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Cyberscum

Anyone here going to the announced phase 2 interviews in December?

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RHEL

Cyberscum wrote: »

Anyone here going to the announced phase 2 interviews in December?

Nope, but I've been through it. Long long day... Best of luck!

JoJoCal19

Anyone have an idea if the FBI has InfoSec positions that pay salaries comparable to market rate? From what I've seen I think the pay is like $50k-$70k for the positions I've come across.

636-555-3226

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Anyone have an idea if the FBI has InfoSec positions that pay salaries comparable to market rate? From what I've seen I think the pay is like $50k-$70k for the positions I've come across.

Man that's a joke for an experienced infosec analyst in my region (100k+). You could get a decent entry-level person for 50k, but I assume the FBI is looking for 5-10+ years of experience? I hate to think the FBI is hiring entry-level nowadays...... Doesn't make me feel real safe.....

kohr-ah

Why not? They can hire entry level and mold the person to the engineer they need.

Doesn't mean that Infosec agent is front lines.

the_Grinch

That would be an entry level position for the FBI ($50k to $70k). With an organization like the FBI they get the cream of the crop who apply because it's the FBI (think of it like Google, they can pay crap because it's Google). They'll provide the needed training to get you from 0 to 60 is three months and then you would be assigned with a seasoned analyst for a few months to learn the ropes (for forensic analyst). If you are going to be a Special Agent, you could be picked up with no experience and just a bachelors (rare, but it happens). As for being safe, typically a new agent isn't leading or running an investigation on his/her own. They'll be assigned to someone with years on the job who will direct what is to be done with input from the new guy if he has expertise on the subject. Also it might be a much larger team with several agents and technical support.

As an example, I met with two agents a few years ago who presented one of their cases. One agent had been with the Bureau from about ten years and was the lead on the investigation. I don't recall what his background was, but the big thing is he was a seasoned investigator who knew the ropes. The other agent was a recent computer science graduate a year out of Quantico. Both were part of a cyber unit and leveraged their respective skills. The senior agent mentoring the younger one, with the younger one performing code analysis and providing perspective/explanation of what was happening. In law enforcement, you will find most will tell you that anyone can learn and enforce the law. The computer skills are the ones that are harder to learn and be effective with.

Good luck to the op! Tough place to get on with, but if you can you won't look back.

JoJoCal19

Thanks for the explanation Grinch! For applicants with advanced degrees and 10 years of experience, would the FBI hire them in at a higher level? Or are all applicants looked at as entry level for Special Agent purposes?

Cyberscum

RHEL wrote: »

Nope, but I've been through it. Long long day... Best of luck!

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Anyone have an idea if the FBI has InfoSec positions that pay salaries comparable to market rate? From what I've seen I think the pay is like $50k-$70k for the positions I've come across.

Well, I actually went through phase 2 last year. I had to decline because of a position I had in the military and training that had come up after I interviewed. So I had to wait a year to reapply and I was accepted to phase 2 again.

The BIG issue is that I am already a GS employee. The position is for a cyber-agent and they start at GS-10 regardless of your GS level at the time. Everyone starts at 10.

So in the end I am still debating the position, it will end up being about a 35-40K a year pay cut, but an awesome job with a direct impact on the community.

I do know that some of the forensics that will be worked would be less than desirable ie: Child ****, sex trafficking etc… But there would be an amazing pay off to put scum like that away for a long long time.

636-555-3226 wrote: »

Man that's a joke for an experienced infosec analyst in my region (100k+). You could get a decent entry-level person for 50k, but I assume the FBI is looking for 5-10+ years of experience? I hate to think the FBI is hiring entry-level nowadays...... Doesn't make me feel real safe.....

In the FBI/CIA/DOD/DHS it’s all about what you do, not how much you make. Most people are doing the jobs because of the exciting missions and opportunities they get to serve their country. There are people that genuinely hate their jobs as well, but I would say that they are the exception from my experience. Not very many people get the opportunity to participate in events that shape the world, so I would guess this is why people are willing to make such drastic pay cuts. It all depends on the mission.

the_Grinch wrote: »

Good luck to the op! Tough place to get on with, but if you can you won't look back.

Thanks! I am still debating the position. Weighing pros and cons at this point.

RHEL

Yeah, they have staff positions and then they have special agent positions. Cyber agent is still a special agent but the focus/qualifying area for skillset is in the cyber realm.

Like Cyberscum said, you start at GS10. For me, with my house, wife, dogs, great jobs, student loans, etc in a very low CoL area, I could not risk GS10 pay to get forced to relocate to a very high CoL area and risk dropping to a single income for <$70K. I wouldn't survive.

Sucks as FBI SA was my dream for most of my life. If you can manage the uncertainty of relocation, 50 hour mandatory work weeks, frequent budget cuts, etc... I hear it is an extremely rewarding career. I still find myself wondering "what if?"

Best of luck, let us know what you decide!

Mike-Mike

I dont know about the FBI, but the CIA had a scale that paid more for higher degrees and experience. One would think it would be similar for the FBI.

you would think the FBI would frown upon hiring "Cyberscum"... seems like that's what they are looking to stop...

and 35k pay cut would suck, but think about all the Female Body Inspector jokes you could make

Cyberscum

Mike-Mike wrote: »

I dont know about the FBI, but the CIA had a scale that paid more for higher degrees and experience. One would think it would be similar for the FBI.

you would think the FBI would frown upon hiring "Cyberscum"... seems like that's what they are looking to stop...

and 35k pay cut would suck, but think about all the Female Body Inspector jokes you could make

They do not have pay stipends for special agent positions. You can get on as IT support or forensics at higher grades, but not the SA positions. And don't hate on my alter ego techexams name just because its more creative than Mike-mike

dustervoice

Cyberscum wrote: »

don't hate on my alter ego techexams name

Who or what is a CyberScum anyway? explain please

Cyberscum

dustervoice wrote: »

Who or what is a CyberScum anyway? explain please

Its a band. What or who is a dustervoice?

the_Grinch

Don't forget that being a Special Agent puts you in law enforcement retirement and affords you LEAP (25% on top of your base salary). So while there is a pay cut, being able to retire at 57 or once you put your 20 in and getting another job is a pretty good perk. 33% of your top three years if you don't contribute to the TSP isn't too bad when you factor in you are looking at 100k+ on the outside once you leave.

As Cyberscum points out, all SA's come in at the same level. If you were an SA for another agency, maybe you could get more, but even then I wouldn't say that with 100% confidence.

CIA draws from a completely different budget and thus can follow a different set of salary guidelines. If you look, most government agencies will utilize a GS or GL pay scale (GL for law enforcement as they get a slightly higher salary, but once you get to 11 it's all the GS pay scale). For intelligence, the pay scale is labeled GG and is a whole different world.

UnixGuy

dustervoice wrote: »

Who or what is a CyberScum anyway? explain please

It's not who, it's WHEN

testing010101

636-555-3226 wrote: »

Man that's a joke for an experienced infosec analyst in my region (100k+). You could get a decent entry-level person for 50k, but I assume the FBI is looking for 5-10+ years of experience? I hate to think the FBI is hiring entry-level nowadays...... Doesn't make me feel real safe.....

I used to intern for the FBI.

They offered me an entry level position, GS-08, which is $37,000/year. A well known defense contractor offered me $72,000.