IT Specialist (SYSADMIN/INFOSEC)

Summary This announcement is issued under the Direct Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Selectee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one year probationary period. Must be able to obtain a Secret (Tier 3) security clearance and maintain the required level of clearance while employed in the subject position. This position is not included in the bargaining unit. Responsibilities Plans and leads difficult and complex assignments in a variety of systems administration areas. Analyzes and develops system requirements; integrates systems across disciplines; defines the scope and level of detail for systems plans and policies; assesses new systems design methodologies to improve functionally, performance quality and security; leads or performs implementation activities; identifies the need for changes based on new technologies; reviews and evaluates security response policies; develops long-range plans; reviews new systems, networks, and designs for compatibility and feasibility; and resolves integration issues related to the implementation of new systems with the existing infrastructure. Drafts and/or develops operational policies, procedures, requirements, and practices for all IT systems. Coordinates with OCIO on the development of systems and application policies guidelines, standards, requirements, and procedures. Recommends ways to optimize the operability, functionality, and security of the enterprise's systems. Performs the following major duties associated with these assignments: Duty 1. System Administration Develops standard operating procedures for a variety of IT hardware tasks or activities. Modifies, adapts, and/or refines broader guidelines to resolve specific complex and/or intricate issues and problems; and identifies and researches trends and patterns in order to develop new methods and criteria and/or propose new policies or practices for systems administration activities. Optimizes the functionality and performance of systems. Maintains systems integrity and availability anticipating likely capacity or configuration problems and initiating corrective or preventive actions. Diagnoses and recovers failed systems. Research options for problem resolution and recommendations. Supports the development of multi-year IT strategic plans for a variety of IT systems Duty 2. IT Coordination and Integration Consults with customers to identify priorities and best approaches for integrating systems administration requirements into daily operations. Determines best approaches for implementation aligned to OCIO and the organization's strategic and funding priorities. Analyzes and provides cost-benefit analyses to decision-makers for recommended changes. Presents in writing or orally to audiences within and external to the organization, identifying priorities and barriers to project accomplishment. Plans and coordinates product and equipment installation and lifecycle upgrades, overseeing and resolving technical and administrative problems, controlling current versions and future releases of hardware and applications software, and documenting the physical configuration of the systems. Develops new methods, criteria to draft proposals for new policies and procedures to management. Duty 3. System Improvement and Modernization Reprioritizes and allocates resources as they become available and recommends additional components to improve overall system performance. Keeps abreast of current and emerging technologies and systems administration practices and methods Recommends additional components to improve overall system performance. Duty 4. Information Security and Cybersecurity Ensures guidance and work products comply with organizational IT security requirements. Identifies and mitigates security vulnerabilities and risks. Establishes new security policies Leads the planning and execution of system security accreditation Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications You must meet all the requirements below by the closing date of the announcement and they must be clearly identified in your application, resume, or supporting documents. This includes any general and specialized experience, education, and/or selective placement factors mentioned. These are used to determine if you possess the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities to successfully perform in this position. You must meet the following United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position. OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Information Technology (IT) Management can be found at Information Technology (IT) Management Series 2210 (Alternative A) (opm.gov). Generally, current federal employees or reinstatement eligibles must have served at least one year at the next lower grade level. This requirement is called time-in-grade. BASIC REQUIREMENT To qualify at the GS-11 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 obtained in the federal or private sector performing IT InfoSec duties to include: (1) Experience monitoring the status and progress towards resolution of assigned Incidents for a help desk,(2) Experience analyzing data to diagnose and identify root causes to common user and network issues, (3) Three or more years of actual experience working with others to resolve IT service desk related technical and network issues, and (4) Experience working on deployment of software and patches. To qualify at the GS-12 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 obtained in the federal or private sector performing IT InfoSec duties to include: (1) Experience managing relationship with Tier 2 teams to drive continuous improvement while identifying opportunities for additional Tier 1 involvement in incident resolution, (2) Experience analyzing data to diagnose and identify root causes to common user and network related issues, (3) Three or more years of actual experience resolving technical and network issues, and (4) Experience deploying patches and software to network desktops and troubleshooting issues that arise. To qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 obtained in the federal or private sector performing IT InfoSec duties to include: (1) Experience managing relationship with Tier 2 and 3 teams to drive continuous improvement while identifying opportunities for additional Tier 1 involvement in incident resolution, (2) Experience analyzing data to diagnose and identify root causes to technical and network issues, (3) Four or more years of actual experience deploying patches and software to network desktops and troubleshooting issues that arise. In addition to meeting specialized experience requirements, you must have IT-related experience demonstrating these competencies: Attention to Detail - Knowledgeable in performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Customer Service - Knowledge in how to anticipate and meets the need of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement. Effectively manages customer relationships. Oral Communication - Skilled in making clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed. Speaks and writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner that is appropriate to the audience. Facilitates an open exchange of ideas to ensure all group input is considered. Problem Solving - Skilled in identifying and analyzing problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations. Team Building - Ability to form, manage, and lead a project team. Fosters an environment of trust and unity that encourages and acknowledges cooperation, collective problem solving and participative decision making. Seeks involvement of all project team members in the decision-making process to build group commitment. Identifies and supports project team goals. Facilitates cooperation and motivates project team members to accomplish group goals. 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. Education Additional Information Surplus or Displaced Federal Employees: The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs are available to federal employees that qualify. Those eligible for these programs are granted special priority selection rights. To be considered, you must be deemed well-qualified by receiving a score of 85 or higher. If you are a federal employee claiming CTAP/ICTAP, you must provide the documents listed under the Required Documents section to verify your eligibility. Also, you must indicate in your application that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible. For additional information regarding CTAP/ICTAP, please visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you are registered with the Selective Service or are exempt under Selective Service regulations. For additional information concerning Selective Service requirements, please visit http://www.sss.gov/. Severely disabled persons program information: Individuals with Disabilities (opm.gov) If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: http://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information Assessment Question: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12541365 Vacancy ID number: 12541365 Reasonable accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact listed on the vacancy announcement. The decision to grant a reasonable accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis. Verification of information: Any information claimed on your resume and in application materials, such as education, credentials, employment history, etc., will be verified as part of the security clearance process.