Top 30 Cyber Security Job Titles + Descriptions

This is among the most common roles on a cybersecurity team and an excellent entry point into the world of information security. “The cybersecurity workforce is growing as… the demand is growing,” Rodney Peterson, NICE director, said during an event for Cybersecurity Career Week on Monday. The latest numbers do show some improvements in the talent gap overall, although demand for more workers is still strong.

• The table below indicates the pay scale for Federal Government General Schedule positions in 2020.
• We’ll explain what you can expect from an entry-level cybersecurity job description, review the qualifications you’ll need to have as a candidate, and address the responsibilities you’ll face when you land your first role.
• This is nearly twice as high as the national median salary for all occupations, $61,900 [2].
• Applicants can apply for jobs using this exception if they have an intellectual disability, a severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability.
• The National Security Agency employs a wide variety of cyber professionals to help protect and defend U.S. government IT systems, and to help exploit the intelligence of adversaries.
• Many boot camps can guide you through the training you need to secure valuable cybersecurity certifications, all in a matter of months, not years.

Total pay includes base salary and additional compensation such as commission, bonuses, and profit sharing. Request work samples, such as incident reports or security policy documents, to gauge their suitability for your organization. Adopting the mindset of a  lifelong learner can help you keep up with (or stay one step ahead of) these changes. If there is something on a professional’s record, it’s always best to be upfront with the potential employer rather than have it come out during the background check. The OPM and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have worked with private industry and academia to develop the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Strategy.

Why pursue a career in cybersecurity

During this assessment, you’ll spotlight the data and assets at risk and list the possible reasons for a future breach. So, how can you prepare for the role, and what training do you need to thrive? Let’s discuss the most important qualifications you need before you cybersecurity specialist start applying. Cyber security professionals are the technology experts who keep hackers at bay, ideally by preventing attacks from happening in the first place. “The primary role of a cybersecurity professional is more proactive than reactive,” Cambell says.

Customize your cybersecurity interview questions to assess candidates’ technical competence, problem-solving abilities, and approach to handling security challenges. But it is considered a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concentration, and familiarity with math https://deveducation.com/ will certainly get you farther as you move forward in your career. Salaries are well above average and experienced technicians can easily make more than $100,000 a year. The following information from Payscale is based on an employee who has a doctor of science in computer science.

Cyber Security Specialist

The National Guard and Reserves set their own qualification requirements and are not subject to the appointment, pay, and classification rules in Title 5, United States Code. For example, current federal employees are often given preference for some positions. If a current federal employee applies to an “open to the public” job, they will have to compete against the general public. Their status as a federal employee does not earn them a preference, and the field of applicants will likely be more extensive. These groups, called hiring paths, include classifications such as current federal employees, veterans, recent graduates, or someone from the general public. Unlike private companies that often need employees only at specific locations, the federal government has job openings in every state and many foreign countries.