Information Technology Specialist

Information Technology Specialist

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/788457600

Summary

Joining the Secret Service, Office of the Chief Information Officer Customer Solutions Branch will allow you to draw on your technological expertise to maintain and modernize the U.S. Secret Service's IT and communications infrastructure, as well as enhance interoperability, information sharing, and collaboration capabilities.

For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

Duties

The selectee will serve as a(n) Information Technology Specialist in the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Customer Solutions Branch. Typical work assignments include:

• Install, operate, and maintain Secret Service data networked equipment, components. operating systems and applications software.
• Define and maintain network architecture and infrastructure, configuring and optimizing network servers, hubs, routers, and switches.
• Develop network backup and recovery procedures.
• Perform diagnostic routines on networked equipment using state of-the-art data analyzers, software, or other test equipment to troubleshoot network failures.
• Resolve all activities related to the acquisition, configuration, installation, and maintenance of PCs, PDAs and other end user computing devices used by the Secret Service.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

1. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
2. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
3. Obtain and maintain a top-secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
4. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
5. Submit to a CI polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
6. One year trial/probationary period may be required.
7. Direct deposit of pay is required.

Qualifications

Information Technology Basic Requirement:

The specialized experience must include, or be supplemented by, information technology related experience (paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training, as appropriate) which demonstrates each of the four competencies, as defined:

(1) Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Examples of IT-related experience demonstrating this competency include: completing thorough and accurate work independently, even in the most difficult or stressful situations; occasionally reviewing work completed by others.

(2) Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Examples of IT-related experience demonstrating this competency include: resolving routine and non-routine problems, questions, or complaints; developing and maintaining strong, mutually supportive working relationships with customers; conducting evaluation of support to determine quality of services and customer satisfaction, and recommending procedural changes based on customer need or changes in policy and/or regulation.

(3) Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Examples of IT-related experience demonstrating this competency include: convincingly conveying complex information to customers; presenting thoughts that are well-organized and demonstrating confidence in the facts and ideas; adjusting style when working with individuals with different levels of understanding; using various methods to explain and convey information.

(4) Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. Examples of IT-related experience demonstrating this competency include: solving complex or sensitive problems by developing and proposing strategic alternatives; identifying possible conflicts and shared benefits; helping team anticipate problems and identifying and evaluating potential sources of information; providing feedback and coaching to others to help solve problems; engaging appropriate stakeholders when developing solutions in order to understand and incorporate multiple perspectives and needs; evaluating the effectiveness of decisions and adjusting future decisions as appropriate.

GS-12
You qualify for the GS-12 level (starting salary $99,200) ) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level performing duties such as: integrate security protocols and risk management considerations throughout the IT system life cycle; including planning, design, development, test, and integration; collect and interpret network traffic patterns to ensure network availability and quality of service; perform diagnostic routines on networked equipment using state-of-the-art data analyzers, software, or other test equipment to troubleshoot network failures and provides server administration and management procedures and guidelines for the operation and management of the local area network servers.

GS-13
You qualify for the GS-13 level (starting salary $117,962) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level performing duties such as: provide technical direction in local area network (LAN); research and test new end user computing devices and software; apply proper security practices, procedures, and techniques (e.g., firewalls, intrusion and detection, etc.) to ensure the security posture of the network; operate and maintain servers and local area networks along with an understanding of metropolitan area networks and wide area networks.

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.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

This position will require a credit check after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted.

The agency's Telework Policy allows up to 80% telework, which is at the discretion of management and based on roles and responsibilities. Additionally, compressed and flexible work schedules are offered with appropriate approval.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

This position is covered by Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) and additional compensation may be paid at the rate of up to 25% of the base salary.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone) (exception: a single conservative and unobtrusive tattoo in the form of a ring is authorized on one finger).

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the duties of the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, a score will automatically be calculated based on your answers to the vacancy specific questions to place you in one of three categories. All answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered. If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

• Operating Systems
• Problem Solving
• Technical Competence

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

1. Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF), and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.

2. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPF's and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

3. Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

An interview may be required for this position. If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration."

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is not considered scientific/professional.). Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Required Documents

In addition to addressing the vacancy specific questions, you must also submit the following documentation:

• Resume - In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded resume, your employment history should show work experience in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date, and include the number of hours worked per week. Click here for what to include in your resume.
• If tentatively selected for the position, the applicant may be required to provide additional documentation (SF50s) to validate their eligibility for the position.
• Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
• Special Priority Selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): Submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating),and a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
• Current or Former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee) Agency, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/02/2024 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS,
2. Complete the online questionnaire and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail.
3. You must complete the application process and submit any required documents no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 05/02/2024.

To update your application, excluding External Assessment responses, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides the Announcement Status and a "You applied on" date. This information does not confirm the agency application status. Use the "Track this Application" link for additional information regarding the agency application status, the documentation you submitted, and any correspondence sent related to this application. The Announcement Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Announcement Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may contact theAPT Talent Management Division at HRSupport@usss.dhs.gov OR by calling (202) 406-6420 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm EST (excluding Federal holidays) prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance.

The Secret Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/788457600