Digital Forensics & IT Specialist - 90412583 - Washington

*PLEASE NOTE: *

Amtrak OIG is not a Federal agency. Our employment opportunities are not federal jobs.

Join with the Inspector General to help make America’s railroad operate more efficiently and effectively. Our team provides independent oversight of Amtrak’s programs and operations and works diligently to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse by Amtrak employees, contractors, or vendors. This work not only helps to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Amtrak, but it also informs decision-making by Amtrak’s Board of Directors, Amtrak management, and Congress. We employ a diverse team of auditors, special agents, analysts, forensic examiners, lawyers, and support staff to complete our exciting mission. Join us as we continue toward our goal of building a model OIG centered on independence, teamwork, diversity, work-life balance, and oversight that makes a difference!

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

The Digital Forensics and IT Specialist supports the Digital Investigations Unit (DIU), the division responsible for complex cybercrime investigations and for supporting field investigations through digital forensic examinations and technical operations. The incumbent helps operate and secure the DIU's self-contained forensic network, a purpose-built environment of physical and virtualized systems maintained in-house and provides server and workstation administration; network and security support; identity, device, and access management; data protection and recovery; and customer support for DIU and Office of Investigations (OI) users nationwide.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as a primary point of contact for DIU and Office of Investigations users nationwide, providing responsive technical support for hardware, software, account, connectivity, and access issues affecting investigative operations.
• Troubleshoots and restores service across DIU physical, virtual, network, and cloud-based environments escalates issues outside the unit’s control and provides extended or on-call support as needed.
• Supports and maintains Windows, Linux, and macOS server and workstation environments, including configuration, imaging, deployment, patching, logging, and software maintenance.
• Provisions, configures, and maintains examiner workstations, virtual machines, identity and access controls, device policies, single sign-on, multifactor authentication, and least-privilege access.
• Supports administration of DIU virtualization, storage, backup, and disaster recovery environments, including capacity monitoring, file restoration, root cause analysis, and preventive maintenance.
• Maintains and troubleshoots network and security infrastructure, including connectivity, firewall rules, access controls, segmentation, secure remote access, encryption, and certificate lifecycle support.
• Performs system and security monitoring, reviews logs and scheduled jobs, supports incident investigation and remediation, and assists with endpoint protection, vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and risk management activities.
• Supports implementation, testing, maintenance, and user access for forensic, investigative, automation, evidence-processing, archival, malware-scanning, and custom DIU/OI tools and services.
• Monitors forensic and automation tool output and technical logs to confirm proper operation, support quality assurance, and maintain reliable evidence-processing workflows.
• Coordinates assigned technical work with users, stakeholders, mission partners, and the DIU Special Agent in Charge; assists with IT projects, hardware and software implementation, documentation, procedures, and knowledge-base maintenance.
• Collaborates with Criminal Investigators in gathering and analyzing digital evidence from computers, mobile devices, body worn media, vehicle systems and other electronic devices in support of criminal and noncriminal cases.
• Conducts computer and mobile forensic examinations that are consistent with those standards established by Amtrak OIG, as well as reflective of current trends and techniques within the law enforcement, OIG, and professional communities.  This may include the testing of forensic software and other appropriate automated analytical tools to meet diverse investigative requirements.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: 

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Information Systems, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, specialized training, and progressively responsible IT systems administration experience as described below.
• Experience administering, configuring, and maintaining Windows and/or Linux server environments, including managing system accounts, permissions, and authentication controls, and performing system patching, updates, and performance monitoring.
• Experience providing customer-focused end-user support, including diagnosing and resolving hardware, software, account, and connectivity problems.
• Networking knowledge at the CCNA level, to include working with VLANs, routing, and access control lists (ACLs), and the ability to troubleshoot connectivity and access issues across firewalls, VPNs, and segmented or restricted networks.
• Experience implementing controls to protect sensitive data, managing backups and recovery processes, and maintaining system integrity, auditability, and availability.
• Experience supporting IT systems that process sensitive, confidential, or legally protected information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues clearly to non-technical users.
• Strong customer service orientation, with patience and professionalism when supporting end users.
• Proven reliability and ownership: able to take assigned tasks and deliverables and complete them by agreed deadlines with minimal follow-up or supervision.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving instincts, with the persistence to track issues to root cause and restore service quickly when systems go down.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment with minimal supervision.
• Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities with attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain composure in stressful situations and to safeguard the confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Ability to cooperate across organizational boundaries to reach shared goals.
• Creativity, flexibility, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
• Analytical, problem solving, and basic project management skills.

PREFERRED:

• Relevant certifications, such as CompTIA Security+, Network+, or A+; Cisco CCNA; Microsoft, Red Hat, or Linux administration certifications; virtualization certifications; and security certifications such as CySA+, GCED, CISSP, or CISM.
• Digital forensics certifications or coursework, such as GCFE, GCFA, EnCE, CFCE, or ACE, or comparable hands-on forensic training.
• Experience with clustered or hyperconverged virtualization platforms.
• Experience scripting and automating administrative tasks (for example PowerShell, Python, or Bash).
• Experience using AI-assisted tools to improve scripting, automation, systems administration, documentation, or investigative workflows.
• Experience supporting on-premises and cloud-based forensic analysis platforms.
• Prior experience in a law enforcement, legal, investigative, or other evidence-handling environment.
• A demonstrated passion for technology and hands-on learning, such as maintaining a home lab, pursuing self-directed technical projects, or otherwise staying current with new tools and techniques.

COMPENSATION:

The hiring salary range for the Digital Forensics & IT Specialist is $107,508 - $140,136. This is the starting salary range and does not reflect the full salary range of the position. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, internal equity, etc.  In addition to your salary, Amtrak OIG offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.

Requisition ID:  166787
Posting Location(s):District of Columbia

Work Arrangement:06-Onsite 4/5 Days 
Relocation Offered:No 
Travel Requirements:Up to 25% 

You power our progress through your performance.
 

We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions. 

Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions requires a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen. 

Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law.  

In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.

In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. §1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses. 

Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Amtrak is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/color, to include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, such as lactation), national origin/ethnicity, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.