IT SPECIALIST

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.)

Job Opening: 66437
Opening Date: August 19, 2026
Closing Date: September 9, 2026 at 11:59 pm (ET)

Job Title IT Specialist - Digital Forensic Specialist, GS-7/9

Full Performance Level GS-12

Division Seattle Field Office

Location Seattle, WA

Working Hours
Monday - Friday

8:00 A.M. - 5:15 P.M. (Varies based on operational needs)

Job Type Full Time/Permanent

Who May Apply All U.S. Citizens

Number of Positions Available 1

Questions avaldez@fbi.gov

Salary
GS-7: $58,193.00 - $75,653.00

GS-9: $68,545.00 - $89,114.00

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.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a current, permanent FBI employee
• Must be able to obtain an SCI clearance
• Must have (or be able to obtain) a valid driver's license
• Some travel may be required
• Selectee will be required to complete form FD-887, Request for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
• All new Digital Forensic Specialists must attend the in-residence Digital Forensic Specialist Certification course at the FBI Redstone Arsenal Campus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work requires manual dexterity and flexibility. Some assignments require considerable, strenuous physical exertion which may require lifting objects up to 50 pounds or more. Much of the time is spent inventorying, cataloguing, preserving and processing evidence, which may require walking, bending, stretching, crawling and lifting

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Most of the work is performed within an office setting. A portion of the work is performed at the site of the investigation, which could involve strenuous physical exertion and the lifting or carrying of equipment or evidence up to 50 pounds or more. This position may require incumbents to view pictures, video, or review graphic text which is Child Exploitative in nature.

MAJOR DUTIES

• Plans and completes assignments while adhering to established instructions, policies, practices and procedures.
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to exchange information, provide recommendations, and provide analytical support.
• Utilizes computer related hardware and software to collect, examine, preserve, and duplicate digital evidence while adhering to all legal authorities, policies, and guidelines.
• Provide onsite technical guidance as a Subject Matter Expert by troubleshooting errors and problems in order to retrieve digital evidence, ensuring proper policies and procedures are followed, preventing data loss and equipment damage.

QUALIFICATIONS & 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. 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:

• Collaboration
• Computers and Electronics
• Organizing and Planning
• Problem Solving/Judgment
• Communication

Specialized Experience (SE)

GS-7: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. SE is defined as follows:

• Assisted in retrieving data from information systems/digital media.
• Communicated orally and/or in writing related to various technical matters.
• Provided basic technical customer support to troubleshoot user issues and documented resolution process.

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

• Assisted in the collection and analysis of data from information systems/digital media.
• Communicated orally and in writing to prepare and present reports, briefings, and/or exchange technical information.
• Provided complex technical customer support that requires more in-depth analysis to resolve issues (troubleshooting).

Education

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

GS-7: 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-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.

Degrees MUST be in one of the following fields: computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management OR a degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks.

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:

A two-page resume that outlines relevant work experience and associated start and end dates. Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered.

A complete assessment questionnaire

Other supporting documents (if applicable):

College transcripts, if qualifying based on education or if there is a positive education requirement

Memorandum for Record (MFR): Work performed outside assigned duties (that would not normally be documented on a 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

CART Training Record

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

• Positions with fitness for duty requirements or those that require international travel may require proof of certain vaccinations.
• Management may select at 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.
• Limited Movement: Policy has been implemented wherein support employees entering a position may be precluded from moving to another position within the Bureau through reassignment or change to a lower grade for a minimum of 12 months. HRD will waive this limited movement policy for qualified employees, who have received an official notification letter that their current position is being relocated due to an organizational restructuring initiative, so those employees can compete for a position elsewhere. Voluntarily leaving a position with a relocation incentive may result in loss of that incentive. Please notate that you have received an official notification letter within your application.
• 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.
• Candidates will not be considered if currently on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP); a Letter of Requirement (LOR); or have failed a PIP or LOR and are currently awaiting the final action by HRD.

a) Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a 90-day written developmental plan for an employee whose performance on one or more critical elements is rated "Unacceptable."

b) A Letter of Requirement (LOR) is issued when a supervisor identifies leave abuse and/or when frequent absences negatively impact operations of an office.

• Relocation expenses will be borne by the selectee, except FBI employees returning from LEGAT assignment. Employees returning from LEGAT assignments must advise the Staffing and Administrative Unit / International Operations Division of their application for this position.
• Current tax law may impact your transfer by making some of your moving expense reimbursements taxable. Please contact 304-625-9337 (304-625-XFER) for information regarding taxable expenses.
• Employees selected for promotions at the GS 12 level or higher, selected for a supervisory position at any grade level, or selected for positions where a transfer of location is required, will be processed through the name check program prior to being notified of their selection.

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.