The Government Hiring Process¶

To level-set up front, FedRAMP has almost no control over the hiring process at GSA. Our internal position descriptions are artisanally crafted with GSA HR to meet GSA and OPM requirements while still retaining a focus on the activities and specialties needed by FedRAMP.

The specialized experience requirements are the same - we do not have full control over these requirements because they must be crafted in a way that does not limit the applicant pool unfairly. Unlike many private sector positions, our specialized experience requirements for these positions will be very short. All other requirements are set by GSA HR and OPM for the overall classification of the position type.

Additional Position Details¶

The following information should be part of your research context as you consider applying or prepare to do so because it applies to all FedRAMP Cybersecurity Service positions:

• Employment is with the FedRAMP Division of the Technology Transformation Services (TTS), within the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), at the General Services Administration (GSA)
• Non-supervisory GS-2210 IT Specialists at the GS-15, GS-14, and GS-13 level
• Non-Sensitive (Public Trust), High Risk, and require a Tier 4 Background Investigation (SF-85P)
• An OGE Form 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report is required
• Full-time in-office based out of Washington, DC (with situational telework)
• 2 year term appointments in the Excepted Service

Realistic Hiring Timelines¶

Government hiring is not fast - from the time the announcement closes until a candidate enters on duty as a federal employee may take 4-6 months or more. Applicants are advised to be prepared for a long hiring process.

Step by Step Hiring Overview¶

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides a detailed step by step guide of the federal hiring process. To understand the full hiring process you can begin reviewing their guide at Step 5.

We've also created our own spin on this information with some GSA and FedRAMP-specific information below walking you through the steps to expect if you are interested in applying to the FedRAMP Cybersecurity Service:

1. Jobs are Posted on USAJOBS¶

The positions will be posted on USAJOBS at an unknown time, likely with a confusing name like IT Specialist (INFOSEC) (though hopefully with new rules it will say FedRAMP Lead Cloud Security Engineer or similar). We will post direct links to postings when they are available.

a. If you do not have one, you should create an account with login.gov and USAJOBS. Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the site in advance.

b. You can familiarize yourself with GSA job postings to see how they are structured in advance as well.

2. Application Window¶

The position will be open for 3 weeks or until 1,000 applicants apply.

a. During the application process you will be asked to fill out many forms. Some of them may be confusing. We strongly recommend using public resources to help you.

b. You must tailor your resume to ensure it demonstrates the required experience. It must do so in very plain language such that an HR specialist without FedRAMP or cloud security experience can understand that you have the specialized experience.

c. We do not expect to hit the cap but you still might want to apply early.

d. The next step of resume review will not begin until after the application window closes.

3. Application Review¶

Submitted resumes are manually reviewed against the experience requirements to determine qualified candidates. Veterans' Preference will apply during this process. GSA HR will identify all qualified candidates, sorted by preference, for FedRAMP review.

a. This process may take 1-3 weeks depending on the quantity of applicants.

4. Interviews¶

FedRAMP will schedule a single interview with qualified candidates to make a more informed decision.

a. All interviews will be virtual, during normal business hours (Eastern Time) over Google Meet. There will be limited slots available for interviews and candidates must be responsive.

b. If you are offered an interview, you should carefully review the Interviewing page.

c. FedRAMP will not be able to communicate with you about the process beyond scheduling the interview. We won't be able to let you know if you are selected or how you did.

d. Interviews should be completed in one month depending on the number of qualified . candidates.

5. Selection and Offer¶

The initial 5 candidates will receive a Temporary Job Offer (TJO) from GSA HR, hopefully within 3-6 weeks of completing the interview. The Temporary Job Offer is followed by a deep and aggressive journey into government hiring and forms, all of which you must navigate on your own without help from FedRAMP and with minimal help from GSA HR.

6. Background Check¶

If you accept the Temporary Job Offer, you will be directed to begin the background check process. This will require many forms and may require fingerprinting. It will feel a bit invasive compared to the private sector. We recommend researching the process to understand what it is like.

a. FedRAMP positions are High-Risk Public Trust and require a Tier 4 background check. This typically covers a five-year history and requires filling out a digital SF-85P (you may be assigned a different form depending on recent changes).

b. If you are given a Temporary Job Offer, you should immediately dig into the Standard Form 85-P to understand what will be expected of you.

c. We do not expect any candidates will be required to take a drug test, however, candidates and federal employees should not use drugs that are illegal at the federal level. For example, even if marijuana use is allowed in the state where you live, it is still a federal crime to possess, use, or distribute marijuana.

d. All of this will happen without any involvement from FedRAMP. We won't even know where you are in the process or how long it might take. The most effective way to keep this process moving is to respond promptly whenever your GSA HR representative, or any other federal representative (investigator, HSPD-12 staff, etc.) reaches out to you. You will need to answer your phone when random numbers call you.

e. Background checks may take weeks or months depending on the individual circumstances.

7. Enter on Duty¶

Congratulations! After passing an initial background check you will hopefully be granted an interim approval and be offered a start date from GSA. This date is affectionately called your EOD (Enter on Duty).

a. You'll need to fill out some more forms, get a special government employee ID card, and figure out how to get to work. Once you have an EOD you will hopefully be reconnected with the FedRAMP team and we'll be able to support you through the next steps.

b. GSA IT will also contact you during this time to help you get accounts and equipment set up in advance.

c. On your first day, someone from our team will meet you in the building, help you get set up with access to the building so you can go in and out on your own, and show you where to get your equipment and your desk.

8. Onboarding¶

Now the real fun begins - tens of hours of mandatory online courses, a ton of additional paperwork, and getting everything connected to the internet and up and running so you can dig into the things. To help you get started in advance, we recommend researching the common onboarding forms that federal employees fill out in advance so you aren't surprised and have the information ready. We really don't want you to miss out on your health insurance!

a. Check out GSA's New Hire Forms Checklist! It's a doozy.