COMPUTER SCIENTIST

POSITION OVERVIEW

This position advertised has been exempted from the federal civilian hiring freeze.

Current FBI employees are ineligible to apply if serving under the same conditions as that for which is advertised, including:

• Appointing organization (FBI)
• Type of position (full-time, part-time, etc.)
• Same or higher grade
• Duty location (city or state)
• Type of appointment (permanent, temporary, etc.)

All federal employees who opted into the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) MUST resign prior to appointment in their new position.

Job Opening: 62960
Opening Date: January 23, 2026
Closing Date: February 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm (ET)

Job Title Computer Scientist - Field Ops

Full Performance Level GS-13

Division San Juan Field Office

Location San Juan, Puerto Rico

Working Hours May vary based on the needs of the Division

Job Type Full Time/Permanent

Who May Apply All U.S. Citizens

Number of Positions Available 1

Questions chaught2@fbi.gov

Salary
GS-9: $77,540.00 - $100,808.00 (99AP)

GS-11: $85,523.00 - $111,186.00 (99AP)

To attract and retain highly qualified candidates, selectees may be eligible for a recruitment incentive of up to 20% or, for eligible current federal employees, a relocation incentive of up to 15%. Eligibility for a relocation incentive requires proof of a change in residence and an assignment at a worksite in a different geographic area greater than or equal to 50 miles from the prior worksite. Employees must sign a written service agreement completing a specified period of employment with the FBI at the new duty station. Recruitment and relocation incentives cannot be combined.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement to fill positions within the same division when the position includes substantially the same duties, responsibilities, and qualifications.

JOB 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. #LI-FBI

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must have (or be able to obtain) a valid driver's license
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret-SCI clearance
• Some travel may be required
• Required Training: Selectees must successfully complete a 10 week mandatory Computer Scientist Field Operations Training at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL within the first year of employment.

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Performs system and network procurement, installation, administration, and security; develops and uses basic computing environments for analysis.
• 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.
• Provides technical assistance in conducting interviews, searches, and other investigative and operational activity; performs liaison and outreach.
• 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.
• Testifies in court.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATIONS

Please ensure that your specialized experience and requirements are clearly identifiable in your resume. Your application will be evaluated using the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed to verify that you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement and will be compared against your responses to the online assessment questionnaire. If your self-assessment in the vacancy questions is not supported by details in your resume or supporting documents, you may be disqualified from the Most Competitive category. Veterans' preference will be applied. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are found minimally qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.

The competencies will be used in a Structured Resume Review to objectively evaluate applicant resumes. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified below. Your resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.

Competencies:

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

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.

Specialized Experience (SE)

GS-9: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. SE is defined as follows:

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

GS-11: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. SE is defined as follows:

• Assisted others with basic system and network procurement, installation, administration, and security.
• Used, troubleshot, and modified existing cyber tools and methods to identify, preserve, and analyze digital evidence.
• Assisted with the development and implementation of custom tools and methods.
• Provided basic technical and other professional assistance in conducting interviews, searches, and other investigative and operation activity.
• Drafted documents on basic technical and other professional matters, and assisted in drafting documents on advanced matters.
• Assisted in coordinating with the private sector and other divisions.

Education

All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:

GS-9: 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.

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.

HOW TO APPLY

For detailed instructions related to applying, uploading documents, withdrawing an application or updating your application, please review instructions on . If applying online is a hardship, please use the contact information listed in the vacancy announcement prior to the closing date for assistance.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

To apply to this position, interested applicants must provide a complete application package by the closing date which includes:

Utilizing the Resume Builder, outline your relevant work experience and associated start and end dates. Uploaded resumes will not be reviewed or used for qualification purposes.

A complete assessment questionnaire
Other supporting documents (if applicable):

• College transcripts, if qualifying based on education or if there is a positive education requirement
• 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): Work performed outside assigned duties (that would not normally be documented on an SF-50, i. e., back-up duties), has to be documented in detail by an immediate supervisor in order to receive full credit for amount of time worked in that position. If no documentation is furnished no credit will be given for time worked in that position. The following notations must be specified in the documentation:
  • Percent of time worked in the particular position (cannot conflict with main duties.
  • The month/year work began
    Frequency worked (i.e., daily, monthly, etc.)
  • Specific duties performed

Attach the Memorandum for Record to your application in the "Cover Letters and Attachments" section of My Career Tools on the Careers Home page. Please upload the attachment as type "Other."

While applicants might see these documents in their profile, HR Specialists may be unable to access them. Therefore, all applicants MUST upload another copy to ensure that staffing units can review the complete application.

Please note: Failure to provide the necessary and relevant information required by this vacancy announcement may disqualify you from consideration. Incomplete applications will not be supplemented with additional requests for information; your application will be evaluated solely on the information you submit. You must complete the application process and submit all required documents by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the announcement's closing date.

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The Most Competitive candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of your status throughout the process.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The FBI is in the Executive Branch of the federal government. It is one of the components of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The FBI is the principle investigative arm of the DOJ. All FBI positions are in the excepted service.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens and consent to a complete background investigation, urinalysis, and polygraph. You must be suitable for Federal employment; as determined by a background investigation.
• Positions with fitness for duty requirements or those that require international travel may require proof of certain vaccinations.
• Management may select any grade for which this position has been announced.
• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher-level duties.
• If you are selected, you will be required to serve a two-year probationary period. Probationary employees are precluded from being considered for all job opportunities until 12-months of their 24-month probationary period has concluded. Probationary Employees may be considered for competitive vacancies that are advertised within their respective division or field office after serving 90 days within the FBI.

Veterans' Preference

If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume and application. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency.

Nepotism

Nepotism is the act of favoring relatives in the hiring process and is prohibited by law. Public officials are prohibited from hiring or promoting relatives or relatives of officials in their chain of command, as well as actively or indirectly endorse a relative's appointment or promotion. During the hiring process, all selected candidates and FBI hiring managers will be required to certify they are not related to anyone involved in the hiring process.

Reasonable Accommodation

The FBI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application and/or hiring process, please contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs (OEEOA) Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Program by email at REASONABLE_ACCOMMODA@fbi.gov, phone at 202-324-2158, or fax at 202-324-3976. This email address is for reasonable accommodation requests only. Do not send applications or unrelated inquiries to this address, as they will not be considered.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The FBI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for this vacancy. Unless explicitly authorized by law, selection will be made without regard to, and there will be no discrimination because of, color, race, religion, national origin, marital status, parental status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age (40 or over), sex, pregnancy and related conditions, or on the basis of personal favoritism, or any other non-merit factors.

Benefits

The Bureau matches your dedication with a commitment to professional growth, a supportive work environment, and a robust benefits package that prioritizes you. As a member of our team, you'll enjoy comprehensive health and life insurance benefits, paid vacation, sick leave, and federal holidays. For more details about benefits available to all federal employees, visit the Office of Personnel Management's .