IT Specialist (Security)

To view the complete qualification standard, applicants should reference- U.S. Office or Personnel Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Information Technology (IT) Management Series 2210 (Alternative A): Information Technology (IT) Management Series 2210 (Alternative A) To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-H, FG/GS-10-12. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Specialized Experience is: Expertise utilizing Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), and Zscaler Digital Experience (ZDX) within a federal government network environment, along with high level network infrastructure concepts. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. If the Agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

This position is inherently governmental as it will determine AIT continuity of security and operations through strategy, implementation, policies, and guidance for the Infrastructure Services Branch within the I&O organization. The position will assist in the budget process for identifying and implementing national network strategy related technologies and assist in the evaluation of products and vendor solutions for network related technologies for security and connectivity. This position within the Infrastructure Services Branch will provide operational administration and support for enterprise secure access services utilizing Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), and Zscaler Digital Experience (ZDX) within a federal government network environment. Responsibilities include maintaining platform availability, monitoring service health, and managing configuration settings that support secure internet access, zero-trust connectivity to internal applications, and end-user digital experience visibility. Ensure that platform configurations align with federal cybersecurity requirements, agency security baselines, and Zero Trust Architecture initiatives. Perform routine operational checks, validate service updates, and coordinate with network and security teams to maintain secure and reliable access for agency users, remote personnel, and mission systems. Monitor and analyze network traffic, security logs, and operational alerts generated through Zscaler platforms to identify suspicious activity, policy violations, and emerging cyber threats impacting federal systems. Utilize Zscaler dashboards and log data to review web traffic patterns, application access behavior, and security enforcement actions such as malware blocking, SSL inspection results, and firewall events. Escalate or respond to security incidents in coordination with Security Operations Center (SOC) personnel while ensuring proper documentation and incident tracking. Support continuous monitoring initiatives required under federal cybersecurity frameworks by identifying anomalies, validating threat detections, and assisting in the investigation of unauthorized or high-risk network activity affecting government networks. Incumbent will Troubleshoot complex network connectivity and user access issues affecting secure web browsing, private application access, and endpoint connectivity within Zscaler environments. Investigate problems involving authentication, client connector functionality, SSL inspection failures, application segmentation policies, and routing configurations that impact end-user access to mission-critical systems. Work closely with network engineers, identity management teams, and endpoint support personnel to isolate root causes and restore secure connectivity. Utilize diagnostics and performance insights from ZDX to identify latency, packet loss, or network path issues affecting user experience. Document troubleshooting procedures and resolutions to improve operational knowledge and support efficient resolution of future incidents. Assist with the enforcement of agency security policies by validating rule effectiveness, reviewing policy impacts, and ensuring proper configuration of secure access controls. Support compliance and security assessment initiatives by maintaining policy documentation, assisting with audit preparation, and ensuring that configurations align with federal security frameworks and agency governance requirements related to network security. These Cyber Security duties will also include other disciplines within the Infrastructure Services Branch and not be limited to just Zscaler.