IEEE Spectrum November, 2014 - 64

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"WE DO WORK AT NSA THAT CAN'T BE DONE ANYWHERE ELSE."

BEHIND THE
SCENES AT

NSA

MARCUS BAYNES, Position: Analyst/Computer Scientist. Education: MIT, Mathematics,
2000; Master's in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2007.

WHEN MARCUS BAYNES ENTERED the National Security Agency
as a college intern, he never expected to stay longer than the four
years that a special scholarship had required, planning instead to gain
experience at NSA while focusing on other career goals. His mind
quickly changed once he started working at the agency - he fell in
love with its mission and relaxed atmosphere, as well as the exciting
challenges he faced at work, and realized it was the perfect place for him.

What excites you about working for NSA? What are some
challenges you face?
The work we do is really cool, and it's work that you can't do anywhere
else. That's exciting to me. The main challenge is that, since our work is
so important, the job can be pretty demanding. As a team leader, I have
to juggle a lot of projects and figure out the most efficient way to get the
job done. It's not easy, but it keeps me challenged and allows me to grow.

Are there any misconceptions or myths about the agency?
Were your own perceptions correct?
I try to dispel myths that are put forth in movies: We're not spying on
Americans or walking around with guns, for example. That's just not
who we are. I also had some misconceptions about working for the
government. Before I started, I thought everyone was going to be nerdy
and uptight, coming to work in suits all of the time. In reality, the people
here are really cool and diverse. There are people who wear suits, but
there are also people with blue hair who wear T-shirts to work every
day. I wasn't expecting such a fun and relaxed environment.

What are the opportunities for advancement within the agency?
There are opportunities to further your education - I was able to
get my master's degree while working at the agency. There are also
plenty of resources available to help you grow, learn and rise up in the
organization or move into different areas. The possibilities are endless.

Can you talk about the mission of NSA? How does it feel
knowing the work you do helps achieve this mission?
Our mission has two sides to it, the offensive and the defensive. We try
to uncover foreign adversaries' data and figure out what they're doing
to disguise it. And we also come up with ways to protect our own data.
Innovation plays a huge role; NSA is on the cutting edge of technology.
It's awesome to be a part of a larger mission that's serving Americans,
saving lives and protecting our troops around the world.
What's the work environment like at NSA?
The work is demanding and important, but we have a lot of fun doing it.
There is a huge emphasis on work/ life balance. I love the fact that once
I go home, I don't take my work home with me - I can't take it home
with me, because it's classified - and I can spend time with my family.
How does NSA foster an inclusive environment?
There is an incredibly wide range of people who work here, so anyone
will fit in one way or another. I've never found race, gender, disability
or anything like that to be any kind of hindrance. People don't even see
those things as defining characteristics, because everyone knows we're
all working for the same cause. We're prepared to work together to
serve our country.

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NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
www.NSA.gov
The National Security Agency (NSA) secures the nation's vital
networks and critical information while exploiting those of foreign
adversaries. The mission never sleeps. As technology evolves, so do
America's cyber vulnerabilities. NSA needs a wide range of talented
professionals to help us outthink, outwork and defeat adversaries'
new ideas.
Number of employees: Approximately 30,000
Employees profile: NSA is looking for talent in fields such as comp.
sci., engineering, cybersecurity, math, intel analysis, foreign language
and business admin.
Ways in: Apply for a full-time position or one of NSA's many student
programs at www.NSA.gov/Careers. U.S. citizenship and a security
clearance are required.
Contact: Contact NSA at 1-866-NSA-HIRE or visit www.NSA.gov/Careers.
ONCE UPON A TIME ... For 60 years, NSA has protected national
security information and systems. We give the nation a decisive edge
to make information and IT an asset for America and a liability for its
adversaries. The American people have placed great trust in us, and
we strive at all times to be deserving of that trust. Remarkable people
with remarkable skills form the heart of the National Security Agency.

9/30/14 1:09 PM
http://www.NSA.gov http://www.NSA.gov/Careers http://www.NSA.gov/Careers http://SPectrUm.ieee.orG
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Spectrum November, 2014
