for the GS-13 must meet one of the following requirements:

• Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-12 grade level. Specialized 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.
  
  

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 1) preserving and analyzing electronic data using established methods; 2) conducting digital forensic examinations, documenting actions, and providing written results; 3) using subject matter expertise in an area of information technology to make correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions about the content or structure of data.

Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

For reasonable accommodation at the Drug Enforcement Administration, please contact the Human Resources office listed in this announcement.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to similar positions in any Division/Office listed in this announcement. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives may be considered and approved if the DEA has determined that the position is likely to be difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive and funding for such an incentive is available.

Required

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
  
  

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

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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.

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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.