This position is located in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), with three vacancies in Silver Spring, MD. This position is also announced under vacancy number OAR-24-12265996-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Duties

As an IT Specialist, you will perform the following duties: Contribute to strategic planning activities which include researching emerging technologies, methodologies, and processes to optimize service delivery. Utilize advanced and expert knowledge to increase Information Technology (IT) performance and efficiency project and portfolio management practices. Ensure adherence to IT Change Management Process in coordination with IT Security officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Service Delivery Division (SDD), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) and IT Management. Provide support in writing and maintain program documentation and source code and produce reports as needed. Ensure rigorous application of security and Information assurance policies, principles, and practices to the delivery of application Software services. Solve technical problems in data management space, particularly in the science research domain. Apply advanced knowledge experience of SQL, databases, and multiple languages and frameworks. Provide advice on program/project management of Information Technology (IT) security in accordance with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Service Delivery Division (SDD), IT and NOAA, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), IT Security policy to safeguard sensitive information and apply Security controls to program applications. Implement software and scope of work document and review cycle process. Identify and provide corrective actions for troubles Information Technology (IT) projects early. Guide and advise web portal section leaders in articulating clear and concise functional requirements used by software developers to automated business needs. Serve as the person of contact for hardware, software and incident resolution. NOTE: These duties are described at the Full Performance Level of the ZP-4, the ZP-3 is developmental leading to such performance. This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.

Requirements

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy. EDUCATION: There is no positive education requirement for this position. For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled. 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. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. To qualify at the ZP-3 or GS-11 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the IT Competencies above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Participating in identifying and recommending improvements to increase Information Technology (IT) performance and efficiency; Providing support in testing and troubleshooting Information Technology (IT) security systems; and Assisting in evaluating and resolving Information Technology (IT) incidents and software malfunctions OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (Degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks.) Note: All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. Attach a copy of transcript or list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned to ensure proper credit. To qualify at the ZP-4 or GS-13 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the IT Competencies above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Identifying and recommending improvements to increase Information Technology (IT) performance and efficiency; Testing, troubleshooting, or maintaining Information Technology (IT) software and security systems; Participating in writing and debugging code for data management architecture or user interfaces; and Providing customer and user support for resolving Information Technology (IT) incidents and software malfunctions.

Education

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation

Contacts

• Address NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS) 1315 East West Hwy SSMC4 Silver Spring, MD 20910 US
• Name: Victor Cruz
• Email: [email protected]