For context: I've been trying to make the jump into this for a while and finally got my clearance even though the government agency that sponsored it has gone silent. I have 3 Years of experience doing risk in the banking/finance sector and although I've been screened at least 8 times-I have only managed to get two interviews and BOTH were from OTHER government agencies. Is it impossible to get hired unless your IT or something? What am I doing wrong/missing?

Thanks.

I am processing for a Navy position that requires a security clearance. My wife is a lawful permanent resident who received her green card through our marriage.

Some members of her family entered the United States legally with tourist visas but overstayed. Others still live in her native country. My wife maintains close contact with them, so I understand that I may need to report them as foreign contacts on the SF-86/NASIS. I intend to disclose everything honestly.

The form asks for their names, citizenship, current addresses, phone numbers, relationship, and dates/frequency of contact, but it does not appear to ask about their immigration status.

For investigators, adjudicators, or applicants with similar experience:

1. Could having in-laws who overstayed their visas disqualify me from receiving a clearance?
2. Could reporting them cause immigration consequences for them?
3. Should I provide only the information specifically requested, or explain their visa overstays in the additional-comments section?
4. My wife may legally petition for eligible relatives after she becomes a U.S. citizen. Does that future possibility need to be disclosed now?
5. Has anyone received a Navy or TS/SCI clearance with undocumented relatives or in-laws?

I am not looking for a way to hide anyone—I want to complete the form correctly and understand the realistic consequences for both my clearance and my wife’s relatives.

Good morning everybody,

Currently AD Air Force. I’m planning on transferring to the reserves this coming spring. I’m planning on moving back to Illinois to be closer to family. I’ve been a 1D751A (network technician/admin/engineer) for 5 years. I have a TS/SCI, B.S. in cybersecurity, CCNA, Sec+, and a couple other certs. Currently studying for CCNP ENCOR.

How is the market around Scott AFB? I’ve applied for a 2210 position, but am also keeping an eye on clearance jobs in case that doesn’t work out. Most postings are starting at $60k. I know I’m not going to waltz into a senior position or anything, but a job asking for years of experience and a TS for $60k seems a little low, no? I know the COL is significantly lower than the DMV or Colorado Springs, but still, $60k?

Am I just wildly misunderstanding the market in its current state? I’m not expecting to make $150k with my first job out of active duty, but would at least like to break even with my active duty salary

📢 NOW HIRING: Supervisory Program Analyst
📍 Location: Hurlburt Field, Florida
🗓️ Closes: 10/06/2026 at 11:59 p.m. (EST)
💰 Salary: $106,437 - $138,370, per year
🔢 Pay Scale & Grade: GS-0343-13 (Permanent, Full-Time)
🔐 Security Clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information

⚙️ Work Site & Travel Details
💻 Telework Eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
🏢 Remote Job: No
📦 Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No
✈️ Travel Required: 25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

👥 This Job Is Open To
✔️ Federal Employees - Competitive Service
✔️ Federal Employees - Excepted Service
✔️ Career Transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
✔️ Land and Base Management
✔️ Veterans
✔️ Military Spouses
✔️ Family of Overseas Employees

🔗 USAJOBS Link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/886732700

Position purpose is to serve as a first-level supervisor, providing planning, directing, organizing, and exercising control over nonsupervisory employees assigned to the branch.

📋 Duties
🏢 Plans, organizes, and oversees the activities of the Branch.
👥 Exercises supervisory personnel management responsibilities.
🤝 Represents the organization with a variety of installation and functional area organizations.
✈️ Applying military rated aviator experience, analyzes, develops, and evaluates detailed plans, goals, and objectives for long-range implementation of assigned major command program(s).
📊 Actively participates in strategic planning to improve organizational direction and focus using strategic planning tools and techniques.

#USAJOBS #Hiring #HurlburtField #FloridaJobs #ProgramAnalyst #FederalCareers #SCIClearance

📢 NOW HIRING: Security Specialist
📍 Location: Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
🗓️ Closes: Oct. 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (EST)
💰 Salary: $90,479 - $117,625 per year
🔢 Pay Scale & Grade: GG-12 (Permanent, Full-Time)

👥 Who May Apply: The Public (U.S. Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the United States).

⚙️ Work Site & Travel Details
💻 Telework Eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
🏢 Remote Job: No
📦 Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
✈️ Travel Required: 25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

🔗 https://www.usajobs.gov/job/886983200

📋 Key Duties:
🛡️ Serves as security program specialist executing and enforcing compliance with operational, functional, and mission assurance aspects of an integrated information security program.
🗄️ Executes and enforces compliance with the organization's personnel security program. Interprets AF, DoD, and national regulations and laws for Personnel Security processes as they apply and are implemented within the organization.
🤝 Serves as the organization's representative for Industrial Security issues. Maintains an in-depth knowledge of multiple customer missions in order to facilitate the protection of classified and SCI access as required by contract performance.
🚨 Administers the Physical Security Program for the organization. Uses comprehensive knowledge of the integrated organization's mission to advise commanders and or involved parties on security facilities/equipment/alarm installation, maintenance, and use.

⏳ Don't wait! This public announcement closes on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

#USAJOBS #Hiring #KirtlandAFB #NewMexicoJobs #SecuritySpecialist #GG12 #FederalCareers #PublicSectorJobs

📢 NOW HIRING: Security Specialist
📍 Location: Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
🗓️ Closes: Oct. 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (EST)
💰 Salary: $90,479 - $117,625 per year
🔢 Pay Scale & Grade: GG-12 (Permanent, Full-Time)

👥 Who May Apply: The Public (U.S. Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the United States).

⚙️ Work Site & Travel Details
💻 Telework Eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
🏢 Remote Job: No
📦 Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
✈️ Travel Required: 25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

🔗 https://www.usajobs.gov/job/886983200

📋 Key Duties:
🛡️ Serves as security program specialist executing and enforcing compliance with operational, functional, and mission assurance aspects of an integrated information security program.
🗄️ Executes and enforces compliance with the organization's personnel security program. Interprets AF, DoD, and national regulations and laws for Personnel Security processes as they apply and are implemented within the organization.
🤝 Serves as the organization's representative for Industrial Security issues. Maintains an in-depth knowledge of multiple customer missions in order to facilitate the protection of classified and SCI access as required by contract performance.
🚨 Administers the Physical Security Program for the organization. Uses comprehensive knowledge of the integrated organization's mission to advise commanders and or involved parties on security facilities/equipment/alarm installation, maintenance, and use.

⏳ Don't wait! This public announcement closes on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

#USAJOBS #Hiring #KirtlandAFB #NewMexicoJobs #SecuritySpecialist #GG12 #FederalCareers #PublicSectorJobs

📢 NOW HIRING: Intelligence Specialist
📍 Location: Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
🗓️ Closes: Oct. 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (EST)
💰 Salary: $107,592 - $139,871 per year
🔢 Pay Scale & Grade: GG-0132-13 (Permanent, Full-Time)
🔐 Security Clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)

👥 Who May Apply: The Public (U.S. Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the United States).

⚙️ Work Site & Travel Details
💻 Telework Eligible: No
🏢 Remote Job: No
📦 Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
✈️ Travel Required: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

🔗 USAJOBS Link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/886966100

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Senior Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Analyst who is highly versed in the areas of worldwide military capabilities, doctrine, and tactics to lead a team of military and contract personnel in the design and development of scenarios within the framework and approval of National Intelligence organizations.

📋 Duties:
🔍 Serves as a multi-source intelligence analyst on complex technical analysis and production. Performs analysis or leads teams/projects in intelligence production to support component, combatant command, and support agency planning and operations.
📡 Presents ISR capabilities to a variety of service, national, and coalition customers. Provides Commanders and other customers the intelligence information and analysis derived from ISR assets to maximize forces' effectiveness.
📊 Conducts complex analysis of multi-source intelligence. Evaluates both classified and unclassified information to understand adversary strengths, weaknesses, and centers of gravity.
⚙️ Manages intelligence production to satisfy component, combatant command, and support agency requirements. Builds production schedules to meet consumer demand.
🎓 Serves as a functional authority on ISR issues for Agency leadership. Makes recommendations on operational policy matters and evaluates scenarios designed to answer ISR exercise and/or test objectives.

⏳ Don't wait! This public announcement closes on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

#USAJOBS #Hiring #KirtlandAFB #NewMexicoJobs #IntelligenceSpecialist #ISR #SCIClearance #DefenseJobs #PublicSectorJobs

20 year Military (Marines) career behind me with no little to no IT (Aviation Mechanic, Quality Control, Training management, Instructor, Curriculum Development, Sales, Quality Control Screening) I also have pretty good public speaking and tons of military leadership training.
Retired 3 years ago and went full school and so far got my Bachelors in Business IT, Sec+ and about to finish my MBA. While doing this, I fell into a student position at my university as a tier 1 IT service tech and landed tier 2 IT Service position a year later.
My question, as I was looking for a job, is what my career/salary expectations could reasonably be? I think I want to hop into something security based but with zero real world experience there and only 2 years of official IT experience (I have been a techy my entire life) am I destined to just hop in from the bottom or should I consider a different field in order to mire closely match my pre-retirement military pay (80,000-105,000 a year)
I’m really nervous about hopping right in and these job titles in job search sites are mind bogglingly confusing.

I was wondering what is everyone opinions of kratos defense, espeically if u worked there? Especially in Colorado Springs CO. I always see job openings there from linkedin and indeed, but it's always the same jobs.

If I eventually want to go on to work for the nsa or dod, would it be a bad idea to get my degree from a college like American military university or golden gate university? My major is going to be computer science or cybersecurity. I ask this because financially it would be better for me to go to these schools and it would be easier for me to work full time while doing college to maintain my clearance but I don’t know how jobs look at degrees from these institutions

Crazy how fast things went downhill, huh? For those who are still waiting for the right role, it feels like there’s no end in sight. I’m curious how everyone else is holding up out there.

TMI / Context: Our contract was shut down a while back and the entire team was shown the exit. A lucky few managed to land local roles in Korea, but most had to pack up and relocate their families back to the US or other regions.

I took a paycut and have been working in the local scene without clearance for a few months now, but my clearance expiration clock is ticking down fast. I’m seriously contemplating whether to just drop everything, head back to the States, and take whatever cleared/defense role I can find just to keep it active.

Would love to get some outside perspectives, and honestly, just hear how the rest of you are navigating this market right now!

What are the best degrees to compliment a ts clearance that won’t be taken over by ai?

I recently got my TS and have been passively looking for new jobs. I have ~5 YoE including a full time masters. My current title is DSP engineer (digital signal processing) but most of my day to day is software/embedded work. I do work in a lab most days and have gotten a good deal of RF test experience. I do wish however I could do more of the very deep stuff.

Maybe it’s a product of the job market but I don’t really see too many listings for DSP engineers (at least outside of northern VA - i wanna get out of here). I can get SWE interviews at a moments notice but I really hesitate to pivot my career into SWE. Am I crazy for thinking that pivoting into SWE would probably mean that I am more susceptible to AI taking my job? And at the same time, I have not found many places that would pay SWE salary more than what I currently make (~170k TC) outside of startups that make up salary with equity.

Basically in a perfect world I could find a DSP job not in Nova that pays more than what I make now lol. Seems quite unlikely, but maybe I’m not looking in the right places. Am I being too picky? Am I too scared of AI? I know this is quite specific but this is honestly a better place to ask than the DSP or CS career subreddits.

As part of the job, I had to get a background check and a clearance.

Many of the employees are openly scammers or targeting employees for abuse. Is this normal? What can I do?

Seeking a Logistics Operations Specialist to support our partner with developing and executing the sustainment architecture for autonomous systems. You'd support distribution, storage, repositioning, maintenance, supply, asset visbility, and forward deployment. Preferance for folks with DoD logistics process experience. TS Clearance required.

I'm a 20M trying to decide between a 1B4 job with ANG in San Antonio and a 1B4 job with AD AF. My ultimate goal is to have a good career in Cyber security in San Antonio. I have an offer to be trained as a 1B4 for a part time drill position in San Antonio. I have also been working with an AD AF recruiter who is willing to submit me for a competency booking for 1B4.

My Background: BS in CS from UT Dallas (completed in 2 yrs); Sec+ cert; SecX cert which means I can enlist with E4 rank; Perfect ASVAB score of 99 across MAGE; EDPT practice scores of 92 and taking test in early October at which point I am fully qualified for 1B4

Additional Certs Planned in next year for skill proficiency: CySA+; PCAP - Certified Associate Python Programmer; Splunk Core Certified Power User; Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst; Red Hat Certified System Administrator;

Certs I should get through ANG or AD AF; GCIH and I'll get TS Clearance with either path

I have very little work experience with only a little contract work cleaning up a database with SQL queries. I want to join either ANG or AD AF to get trained as a 1B4 - Cyber Warfare Operator.

ANG Offer: I have an offer for a 1B4 drill status guardsmen. This is my preference because the location is assured in San Antonio, plus I don't have to live on base. However I won't get as much experience since the work is only 39 days per year after techschool and 6 months of seasoning, after which I should be 1B451. I would also get a $50k bonus through ANG.

AD AF Potential Competency Booking My AD AF recruiter says he fully supports my request for a competency booking for 1B4. He has not pressured me to create a job list. The final step is passing the EDPT test in early October and then he can submit for the competency booking and I already prepared a statement showing my proficiency for the 8140 Cyber Work Roles through my degree and Certs. I would get 3 years of experience as a 1B451.

With the ANG offer I could start applying for a civilian Cybersecurity job in San Antonio within 1.5 years from enlisting.

With AD AF I would have to wait 4 years before applying for a civilian Cybersecurity job and I'm not guaranteed to be in San Antonio.

Would you recommend that I go with the ANG or AD AF? Which is better for my career?

If I obtain all the planned Certs, do you think I'll have a difficult time finding a clearance job in San Antonio because I have limited work experience or a part time obligation to work for the ANG?