Signals Analyst – Mid to Experienced Level (MD / CO)

Summary

Signals Analysis is a cutting-edge technical discipline that seeks to identify the purpose, content and user(s) of signals. Given today’s rapidly evolving global communications, the NSA must maintain and develop a highly talented workforce of Signals Analysts who are a vital part in maintaining our technical capabilities to use the most sophisticated means to recover, understand, and derive intelligence from all manner of foreign signals.

Duties

• Given today's rapid evolution of signals and advancements in adversarial technologies, the NSA must maintain and develop a highly talented workforce of SIGINT analysis professionals, e.g.
• Signals Analysts and Target Systems Analysts, spanning expertise in communications intelligence (COMINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT), and PROFORMA (formatted data communications) intelligence.
• These professionals play a vital part in maintaining our technical capabilities to recover, understand, exploit and derive intelligence from foreign communications and signals. – COMINT is technical and intelligence information derived from foreign communications; it includes intelligence derived from the content of the communications to and from individuals
• networks, or devices. – ELINT is technical and geolocation information derived from foreign non-communication electromagnetic emissions, most commonly from radars, weapons systems, beacons, navigational systems and electromagnetic interference. – FISINT consists of technical information and intelligence derived from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of foreign aerospace
• surface and subsurface systems. – PROFORMA is machine-generated data communications associated with military C4ISR, civil, industrial, commercial and personal applications; analysis of PROFORMA data conveys information derived from sensors and/or control systems.
• Responsibilities of Signals Analyst
• Professionals may include: – Levy deep technical understanding of signal characteristics to determine signal structure, define signal parameters, identify signal content, and model signal behavior within the RF and digital domains. – Transform signals between domains, and create processing models and scripts.
• – Report technical characteristics of signals and maintain knowledge bases. – Support access and follow-on analytic activities. – Analyze engineering and technical information related to weapon and space systems. – Conduct target analysis and research. – Use knowledge of customer requirements to
• process, analyze and/or report on signals intelligence information. – Identify and analyze signal waveforms (e.g., weapon systems or communication systems), bit streams (e.g., multiplexers, error correction, voice and video compression, or instrumentation systems), and/or protocols (e.g., link layer, network layer, or application
• layer). – Develop software code to support analysis and/or processing using a variety of architectures and solutions. – Report signal parametric data and intelligence information in databases
• narrative reports, and oral presentations. – Collaborate with collection managers, developers, analysts, and reporters to optimize resources, develop new solutions to analytic challenges, fuse multiple sources of information, and deliver critical intelligence to a variety of customers.

Education

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Degree must be in Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, a Physical Science, or a related technical field. A broader range of degrees will be considered for those who have completed a relevant military training program.

Required Documents

Prepare the documents below before applying. Always confirm the exact requirements on the official announcement, since they vary by position:

• All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority.
• 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 may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility.