About This Career

Cyber-operations specialists conduct offensive and defensive cyberspace operations in support of the full range of military options. They utilize devices, computer programs, and techniques designed to create an effect across cyberspace. Offensive operations involve applying force to target enemy hostile adversary activities and capabilities. Defensive operations are conducted to protect data, networks, and net-centric capabilities by detecting, identifying, and responding to attacks from external forces.

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster National Security pathway.

A person in this career:

• Conducts strategic, operational, and tactical level planning across full range of operations for integrated information and cyber operations
• Conducts cyber intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities on specified systems and networks
• Conducts network terrain audits, penetration testing, basic digital forensics data analysis, and software threat analysis, and recommends appropriate mitigation countermeasures
• Reacts to cyberspace events, employs cyberspace defense infrastructure capabilities, collects basic digital forensics data, provides incident response impact assessments, and produces network security posture assessments
• Analyzes computer system and network architectures, and determines and implements exploitation methods
• Operates automated data processing (ADP) equipment for both remote and local collection, processing, and reporting
• Evaluates operational effectiveness of communications, sensors, intrusion detection, and related support equipment
• Partners with Department of Defense, interagency, and Coalition Forces to detect, deny, disrupt, deceive, and mitigate adversarial access to sovereign national cyberspace systems
• Targets adversary cyberspace functions or use first-order effects in cyberspace to initiate cascading effects into the physical domains to affect weapon systems, command and control processes, and critical infrastructure/key resources
• Provides threat indications and warnings, identifies users, and in some cases, identifies the activities of the target

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overnight travel