Job Title: Information Technology Specialist (Information Security)

Summary

This position is located in Management Directorate, Office of Chief Information Officer, Identity, Records and National Security Division.

As an Information Technology Specialist (Information Security), you will work with project teams to support systems architecture, system design, and development. Work as a bridge between Project Managers and contract staff and provide technical knowledge to ensure contractors are performing the tasks efficiently and expeditiously.
Learn more about this agency

Overview
Accepting applications

Open & closing dates
11/07/2023 to 11/13/2023

Salary
$132,368 - $172,075 per year

Pay scale & grade
GS 14

Location
1 vacancy in the following location:

Camp Springs, MD Remote job
No

Telework eligible
Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed
No

Appointment type
Permanent -

Work schedule
Full-time -

Service
Competitive

Promotion potential
None

Job family (Series)
2210 Information Technology Management

Supervisory status
No

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
National security
Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness

Announcement number
12190375-IRD-DE-23

Control number
759128800

This job is open to

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens

Videos

Duties
Lead the design and integration of secure cloud IT solutions that meet current and future business requirements to ensure scalability and reliability. Enhance and optimize the existing architecture in support of cloud-based solutions. Provide cybersecurity advice to managers and regularly represent the organization in meetings and discussions with representatives of advisory committees to resolve Cybersecurity problems. Utilize IT performance metrics to assess and support secure cloud clustering and workload balancing for IT cloud platforms. Leads or supports pre-award acquisition activities to include market research, cost estimation, and technical evaluation.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment
Conditions of Employment: You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National to apply for this position Successfully pass a Background Investigation including financial disclosure You must pass a drug screening You must submit resume and supporting documentation Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service Political appointees may require OPM approval before on-boarding This position IS in the bargaining unit.

This position IS NOT considered "essential" for purposes of reporting to work when the facility might otherwise be closed.

Residency Requirement: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This residency requirement states that candidates must have, for three of the last five years immediately prior to applying for this position; (1) resided in the United States; OR (2) worked for the United States Government as an employee overseas in a Federal or Military capacity, OR (3) been a dependent of a U.S. Federal or Military employee serving overseas.

Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.

Qualifications

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 11/13/2023.

Time in Grade does not apply to Delegated Examining Announcements, any reference to Time in Grade in the questionnaire will not apply to the rating and ranking of applicants.

This announcement is issued under the Direct Hire Authority to recruit for positions for which the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has a critical hiring need.

Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet the following basic requirements: For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. 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. 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. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. Selective Placement Factor: You must have experience with the below selective placement factors. This experience must be documented in your resume. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. Experience designing and deploying large scale, complex, high performance enterprise applications on Amazon Web Services or equivalent (e.g. Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure); Experience with enterprise system monitoring and vulnerability analyzing tools like New Relic and Splunk; AND Experience utilizing Agile development to include use of Kanban, Scrum, or similar application lifecycle management methodologies. GS-14: You qualify at the GS-14 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties: Leading enterprise grade software developments using Agile Project Management methodologies along with application life-cycle management tools such as JIRA software to support project management methodologies such as Scrum/Kanban/SAFe; Utilizing databases such as MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Hadoop, and mongoDB, DynamoDB, Redshift, and/or Oracle/SQL Server to store data; Designing and/or developing cloud based systems that have a high-availability (HA) implementation; Interpreting and analyzing code for weaknesses and errors, and overseeing remediation plans to improve them; Leading enterprise grade software development projects using agile development management processes to include working with container technology and micro-services, cloud environments, and Java/JavaScript/Python.

Please read the following important information to ensure you submit everything we need to consider your application: It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation prior to 11/13/2023.Your resume will be used to determine your qualifications for the position advertised in this announcement. Therefore, your resume must highlight your most relevant, significant experience related to the requirements found in the qualification section of this announcement, as well as any applicable education. USCIS will only review the first 5 pages of your resume to determine your initial eligibility/qualifications for a position. As such, please be sure to include content to support your eligibility/qualifications for this position within the first 5 pages. Please note that your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Your application will be rated and ranked based on your responses to the online questions.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Duties (be specific in describing your duties) Employer's name and address Supervisor name and phone number Start and end dates including month, day and year (e.g. June 18 2007 to April 05 2008) Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Salary Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide the above information may result in a finding of ineligible.

Note: Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Federal Experience: If you are using current or prior federal experience as a basis for qualifying for this position, the grade levels and length of employment (mm/dd/year) at each grade level must be listed in your work history. This information will be further validated if selected for this position.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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 criteria 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 service. Please provide the dates and amount of time/hours worked earning this experience.

Education
EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. The background investigation process is initiated after a selection is made. For more information visit the OPM Mythbuster Page.

If a SECRET or TOP SECRET clearance is needed or the position is designated a Sensitive National Security position, all selected candidates must meet the requirements for these clearances or Sensitive National Security position prior to placement AND maintain that level of clearance or national security eligibility while encumbering the position.

USCIS 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.

It is our responsibility to eliminate any risks to national security, public health, and public safety that could be posed by individuals who use illegal drugs. This position may be subject to random testing as a condition of employment. A positive drug test or refusal to be tested will result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from Federal service.

Note : If you previously retired from the Federal service and are receiving an annuity, your salary may be offset by the amount of your annuity.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, veterans' preference and category rating do not apply.

Your resume must support your responses to the level of education claimed, experience, and/or training. To remain in consideration for this position, please ensure your resume covers this requirement and that your resume has been successfully submitted as part of your on-line application package.

NOTE: Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your consideration for employment.

You may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview.

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligible: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP or ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ 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 job announcement.

Note: Applicants who are referred to the hiring office for selection consideration may be required to complete a writing sample and/or other writing exercise as part of the interview/selection process. If the hiring office decides to request a writing sample and/or other writing exercise as part of its selection process, a designated contractor or Agency representative will contact you to: (1) inform you of this requirement; and (2) provide further instructions.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Resume: You must submit a resume that clearly demonstrates you have experience that meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section. USCIS' Human Resources Office will only review the first 5 pages of your resume to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

In order to ensure that you include all necessary information within the first 5 pages of your resume, you are highly encouraged to save and submit your resume as a PDF instead of submitting it through Resume Builder or a word-processing program such as Word or Google Docs.

Your responses to the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12190375, which are submitted through the on-line application process in USAJOBS, DO NOT need to be attached as an additional document to your application.

Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit a copy of your official SF-50* (no text version) or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document that shows the following information: your appointment in the competitive service tenure grade and step full performance level Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit: a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50*, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50*, 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
* A General Adjustment, Detail, Any Award (Cash, Time Off, Performance, etc.) or Realignment SF-50 may NOT have the information needed.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.