National Security Agency (NSA)
Computer Scientist – Development Programs – Entry/Mid-Level
Fort Meade, MD
Pay Plan: GG, Grade: 07/1 to 12/10
Open: 2020-12-14, Close: 2021-02-05
View the official Job Posting here.
Responsibilities
The mission demands that NSA “see” the world through a different lens than any other organization. Our Computer Scientists face technical challenges well beyond the wildest imaginations of most people. NSA’s mission requires persistent engagement to anticipate and understand complex threats in real-time, on a global scale. From Counter-Terrorism to Combat Support to Cybersecurity, NSA’s Computer Science community creates novel, cutting-edge solutions that advance science and underpin every aspect of our foreign intelligence and cybersecurity missions. Solving these extraordinary problems allows NSA to share solutions with the world by contributing to open source, licensing patents, and publishing technical papers.
A world-class Computer Science cadre at NSA is vital to the security of the nation. The standards of reliability, repeatability, scale, speed, and compliance that NSA hardware and software products must meet are daunting. Industry and academia change the question to one that can be answered; NSA must answer the question as is. The mission problems, questions, and threats fuel our constant drive for more robust solutions and the use of revolutionary technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms, high performance computing, big data analysis, anticipatory algorithms predictive analytics, complex data modeling, advanced computing and network architectures, distributed systems and sensor networks, advanced systems and IT networks, and those we create along the way.
NSA’s development programs help employees enhance their skills and improve their understanding of a specific discipline. The programs are generally three years long and feature rotational tours throughout the Agency. Designed for entry to mid-level employees, development program participants are afforded the opportunity to receive tailored training, often with a cohort, and multiple assignments across Agency Directorates to develop skills and experience to ground their career at the NSA.
As an NSA computer science development program participant your responsibilities may include:
- creating analytic applications that scale across multiple, very large, data sets from disparate sources
- leveraging and integrating open source, commercial off-the-shelf, and government developed software
- analyzing user/customer requirements related to software and/or software system design
- building software prototypes
- designing, developing, and debugging software applications
- troubleshooting and debugging computer code
- analyzing metadata
- applying mathematical or computational methods and lines of reasoning to complex software systems
- conducting target analysis and research
- identifying target communications within the global network
- performing global network analysis and mapping
- using knowledge of customer requirements to analyze and process intelligence information
- performing exploitation and operations on target networks
- designing and optimizing algorithms, data structures, modeling, and analytics to solve real-world scientific problems
- solving cryptanalytic, high-performance computing, and computer network problems
- leading new advances in computer science, such as:
- microprocessor-based advances
- beyond the horizon supercomputers
- signals processing (including analog control)
- user interfaces
- deep learning
- cybersecurity
- design and implementation of encryption
- advanced algorithms
- detecting, identifying, and evaluating vulnerabilities in cyberspace systems and/or networks
- developing software and/or hardware exploitation capabilities that enable collection of foreign intelligence from target networks and systems
- designing solutions to defend against adversarial threats directed towards the US, to include cutting-edge technologies such as mobile, SCADA, and Internet of Things
- analyzing sophisticated malware to thwart cyber attacks and identify new threats
- developing methods and applications for tools to exploit and analyze computer systems
Job Summary
Does solving unique problems energize you? Do you like to create distinctive solutions? The difference between NSA Computer Scientists and others are the problems we MUST solve. Our culture believes in solving “unsolvable” problems, which we do by creating new science and new technologies not yet discovered, that will protect and advance our Nation in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Are you ready for the challenge? Are you fearless? …then click to read more!