CES Student Trainee (Interdisciplinary)

Department of Defense

Fort Meade, Maryland Other $37,193 – $158,322 Closes Jul 2, 2026

Summary

This position is being recruited under 10 USC 1599f into the Cyber Excepted Service and does NOT convey eligibility to be converted to the Competitive Service. It has been identified as a position necessary to carry out and support the mission of the US Cyber Command. It is in the Technician Administrative Support Work Category at the Entry/Developmental Work Level within the CES Occupational Structure. It is located in the DISA – DKAEAA-EM4.

Duties

Conduct technical research and market analysis on emerging technologies relevant to DoW objectives.
Support the design, coding, and integration of software prototypes and proof-of-concept applications.
Assist in building and configuring secure sandbox environments for experimental technology.
Participate in laboratory and operational testing of modernized mobile devices and prototype systems.
Execute test plans and assist in troubleshooting hardware and software anomalies.
Support vulnerability assessments and security evaluations.

Education

To qualify at the 04 – Completion of 2 full academic years of post-high school study or an associate’s degree. To qualify at the 05 – Completion of 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree. To qualify at the 07 – Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education; or Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor’s degree. To qualify at the 09 – Completion of 2 academic years of graduate level education, or a master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree. To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application. National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .

How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the applicant questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Competencies Concepts, Policies, Understanding Knowledge of scientific methods, engineering principles, and experimental design to investigate emerging technologies. Information Systems/Understanding of cybersecurity Technical Communication Teamwork Criminal History Inquiries- If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.ssc-cc@mail.mil

Required Documents

FOR THIS JOB ANNOUNCEMENT THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED AS THEY APPLY STATED BELOW AND MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CLOSE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. NOT ALL DOCUMENTS WILL APPLY TO EVERYONE. Resume: A two-page maximum resume is required. Applicant guidance on the two page resume requirement may be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/ . Learn more about the new resume requirements Complete initial Eligibility Questionnaire: Your resume must demonstrate the quality of your work as it relates to the experience requirements outlined in the job announcement. Transcripts (Are Required) – To be eligible for the Student Internship Program, you must submit unofficial/official transcripts with the current enrollment period course load. The absence of this information will result in an ineligible rating. SF-50 – Current and former federal employees, including those currently working for the agency, must submit their SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) reflecting their highest grade held on a permanent basis for at least 52 weeks, tenure, and appointment type. Failure to provide this document may result in disqualification. Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable) – Candidates claiming Veterans Preference must submit a DD-214 (Member Copy 4), or, if you are CURRENTLY serving on active duty, a statement of service from your unit which states the date you entered on active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received. For those supplying the statement of service, preference will be verified by a DD-214 (Member Copy 4) upon separation from the military. Veterans with a service-connected disability must also submit a VA letter dated 1991 or later. DoD Components with CES positions apply Veterans’ Preference to preference eligible candidates, as defined by Section 2108 of the Title 5 U.S.C. in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 3005, “CES Employment and Placement.” Military Spouse Preference (if applicable) – Spousal Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, marriage certificate/license, and a MILITARY SPOUSE PPP SELF-CERTIFICATION CHECKLIST are required to claim Military Spouse Preference. The Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist can be found here: To download the checklist, select “Save” or “Save As” instead of “Open.” Save the document to your device then open it as a PDF. Once the form is opened, select “Enable All Features” and the form will populate so that it can be completed. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/forms/dd3000_3499/DD3145-4/ Your complete Application Package (containing the above required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 07/02/2026. WARNING: Failure to submit a complete application package including any required documentation by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/02/2026, or at the time of application for announcements with an extended closing date, may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and More Information. The Details page will display the status of your application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded is received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

About this role

The CES Student Trainee (Interdisciplinary) position and is based in Fort Meade, Maryland. This position is being recruited under 10 USC 1599f into the Cyber Excepted Service and does NOT convey eligibility to be converted to the Competitive Service.

Day to day, the work involves conduct technical research and market analysis on emerging technologies relevant to DoW objectives. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.

Who should apply

Review the announcement's Qualifications section closely, since it defines exactly what federal service experience this CES Student Trainee (Interdisciplinary) position requires. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this CES Student Trainee (Interdisciplinary) position in Fort Meade, Maryland, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.

How competitive it is

Competitiveness for this CES Student Trainee (Interdisciplinary) role depends mainly on how closely applicants match the stated qualifications. As an entry or assistant-level position, it is a realistic starting point, and gaining federal status here can open doors to higher-graded roles later. Based in Fort Meade, Maryland, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings.

This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.

Job Details

Department Department of Defense
Job Type Other
Location Fort Meade, Maryland
Salary $37,193 – $158,322
Pay Period Per Year
Closing Date Jul 2, 2026
Posted Jun 26, 2026
Source ID CESIN-DISA-12986846-26AB
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