Urgent job for Control Systems Security -2025
Job Description
Cybersecurity Talent Management System
245 Murray Lane SW
Washington, DC 20528
US
Summary
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is recruiting professionals to support a range of leadership roles in Physical, Embedded, and Control Systems Security (PECSS), as well as those focused on Senior ICS Manager, ICS Security Lead, Physical Security Manager, and Senior Embedded Systems Cybersecurity Engineer. All positions are in the DHS Cybersecurity Service.
Duties
DHS Cybersecurity Service (DHS-CS) uses a multi-phase assessment process to qualify applicants seeking employment through the Control DHS-CS. Given the ever-advancing nature of cybersecurity and the ongoing need for cybersecurity talent, DHS-CS uses “Talent Pools” to pull qualified applicants (i.e., individuals who have successfully completed the multi-phase assessment process for their capability and career track/level) for consideration for these jobs.
This announcement is being used to fill the Physical, Embedded, and Control Systems Security (PECSS) Talent Pool. By applying to this job announcement, you are opting to be part of the DHS-CS Talent Pool for ongoing consideration for employment for relevant open jobs and will remain eligible for consideration for up to one year from the date of completion.
There are a variety of Physical, Embedded, and Control Systems Security (PECSS) opportunities across the Department, including supporting several specialized programs at the DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (PLCY), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), DHS Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).
Depending on your career level and role, DHS Cybersecurity Service employees in the Leadership Career Track, with a technical capability in Control Physical, Embedded, and Control Systems Security (PECSS), may apply their expertise to perform a range of tasks, including:
Overseeing and/or leading Department best practices, security guidance, and/or documentation of “purpose-built interconnected systems,” such as industrial control systems (ICS), physical systems, and embedded systems
Customizing communications for different levels of leadership and different target audiences regarding designs, protocols, and physical configurations of “purpose-built interconnected systems,” such as industrial control systems (ICS), physical systems, and embedded systems; defining and/or implementing comprehensive countermeasures to detect threats and maintain the overall cybersecurity posture of these systems
Leading and/or overseeing the development and tracking of technical and nontechnical risk and vulnerability assessments of Information and Operational Technology (IOT) environments, such as ICS/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)/Distributed Control Systems (DCS), local computing environment, network and infrastructure, enclave boundary, supporting infrastructure, and application
Assisting DHS leadership in making strategy or policy decisions for securing and assessing information and IOT environments and influencing and defending policy and program decisions
Actively engaging with stakeholders from multiple organizations to monitor and lead the design/build/configure/operate/maintain cycle of interconnected systems, and proactively increasing security situational awareness of, and minimizing risks to, DHS and/or Federal-wide physical or embedded systems and facilities (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), telecommunications, wireless technologies
Preparing, overseeing, and/or organizing collaborative efforts for assessing effectiveness of security controls through penetration testing, Control vulnerability scanning, or security architecture review on enterprise network or control systems assets to improve understanding of organizational and/or National cybersecurity risks
Collaborating with internal and external DHS stakeholders and/or National experts in the global control systems community to architect and Control design enterprise cybersecurity solutions and facilitate implementation of security standards
Leading a team(s) in cybersecurity risk assessment, automated information sharing, threat analysis, vulnerability management, and network defense to enable holistic, integrated views of security threats to an organization, the Department, or the Nation’s security posture
Overseeing assignments and projects and providing ongoing guidance and assistance ensuring conformance to applicable technical standards, policies, or procedures
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen or national.
You must be 18 years of age.
Must be registered for the Selective Service (if you are a male).
Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Security clearance levels may vary.
Must be able to submit to a drug test and receive a negative result.
Must be able to comply with ethics and standards of conduct requirements, including completing any applicable Control financial disclosure.
May be required to serve a 3 year probationary period.
Qualifications
This position is in the Leadership Track across a range of career levels. Employees in this career track generally:
Have between 5-15 years of cybersecurity work experience.
Have between 0-5 years of cybersecurity leadership experience.
Are capable of serving as a seasoned cybersecurity manager who oversees multiple DHS or Federal cybersecurity Control programs or DHS organizations, including employees and contract resources, through subordinate managers.
DHS Cybersecurity Service employees with a technical capability in Physical, Embedded, and Control Systems Security (PECSS) will generally apply their expertise to:
Understand designs, protocols, and physical configurations of purpose-built interconnected systems such as industrial control systems, physical systems, and embedded systems.
Define and implement comprehensive countermeasures to detect threats and maintain the overall cybersecurity posture of these systems.
DHS Cybersecurity Service employees start at career levels and salaries matching their experience and expertise. In recruiting Control for this opportunity, DHS may hire employees at higher or lower career levels and associated salaries. To learn more about DHS Cybersecurity Service career tracks and levels, visit our application portal.
This position is focused on Physical, Embedded, and Control Systems Security (PECSS).
DHS Cybersecurity Service jobs are structured cybersecurity specializations – called technical capabilities. To learn more about technical Control capabilities, visit our application portal.
DESIRED CERTIFICATION:
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP)
Security+
ISA/IEC Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Specialist
DESIRED TOOLS/INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:
Tools: Wireshark, Nmap, Tenable, Defender for IoT, Kali, Cobalt Strike, Splunk Technologies, network infrastructure, boundary protection devices,Control enterprise LAN/WAN, ICS/SCADA
Industries: FCEB Enterprise, SLTT, ICS/OT environments of critical infrastructure sectors
Education
Degrees are not required for jobs in the DHS Cybersecurity Service, but DHS is interested in your level of education and the topics you studied. As you submit Control initial application information, you will be asked questions about your education.
Additional information
Salary: Listed salary ranges reflects typical starting salaries available to employees in most of the United States across applicable career levels. Within the provided range, average salaries vary for each career level.
Lead Cybersecurity Specialist: $122,400 – $154,000
Cybersecurity Manager: $141,900- $182,000
Senior Cybersecurity Manager: $166,100 – $201,500
In some geographic areas, average starting salaries will be higher because of a local cybersecurity labor market supplement (e.g., metro Washington, D.C. +10%).
Actual salaries of individual employees may be higher or lower than provided figures. For an overview of the salaries available in the DHS Cybersecurity Service, visit Resources.
Benefits: DHS Cybersecurity Service employees receive a range of federal employment benefits designed to support their professional and personal lives. To learn more about benefits, visit our application portal.
More information about the specific benefits available to you will be provided as you progress through the application process.
Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for a security clearance as a condition of placement in this position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.
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Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
All DHS Cybersecurity Service (DHS-CS) applicants participate in a multi-phase assessment process, which varies by career track. For the Leadership Career Track, applicants participate in a three-phase assessment process:
You must successfully complete each phase to advance to the next phase
The total time commitment for the three phases is approximately 5-6 hours (many applicants require less time!)
Before each phase, DHS will e-mail you instructions and information to help you prepare.
Assessments are time sensitive, so monitor your e-mail to ensure you have plenty of time to complete them prior to any deadlines
PHASE I: ONLINE ASSESSMENTS
Unproctored – Completed online within a prescribed period of time
Includes three assessments: (1) a work styles inventory that will take about 30 minutes to complete; (2) a work simulation that you will have up to 2 hours to complete; and (3) a leadership simulation that you will have up to 2.5 hours to complete
The three assessments take about 3 hours (on average) to complete
Requires a computer with audio (speakers or headphones) and a reliable internet connection
No knowledge of DHS or cybersecurity is required for these assessments, which measure non-technical capabilities that are important for professional success in the DHS-CS. This includes how you communicate, analyze information, and collaborate with others:
The work styles inventory presents you with questions about your work-related interests and preferences.
The work simulation presents you with realistic, work-related scenarios and asks you to respond to them.
PHASE II: TECHNICAL CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT
Proctored – must be scheduled in advance and completed at a designated assessment center within a prescribed period of time
There is a different assessment for each DHS-CS technical capability (visit Jobs to learn more about the technical capabilities)
Most individuals only have a primary technical capability and complete only one Technical Capability Assessment, but in limited circumstances, you may complete a second Technical Capability Assessment
You will have up to 2.5 hours to complete each Technical Capability Assessment; each takes about 90 minutes (on average) to complete
Assessments present realistic, work-related cybersecurity scenarios/questions to assess technical skills
Cybersecurity knowledge is assessed, but no knowledge of DHS is required
*Applicants who successfully complete Phase II will undergo a resume review to confirm required experience. Applicants who pass this review will be invited to participate in a Phase III: Advanced Technical Interview. More information will be provided to such applicants as they progress through the application process.
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly outline your cybersecurity experience.
PHASE III: ADVANCED TECHNICAL INTERVIEW
This interview is conducted on-demand (self-scheduled by you within a prescribed period of time) without live interviewers
Two types of questions will be presented: One type focuses on your previous experience and the other focuses on hypothetical situations or scenarios
This interview takes about 60 minutes (on average) to complete
Your proctored assessment results are valid for a period of one year after completion and will be kept and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
To learn about the assessment process, visit our portal and read the “Assessment Process” guide.
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Required Documents
Your resume. To help you prepare your resume before applying to the DHS Cybersecurity Service, visit our application portal and read the “Resume Tips” guide.
If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the online assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.
If you are a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee please submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:- Position title- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee)- Agency- Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
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How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online questionnaire, required assessments, and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/12/2025 to receive consideration. The application process will follow the bullets outlined below.
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA HIRE platform. This message will be delivered via email notification.
If you are asked to take the online assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning online assessments. Note: set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing online assessments on the USA HIRE platform, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the online assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the online assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the online assessments. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for online assessments here: http://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire.
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