Cybersecurity Senior Specialist #5301

Target Hiring Range: $120,000-$135,000

Department: Chief Information Officer
Posting Date Range: 3/3/2026-3/17/2026
Pay Grade Range: $102745-$173959
Work Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Remote Work Status: Hybrid
Hybrid Schedule: 2-3 days a week onsite in Washington, DC and Manassas, VA.
All remote or hybrid work arrangements must be performed from within the continental United States, subject to Sergeant at Arms approval.

The Senate Sergeant at Arms does not pay for relocation expenses.

This vacancy announcement closes at 7pm EST. Late applications will not be accepted.

JOB OVERVIEW

Job Description

The Target Hiring Range for this position is: $120,000-$135,000

The Sergeant at Arms helps uphold the operational integrity of the Senate community. The Cybersecurity Department protects the systems and information used to create the legislation that underwrites our democracy. We build a resilient cybersecurity operation by proactively identifying, protecting, detecting, reacting, and recovering (IPDRR) across the U.S. Senate enterprise through a modern, continuous risk-reduction practice.

Key Accountabilities/Essential Job Duties
Provides functional and/or technical support for the assigned cybersecurity unit. Supports the unit’s work effort as required in preparing materials for collaborating with other sections, divisions, departments, and vendors to gather and disseminate information. Contributes to the unit’s work effort as required. Prepares analysis and materials when providing expert level support in the assigned area of cybersecurity to SAA IT security branch staff, other SAA technical staff, SAA procurement staff, and other division or departments. Identifies and resolves critical and complex issues in the assigned unit. Provides leadership to the unit’s project teams and contractors, as directed. Work includes helping to develop plans, assignments, and coordination of work efforts. Supports in developing governing policies, standards, and procedures. Other duties as assigned.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Required Education
High School Diploma, GED.

Required Work Experience

• Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in cybersecurity, including leadership roles in project teams or units. Subject matter expertise in a cybersecurity domain. Demonstrated proficiency in addressing critical and complex cybersecurity challenges, providing expert-level support, and coordinating work efforts across teams and external vendors. Experience in developing and enforcing cybersecurity standards, policies, and procedures.

Required Special Skills/ Knowledge

• As part of our hiring process, we may conduct a skills assessment to better understand an applicant’s proficiency in key areas relevant to the role.

Desired Qualifications

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Growth Mindset: Drive to continuously improve technical tradecraft.
• Proactive Attitude: Proven track record of taking initiative to solve problems creatively and effectively.
• Cyber Knowledge: Understanding of Cybersecurity principles and familiarity with common actors’ TTPs and common attack chains.
• Forensic Analysis Capability: Expertise in Windows/Linux internals, file systems, and executable formats.
• Time Management: Ability to handle multiple taskings in a fast-paced environment and act without causing undue delay.
• Analysis and Production: Ability to analyze (static and dynamic) malware samples, URLS and mobile devices to uncover potential malicious or suspicious activity and document technical findings in a methodical, accurate and thorough format.
• Research: Maintain the ability to evaluate information for reliability, validity, and relevance.
• Communication: Clear verbal and written communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Customer Service: Experience working with a diverse range of customers to assess needs, recommend solutions, and guide mitigation actions appropriately.

Working Conditions

• This position directly supports essential services of the U.S. Senate. As such, this position requires the employee be available and prepared to work during a lapse, in inclement weather, on holidays, weekends, and during late nights to ensure essential services to the Senate continue without interruption. In the context of government furloughs, this position is considered excepted.
• The U.S. Senate network cannot be taken offline for maintenance during the workday, or while the Senate is in session. As such, maintenance windows may only occur at night, on weekends, and occasionally on holidays. Employees who perform systems upgrades, maintenance, wiring, backups, support our alternate data centers will have schedules that include working nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Sedentary.

Security Clearance

• This position requires that the applicant obtain and maintain a Secret U.S. Government security clearance.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens in order for the SAA to submit your application for a security clearance.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

To be employed by a Senate employing office in a paid position in the continental United States an individual must:
1. Be a U.S. citizen;
2. Be lawfully admitted for permanent residence and seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B);
3. Be (i) admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157 or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1158 and (ii) have filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; or
4. Owe allegiance to the U.S. (i.e., qualify as a non-citizen U.S. national under federal law).

Employment is contingent on background / security investigation results.

BENEFITS AT-A-GLANCE

The SAA provides a highly competitive benefits package for all SAA staff. Our benefits extend beyond health care coverage to help provide employees with student loan reimbursement, professional development, transportation subsidy, TSP/retirement savings, access to our Employee Assistance Program, and more! For more information regarding SAA’s benefits, please visit https://sen.gov/OPPW.

ACCOMMODATIONS

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, the SAA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAA and need special assistance or an accommodation to complete the application process, please submit your request to employment@saa.senate.gov with “Accommodation” in the subject line.

VOLUNTARY SELF-IDENTIFICATION FOR VETERANS' PREFERENCE

If you are identifying as veterans' preference eligible under the VEOA, please use this link to complete your application for Veterans' Preference AFTER you apply for this position. The link will also be available on the "Thank You" page after you have submitted your job application.

Candidates only need to apply one time for veterans’ preference to be considered for all future veterans’ preference positions within the Senate Sergeant at Arms.

• All supporting documents must ONLY be provided within the Veterans’ Preference Application and within the stated deadline of the job announcement.
• Late applications for veterans’ preference will not be considered.
• Documentation to obtain veterans’ preference will not be considered if attached to the job application.
• If you need to revise or resubmit your Application for Veterans' Preference/documents, please withdraw your previous Application for Veterans' Preference and resubmit. If you require assistance, please email SAARecruitment@saa.senate.gov.

An applicant who declines to self-identify as a disabled veteran and/or to provide information and documentation regarding his/her disabled veteran’s status will not be subjected to an adverse employment action, but the individual may be ruled ineligible for veterans’ preference.