In a world in which the Twitter account of one secret government agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, jokes about the topic of abuse of secrecy and personal privacy - something which back in the day resulted in the impeachment of a US president - in broad public daylight, a year after the US "turnkey totalitarian state [9]" has been exposed for all to see...
Welcome to Twitter! Can't wait to work with you on [REDACTED] :-) RT @CIA [10]: We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet.
— NGA (@NGA_GEOINT) June 6, 2014 [11]
... it can be difficult to evaluate what in this banana republic is a grotesque farce and what is reality.
The following job posting from the NSA, however, seeking an experienced Cyber Intelligence Analyst for the Honolulu, Hawaii location, is all too real.
Which makes us wonder: is this merely an attempt by the NSA - whose every last secret is being slowly but surely revealed - to unburn bridges with the most infamous Hawaii-based NSA operative in history? Or, alternatively, is it time for another patriotic whistleblower to step in Edward's shoes?
[12]From the NSA [12]:
[12]
Responsibilities
NSA Intelligence Analysts also support cyber! Intelligence Analysts seek creative solutions to answer cyber-related analytic questions, demonstrate a thorough understanding of the telecommunications environment and network trends of their targets, solve difficult technical problems, work independently and collaborate effectively in cyber analysis and research, apply new techniques to solve analytic problems, prepare written and oral assessments of foreign intelligence that provide unique insight into target cyber intentions unavailable from other intelligence disciplines.
NSA Intelligence Analysts perform a wide range of analytic tasks, including the following: maintain awareness of emerging cyber-related technologies; research relevant technical sources for information on foreign intelligence targets; develop query strategies to obtain relevant information; identify communication patterns; determine tactics, techniques, and procedures for intrusion sets; assess validity and relevance of foreign intelligence; profile foreign targets and their activities; report target research outcomes to customers; perform target discovery by developing strategies to obtain new information and sources for intelligence; and/or monitor target data for changes or anomalies. Additionally, NSA Intelligence Analysts are expected to take an inclusive approach to problem solving and mission accomplishments by frequently engaging with partners, enablers and customers across the Intelligence Community.
Skills
Applicants with 5 or more years of hands-on Intelligence Analysis cryptologic (SIGINT) experience will be reviewed against current open cyber-related Intelligence Analysis positions. Applicants should be well-rounded full performance SIGINT intelligence analysts with current knowledge about SIGINT tools, techniques and applications. In addition, familiarity with telecommunications, computer networks, quantitative analysis techniques and previous exposure to data analysis is highly desirable.
Qualifications
Entry is with a High School Diploma and 6 years experience, an Associate's Degree and 4 years of experience, a Bachelor's Degree and 2 years of experience, a Master's Degree and 1 year of experience, or a Doctoral Degree and no experience.
Degree can be in any field.
Experience performing cryptanalytic or cryptologic work.
Intelligence Analysis experience.
Experience with telecommunications or computer networks.
Technical work involving data analysis.
Data processing experience.
Academic Requirements:
Degree in areas listed below are preferred but not required.
Bachelors or Master's degree in areas such as:
Int'l Relations, Int'l Studies, Int'l Security, Int'l Affairs, Global Studies, Security & Intelligence Studies, Political Science, Regional Studies (such as Middle East, Russia, China, Korea, etc), Geospatial/Geography, Topical studies (such as cyber security, counter-proliferation, counterterrorism, international crime, , etc), or Finance/International Economics.
Coursework, knowledge or previous experience in the following areas is highly desirable: cyber security, computer forensics, computer science, computer networks, telecommunications, quantitative analysis, statistical analysis, data modeling, comparative analysis, data mining, data science, social networking analysis, and/or computational data analysis.
Desired overall GPA 3.0+ (Transcripts are reviewed for relevant coursework and grades).
Qualifications/Experience
Proven hands-on SIGINT Intelligence Analyst skills required. Applicants should be able to make an immediate positive impact on cyber mission with little-to-no training.
How To Apply - External
To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply Now' button located at the top or bottom of this page. After completing the application and clicking the 'Submit Final' button, you will receive a confirmation email. Emails regarding your application status will be sent periodically. Please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept emails from noreply@nsa.gov [13].
***PLEASE NOTE:
U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants. Reasonable accommodations provided to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process where appropriate. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.
This position is a Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must submit documents verifying your eligibility with your application package.
DCIPS Disclaimer
The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority.