Cyber Career Pathways Tool

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This tool presents a new and interactive way to explore the updated work roles within the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework). It depicts the Cyber Workforce according to five distinct, yet complementary, skill communities. It also highlights core attributes among each of the 52 work roles and offers actionable insights for employers, professionals, and those considering a career in Cyber. To start, select a work role below, or enter keywords in the search bar.

As a feature within Cyber Career Pathways Tool, the micro-challenges (TryCyber) consist of hands-on experiences that allow users to complete several core cybersecurity workforce tasks. The following cybersecurity work roles have available micro-challenges: Data Analysis, Database Administration, Defensive Cybersecurity, Digital Evidence Analysis, Incident Response, Network Operations, Systems Administration, Systems Security Analysis, Technical Support, and Vulnerability Analysis.

Explore the micro-challenges using the Tool below!

Show Core Relationships

Toggle to only show Federal Core task, knowledge, and skill statements in the Details for the Selected role, once set. This will also alter the galaxy when the TKS relationship filter is active.

Show Core Relationships

Toggle to only show Federal Core task, knowledge, and skill statements in the Details for the Compared role, once set.

Begin typing to search work role names.

Select a second role.

Details

Data Analysis

Responsible for analyzing data from multiple disparate sources to provide cybersecurity and privacy insight. Designs and implements custom algorithms, workflow processes, and layouts for complex, enterprise-scale data sets used for modeling, data mining, and research purposes.

Community: IT

Category: Implementation and Operation

OPM ID: 422

See USAJOBS listings coded for Data Analysis

Related Functional Titles

The following job titles have been identified by subject matter experts as either alternative titles for this work role or including the functions of this work role as part of their job duties.

Business Intelligence Analyst
Chief Data Officer / Security Officer
Data Architect
Data Engineer
Data Modeler
Data Protection Officer
Data Scientist
Data Security Analyst
Data Security Officer
Database Security Analyst
Information Dissemination Manager
Operations Research Analyst

View Cyber Career Pathway Documents

Task statements

Legend

C: Core Task
A: Additional Task
: Aligned to the role
: Not aligned to the role
A*: Not included in the initial analysis to determine whether it is Core or Additional to the work role.

ImportanceAligned	Task ID	Task Description
Core	T0068	Develop data standards, policies, and procedures
Core	T0349	Collect metrics and trending data
Additional	T0383	Program custom algorithms
Additional	T0460	Develop and implement data mining and data warehousing programs
Core	T1020	Determine the operational and safety impacts of cybersecurity lapses
Core	T1063	Determine data requirements
Core	T1064	Determine data specifications
Additional	T1065	Determine data capacity requirements
Additional	T1066	Plan for anticipated changes in data capacity requirements
Additional	T1297	Recommend new database technologies and architectures
Additional	T1400	Design and develop secure applications
Core	T1440	Assess the validity of source data
Additional	T1445	Conduct hypothesis testing
Additional	T1458	Develop data gathering processes
Additional	T1491	Design data management systems

Knowledge and Skill statements

Knowledge statements

Legend

C: Core Knowledge
A: Additional Knowledge
: Aligned to the role
: Not aligned to the role
A*: Not included in the initial analysis to determine whether it is Core or Additional to the work role.

ImportanceAligned	Knowledge ID	Knowledge Description
Additional	K0068	Knowledge of programming language structures and logic
Additional	K0647	Knowledge of data visualization tools and techniques
Core	K0674	Knowledge of computer networking protocols
Core	K0675	Knowledge of risk management processes
Core	K0676	Knowledge of cybersecurity laws and regulations
Core	K0677	Knowledge of cybersecurity policies and procedures
Core	K0678	Knowledge of privacy laws and regulations
Core	K0679	Knowledge of privacy policies and procedures
Core	K0680	Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and practices
Core	K0681	Knowledge of privacy principles and practices
Core	K0682	Knowledge of cybersecurity threats
Core	K0683	Knowledge of cybersecurity vulnerabilities
Core	K0684	Knowledge of cybersecurity threat characteristics
Additional	K0685	Knowledge of access control principles and practices
Additional	K0686	Knowledge of authentication and authorization tools and techniques
Additional	K0693	Knowledge of complex data structure capabilities and applications
Additional	K0694	Knowledge of computer algorithm capabilities and applications
Additional	K0695	Knowledge of programming principles and practices
Additional	K0699	Knowledge of data administration policies and procedures
Additional	K0700	Knowledge of data standardization policies and procedures
Additional	K0702	Knowledge of data warehousing principles and practices
Additional	K0703	Knowledge of data mining principles and practices
Additional	K0704	Knowledge of database management system (DBMS) principles and practices
Additional	K0705	Knowledge of database query language capabilities and applications
Additional	K0706	Knowledge of database schema capabilities and applications
Additional	K0707	Knowledge of database systems and software
Additional	K0708	Knowledge of digital rights management (DRM) tools and techniques
Additional	K0716	Knowledge of host access control (HAC) systems and software
Additional	K0717	Knowledge of network access control (NAC) systems and software
Additional	K0736	Knowledge of information technology (IT) security principles and practices
Additional	K0738	Knowledge of low-level programming languages
Core criticality not evaluated	K0739	Knowledge of mathematics principles and practices
Additional	K0742	Knowledge of identity and access management (IAM) principles and practices
Additional	K0744	Knowledge of operating system (OS) systems and software
Additional	K0746	Knowledge of policy-based access controls
Additional	K0747	Knowledge of Risk Adaptive (Adaptable) Access Controls (RAdAC)
Additional	K0750	Knowledge of query languages
Core	K0751	Knowledge of system threats
Core	K0752	Knowledge of system vulnerabilities
Additional	K0759	Knowledge of client and server architecture
Additional	K0766	Knowledge of data asset management principles and practices
Additional	K0775	Knowledge of information management tools and techniques
Additional	K0805	Knowledge of command-line tools and techniques
Additional	K0813	Knowledge of interpreted and compiled programming language characteristics
Additional	K0814	Knowledge of secure coding tools and techniques
Additional	K0862	Knowledge of data remediation tools and techniques
Additional	K0867	Knowledge of database application programming interfaces (APIs)
Additional	K0897	Knowledge of logging tools and technologies
Additional	K0904	Knowledge of machine learning principles and practices
Additional	K0914	Knowledge of binary analysis tools and techniques
Additional	K0952	Knowledge of information theory principles and practices
Additional	K0953	Knowledge of data mining tools and techniques
Core	K0983	Knowledge of computer networking principles and practices
Additional	K0991	Knowledge of database administration principles and practices
Additional	K0992	Knowledge of database maintenance principles and practices
Core	K1014	Knowledge of network security principles and practices
Additional	K1094	Knowledge of hexadecimal data
Core	K1096	Knowledge of data analysis tools and techniques
Additional	K1097	Knowledge of data mapping tools and techniques
Additional	K1099	Knowledge of code analysis tools and techniques
Additional	K1101	Knowledge of analytics
Additional	K1146	Knowledge of data gathering tools and techniques
Additional	K1157	Knowledge of enterprise-wide version control systems
Additional	K1219	Knowledge of statistical processes
Additional	K1233	Knowledge of UNIX scripts
Additional	K1238	Knowledge of Windows scripts

Skill statements

Legend

C: Core Skill
A: Additional Skill
: Aligned to the role
: Not aligned to the role
A*: Not included in the initial analysis to determine whether it is Core or Additional to the work role.

ImportanceAligned	Skill ID	Skill Description
Additional	S0028	Skill in developing data dictionaries
Additional	S0029	Skill in developing data models
Core	S0109	Skill in identifying hidden patterns or relationships
Additional	S0114	Skill in performing sensitivity analysis
Additional	S0118	Skill in developing machine understandable semantic ontologies
Additional	S0172	Skill in applying secure coding techniques
Additional	S0399	Skill in creating complex data structures
Additional	S0400	Skill in creating programming languages
Core	S0558	Skill in developing algorithms
Core	S0559	Skill in performing data structure analysis
Additional	S0562	Skill in creating mathematical models
Additional	S0563	Skill in creating statistical models
Core	S0579	Skill in preparing reports
Additional	S0586	Skill in administering databases
Core criticality not evaluated	S0597	Skill in writing code in a currently supported programming language
Core criticality not evaluated	S0600	Skill in collecting relevant data from a variety of sources
Additional	S0610	Skill in communicating effectively
Additional	S0621	Skill in performing binary analysis
Additional	S0622	Skill in implementing one-way hash functions
Additional	S0626	Skill in identifying common encoding techniques
Additional	S0631	Skill in performing data preprocessing
Additional	S0636	Skill in performing format conversions
Additional	S0640	Skill in performing regression analysis
Additional	S0644	Skill in performing transformation analytics
Core	S0646	Skill in applying descriptive statistics
Core	S0648	Skill in detecting anomalies
Core	S0649	Skill in removing outliers
Additional	S0650	Skill in writing scripts
Additional	S0681	Skill in performing design modeling
Additional	S0700	Skill in mining data
Additional	S0701	Skill in performing data mining analysis
Additional	S0709	Skill in developing analytics
Additional	S0710	Skill in evaluating metadata
Additional	S0711	Skill in interpreting metadata
Additional	S0712	Skill in evaluating data source quality
Core	S0728	Skill in preparing briefings
Additional	S0735	Skill in programming
Core	S0791	Skill in presenting to an audience
Additional	S0807	Skill in solving problems
Core criticality not evaluated	S0808	Skill in assessing an organization’s data assets
Additional	S0819	Skill in caching data
Additional	S0820	Skill in cataloging data
Additional	S0828	Skill in compiling data
Additional	S0835	Skill in distributing data
Core	S0854	Skill in performing data analysis
Additional	S0877	Skill in performing quantitative analysis
Additional	S0897	Skill in retrieving data

Capability Indicators

Capability Indicators defined for this work role - formerly Data Analyst - in NISTIR 8193

Capability Indicators for Data Analyst
Category	Entry	Intermediate	Advanced
Credentials/Certifications	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: N/A Example Topics: Certifications addressing system security, network infrastructure, access control, cryptography, assessments and audits, organizational security, network infrastructure, mobile device integration, hardware evaluation, operating systems, technical support, managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, installing, configuring basic network infrastructure, network types, network media, switching fundamentals, TCP/IP, IP addressing and routing, WAN technologies, operating and configuring IOS devices, and managing network environments	Recommended: Yes Example Types: N/A Example Topics: Certifications addressing system security, network infrastructure, access control, cryptography, assessments and audits, and organizational security	Recommended: Yes Example Topics: Certifications addressing security and risk management, asset security, security engineering, communications and network security, identity and access management, security assessment and testing, security operations, and software development security
Continuous Learning	Recommended: Yes Examples: 40 hours annually (may include mentoring, controlled exposure to more advanced work, and detailed reassignment/rotational program)	Recommended: Yes Examples: 40 hours annually (may include mentoring Entry-level coworkers under the oversight of a supervisor)	Recommended: Yes Examples: 40 hours annually (may include mentoring other team members)
Education	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: Bachelor's or high school diploma and 4 years of experience Example Topics: Statistics, economics, science (if curricula contain data analysis)	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: Bachelor's or high school diploma and 4 years of experience Example Topics: Statistics, economics, science (if curricula contain data analysis)	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: Bachelor's, Master's, Ph.D. Example Topics: Cybersecurity
Experiential Learning	Recommended: Yes Examples: 3 years of relevant experience or 1 year with a master's degree; experience with query tools, analytical and quantitative reasoning, report writing, and administrative tasks	Recommended: Yes Examples: 5 years of relevant experience (a master's degree may substitute for 2 years of experience); experience with data analytics, predictive modeling, multiple tool databases, responding to complex questions, and operational tasks	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Examples: 10 years of experience in data analytics systems development, software engineering, systems development, predictive modeling, and understanding data storage and retrieval techniques
Training	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: N/A Example Topics: Presentation skills	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: N/A Example Topics: Data normalization, data warehousing, and presentation skills	Recommended: Not essential but may be beneficial Example Types: N/A Example Topics: Advanced analysis, advanced data mining, advanced data science, and presentation skills

Common Relationships

Related Roles by TKS

The following work roles are related by their shared task, knowledge, and skill statements.

The following work roles are related by their shared core task, knowledge, and skill statements.

Roles are listed by all or core shared TKSs, as selected.

Related Roles by TKS	Percentage
421-Database Administration	60%
431-Knowledge Management	37.7%
731-Cybersecurity Legal Advice	36.07%
804-Technology Portfolio Management	32.65%
521-Infrastructure Support	28.57%

Related Roles by Core TKS	Percentage
804-Technology Portfolio Management	64%
661-Technology Research and Development	59.26%
731-Cybersecurity Legal Advice	59.26%
723-Communications Security (COMSEC) Management	55.17%
421-Database Administration	45.71%

On Ramps

Off Ramps

Federal Data

The below list defines the most common occupational series used in the Federal Government for this specific work role. This can be used as an indicator for users for things like position descriptions. Some work roles require multiple codes to illustrate the breadth and depth of a work role. The secondary work roles listed below can help users to identify potential work role pairing. This data was pulled from The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Federal Government-wide data as reported in 2020.

Top 5 Occupational Series

Top 5 Occupational Series	Percentage
2210-INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT	43.47%
0343-MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS	6.55%
1550-COMPUTER SCIENCE	6.47%
1515-OPERATIONS RESEARCH	6.35%
0201-HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT	4.54%

Top 5 Secondary Work Roles

Top 5 Secondary Work Roles	Percentage
431-Knowledge Management	22.42%
421-Database Administration	14.32%
621-Secure Software Development	9.59%
641-Systems Requirements Planning	7.85%
411-Technical Support	7.1%

Micro-Challenge

Find federal job announcements by cyber skills community on USAJOBS: IT, Cybersecurity, Cyber Effects, Intel (Cyber), and Cross-Functional.

The NICE Framework data used for this tool is from the NICE Framework Components v1.0.0.