Summary CAISI is a center of AI expertise in the U.S. government. Its Agent Security team is hiring research engineers and scientists to conduct cutting-edge security research, perform assessments of AI vulnerabilities and robustness, and develop agent security best practices and guidelines. This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates. Responsibilities In this position, you will: Assess risks such as agent hijacking, data poisoning, jailbreaking, and specification gaming through benchmark development, hands-on red-teaming, and analysis. Conduct novel research that advances the frontier of AI security measurement science. Collaborate closely with team members, execute complex projects end-to-end, and help shape team priorities. Design and write performant, maintainable code for research and evaluations. Develop guidelines and best practices for secure development and deployment of AI. Advise agencies across government on secure AI deployment and AI security testing. Work in concert with industry researchers on testing exercises and research projects. Clearly communicate technical concepts in memos, briefings, and research papers. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications All applicants must submit a resume NOT TO EXCEED two pages on standard-size paper. If the resume exceeds two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed for qualifications or assessment determinations. Basic Requirements: Experience must be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate. For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. ZP-2210-IV: In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level (ZP-III at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience demonstrating at least one of (1) expertise in building software systems that evaluate, deploy, or train AI models or systems; or (2) expertise in adversarial machine learning research or deep learning research; or (3) expertise in assessing, studying, finding, or mitigating cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, especially in AI systems. ZP-2210-V: In addition to the above requirements, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level (ZP-IV at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience demonstrating at least one of (1) expertise in building state-of-the-art software systems that evaluate, deploy, or train AI models or systems; or (2) advanced expertise in adversarial machine learning research or deep learning research; or (3) advanced expertise in assessing, studying, finding, or mitigating cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, especially in AI systems. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration Education Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position. Additional Information This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS), a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent Learn more about the APMS here! We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy. Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions. You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY to be considered for this position. All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible to make qualification or eligibility determinations. A trial period may be required. This appointment may be extended up to four years without further competition. This position requires the passing of a drug test. This position requires filing an OGE-450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of onboarding and annually thereafter. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.