Computer Scientist (Field Operations)

Summary
At the FBI our Computer Scientists work alongside technology professionals within a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment to prevent cyberattacks through counterterrorism, counterintelligence, fraud, identity theft, and other crimes. These programming experts regularly support special agents and intelligence analysts in their investigations by designing, developing, and testing tools and systems to protect the American people and our national security.
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Federal employees - Excepted service
  Current excepted service federal employees.
• Individuals with disabilities
• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.
• Military spouses
• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens.
Duties

• Performs system and network procurement, installation, administration and security.
• Develops and implements custom tools and methods, and uses, troubleshoots and modifies existing tools and methods to identify, isolate, preserve and analyze digital data.
• Identifies, vets and implements new tools and methods.
• Develops and uses basic computing environments for analysis.
• Provides technical assistance in conducting interviews, searches and other investigative and operational activity; performs liaison and outreach.
• Testifies in court.
• Drafts documents on technical and other professional matters in varying degrees of difficulty and at the appropriate technical level.
• Stays current with major new advances in relevant technology-related topics; provides guidance on tools and methods related to these advances.
• Coordinates with private sector and other divisions to resolve technical and other relevant issues.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret - Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance.

ALL applicants must verify completion of the basic education requirement by attaching a copy of college transcripts at the time of application submission.
Qualifications
Specialized Experience Requirements
GS 07: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 05 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as follows:

• Uses existing tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
• Assists with implementation of custom tools, techniques, and procedures used to address unique investigative situations.
• Provides basic technical and other professional assistance in conducting interviews, searches and other investigative, operational, liaison, and/or outreach activity.
• Assists in drafting documents on basic technical and other professional matters.

GS 09: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 07 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as follows:

• Troubleshoots, and modifies as needed existing tools and methods to identify, preserve and analyze digital evidence.
• Assists with the development of custom tools and methods to identify, analyze, and preserve digital evidence.
• Assists in drafting documents on more advanced technical matters.

GS 11: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 09 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as follows:

• Assists others with basic system and network procurement, installation, administration, and security.
• Uses, troubleshoots, and modifies existing cyber tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
• Assists with the development and implementation of custom tools and methods.
• Provides basic technical and other professional assistance in conducting interviews, searches and other investigative, and operation activity.
• Drafts documents on basic technical and other professional matters, and assists in drafting documents on advanced matters.
• Assists in coordinating with the private sector and other divisions.

GS 12: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 11 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as follows:

• Performs basic computer system and network procurement, installation, administration and security and assists others on more complex matters.
• Uses, troubleshoots, and modifies existing cyber tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
• Develops and implements basic custom tools.
• Provides technical and other professional assistance in conducting interviews, searches and other investigative activity.
• Drafts documents on technical and other professional matters, and assists in drafting documents on advanced matters.
• Performs liaison and outreach.

GS 13: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 12 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as follows:

• Performs advanced computer system and network procurement, installation, administration and security, and assists others on more complex matters.
• Uses, troubleshoots, and modifies existing cyber tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
• Identifies, develops, vets, and implements new tools and methods.
• Provides advanced technical and other professional assistance in conducting interviews, searches and other investigative activity.
• Coordinates with the private sector and other divisions to lead in the resolution of technical and other relevant issues.
• Acts as a subject matter expert, and testifies as such in court.
• Remains current with major new advances in cyber and technology topics and provides guidance, tools, and methods on addressing these advances at the National level.

Education
Positive Education Requirement
This position has a specific education requirement; all applicants must verify completion of this basic educational requirement by submitting a copy of their college transcripts at the time of application submission. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: All applicants must have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in combination of mathematics, statistics, AND computer science (15 of the 30 semester hours MUST have been in any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus). Courses designed to provide an introduction to computer science techniques and methodologies are acceptable; courses in teaching elementary, business or shop mathematics are NOT acceptable.
All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:
GS 07: Applicant must have a bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement or one (1) full year of graduate level education. Superior academic achievement is the completion of all the requirements of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, which is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average of 3.0 or higher as recorded on an official transcript, or as based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum, or (3) honor society membership.
GS 09: Applicant must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.
GS 11: Applicant must have a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related.
GS 12 and above: Education may not be substituted for specialized experience.
Additional information
Note: This announcement may close at any time based on organizational need.
The salaries listed above are the Base rate of pay for federal employees on the General Schedule (GS) pay scale. Current locality pay tables are available on OPM.gov. Please be advised that in some locations the Computer Scientist position may fall under a Special Rate Table. Special Rate Tables 999B, 999C, 999D, 999E, 999F, 999AA, 999AH, and 999AP may be used based on location and/or grade.
Available Incentives: In order to recruit and retain highly qualified candidates, selectees may be eligible for relocation or recruitment incentives. To be eligible for a relocation incentive, proof of change in residency will be required. Prior to receiving a relocation or recruitment incentive, an employee must sign a written agreement to complete a specific period of employment with the FBI at the new duty station.
Required Training: Selectees must successfully complete a 10 week mandatory Computer ScientistField Operations Training in Quantico, VA, within the first year of employment.
Locations: All 56 Field Office Divisions. Above locations demonstrate some of the 56 locations with vacancies.
When applying, please ensure your top three (3) location preferences are updated under the "Federal Preferences" tab in your application prior to submission. If you want to be considered for Computer Scientist - Field Ops vacancies within your current Field Office/Division, please select it as one of your three (3) location preferences. If there is only one (1) Office/Division you are interested in then you should mark that location for all three (3) of your choices.
You will only be considered for those location preferences you've selected. This job announcement will be used to select candidates for future vacancies; therefore you are encouraged to select any of the 56 locations in your top three (3) location preferences. Your application will only be reviewed if vacancies exist among your three (3) choices. Due to the fluidity of vacancies, there is no guarantee which Field Office/Division will have vacancies within the time frame of this job opening. Due to the fluidity and length of this job opening, you may not be contacted immediately unless your preferred field office has a vacancy. If a hiring manager is interested in pursuing your application, they will contact you directly.
The Memphis Field Office and Knoxville Field Office are in the process of consolidating to create one Field Office in Nashville, TN. Memphis and Knoxville will become Resident Agencies of Nashville. As a result of the consolidation, this position will be permanently relocated to Nashville, TN. Please consider this when applying to postings for either Field Office.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

• Benefits
  Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Please make sure your specialized experience/requirement(s) can be identified in your resume. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Your application will be evaluated and rated under the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement and will be compared to your responses to the online assessment questionnaire. High self-assessment in the vacancy questions that is not supported by information in your resume, and/or supporting documents may eliminate you from Most Competitive status.
Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Most Competitive, Competitive, or Least Competitive. Names of candidates in the Most Competitive category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. Veterans' preference will be applied.
All applicants will be rated on the following Competencies:

• Analytic Thinking
• Communication
• Interpersonal Ability
• Problem Solving/Judgment
• Technology Awareness

• Benefits
  Review our benefits
• Required Documents
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  To apply to this position, interested applicants must provide a complete application package by the closing date which includes:
  
  1. Your resume, specifically noting relevant work experience and associated start and end dates
  2. A complete assessment questionnaire
  3. Other supporting documents (if applicable):
  
  
  • College transcripts
  • Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50; not applicable to current FBI employees
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal; not applicable to current FBI employees
  • Veterans: DD 214
  • Disabled Veterans: DD 214, SF-15, and VA letter dated 1991 or later
  • Memorandum for Record (MFR)...