The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is recruiting professionals to support a range of leadership roles in Digital Forensic, including Digital Forensics Section Chief, Computer Forensic Branch Chief, and Digital Forensics Incident Response Manager. All positions are in the DHS Cybersecurity Service.
DHS Cybersecurity Service (DHS-CS) uses a multi-phase assessment process to qualify applicants seeking employment through the 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 Cybersecurity Digital Forensics 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 Digital Forensics 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), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).Depending on your career level and role, DHS Cybersecurity Service employees in the Leadership Career Track, with a technical capability of Digital Forensics, will generally apply their expertise to perform a range of tasks, including:
- Overseeing and/or leading a team(s) applying techniques for gathering, recovering, analyzing, interpreting and presenting digital information and evidence from sources such as computers, mobile devices, websites, network packets, etc. to support DHS and Component investigative activities.
- Proactively using forensic artifacts, data, and reports to understand and/or reconstruct a digital process, event, or activities, and assisting others who are less seasoned in these areas.
- Leading or managing a team(s) applying various techniques and tools (e.g., hexadecimal dumper, disassembler, debugger) to analyze software/hardware, retrieve its source code, and understand its component parts, functions, and purpose to identify the software's underlying vulnerabilities and exploitable weaknesses.
- Proposing, overseeing and/or organizing collaborative efforts to preserve digital media (e.g., hard drives, CDs, mobile phones, GPS, etc.) for examination and analysis to see the intrusion as the user may have seen it, avoiding unintentional alteration to the native environment.
- Actively conducting analysis of log files, evidence, and other information using network monitoring tools to capture and analyze data and network traffic associated with malicious activities and determine best methods to identify network perpetrators.
- Collaborating with internal and external DHS stakeholders to collect and analyze intrusion artifacts (e.g., source code, malware, and system configuration) to identify the TTPs (tactics, techniques and procedures) of an adversary and use discovered data to enable mitigation of potential cyber events.
- Communicating incident findings from a forensic investigation to different levels of leadership and other appropriate parties outlining recommendations to prevent and mitigate future risks and threats using cyber defense techniques.
- Providing key technical input to assist organizational leaders with decision-making and actions related to a variety of critical cybersecurity threats and/or incidents and providing strategic-level analysis to support broader DHS cyber missions.
- Leading or managing a team(s) providing technical and non-technical assistance to investigative personnel on digital evidence matters using a full range of investigative tools and processes in accordance with applicable laws, policies, guidelines regulations and procedures.
- Proactively examining recovered data and applying knowledge of malicious software programs and code that interferes with normal computer functions to perform malware analysis
- Advising Federal and National DHS stakeholder organizations on handing highly complex cybersecurity investigations and influencing policy decision making on a range of technical topics within and outside DHS.
- Leveraging collaborative networks of internal and/or external DHS partners and/or national technical experts to facilitate achievement of strategically important DHS and national cybersecurity goals.
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.
DHS Cybersecurity Service employees with a technical capability in Digital Forensics will generally:
- Collect, process, analyze, interpret, preserve, and present digital evidence in support of network vulnerability mitigation, intelligence operations, and different types of investigations (including but not limited to administrative, criminal, counterintelligence and law enforcement)
- Apply tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for investigative processes
DHS Cybersecurity Service employees start at career levels and salaries matching their experience and expertise. In recruiting 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 Cybersecurity Digital Forensics.DHS Cybersecurity Service jobs are structured cybersecurity specializations - called technical capabilities. To learn more about technical capabilities, visit our application portal.