IT Specialist

Summary

Join VA's Infrastructure Operations (IO) to deliver and maintain secure, high-availability IT and cloud solutions. Help protect and modernize mission-critical systems and support quality services for Veterans. Work in a dynamic, innovative environment as an Engineering Technician located in Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology (VA). Apply Now!

Duties

• Complies with and enforces data center standards even when work is performed by other entities in the data center. Develops, directs, implement, administers agency computer security programs, including risk analysis, threat assessment without technical review. Creates and maintains documentation on information technology infrastructure at the data center. Coordinates with customers for requirements for installation and troubleshooting support of hardware in the data center. Performs asset management/inventory of information technology resources in the data center. Plans, coordinates and installs all cabling and hardware at the data center. Displays knowledge of installed operating systems, network systems, applications, protocols, and equipment; and the IT infrastructure sufficient to serve as a customer technical analyst with responsibility for resolving the complex customer problems. This is a Bargaining Unit Position. This position is primarily aligned to the following NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework work roles: NCWF Code: Cybersecurity Code 441 - Network Operations Specialist: Plans, implements, and operates network services/systems, to include hardware and virtual environments. Cybersecurity Code 802 - IT Project Manager: Directly manages information technology projects. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 am-4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Available at Supervisors discretion. Telework: ADHOC, as determined by Agency Policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist/PD19143ARelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation May serve a probationary period. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. A complete application package; Resume, SF-50s, etc. Only resumes up to TWO total pages will be accepted. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for position requirements listed in the job announcement. File size must not exceed 5MB. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/22/2026. You must meet the Basic Requirements (Individual Occupational Requirement), Specialized Experience, and the Selective Placement Factor to qualify for this series as described below. Basic Requirements (Individual Occupational Requirement): Applicants must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below at a proficiency level equivalent to the next lower grade level in federal service: 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. -AND- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-11, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience demonstrating accomplishment of data center management operations that required a range of knowledge of hardware and cable deployment, knowledge of capabilities and applications of network equipment including routers, switches, bridges, servers, transmission media, and related hardware, management of asset inventories and documentation into a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) database to include detailed audits of all data center items and floor layouts with required workflows. To be creditable, accomplishments normally would have involved the following, or the equivalent (1) Knowledge of the customary approaches, techniques, and requirements appropriate to deploy any hardware or cable asset into a designated area to include appropriate documentation for accountability, (2) Planning the sequence of actions necessary to accomplish the assignment where this entailed coordination with stakeholders and/or customers; and (3) Adaptation of guidelines or precedents to the needs of the assignment. -AND- Selective Placement Factor: In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following requirement(s) to be considered qualified for the position: Experience supporting and configuring data center infrastructure to include extensive experience in documenting assets, floor layouts, and workflows within a database, supporting IT related customer service calls, conducting physical audits and replacement of assets within a data center. JUSTIFICATON: Position is "hands-on" physical installation/removal of hardware and cabling in the data center, as well as providing in-depth inventory accuracy for customer and management use. Evidence of the selective placement factor must be reflected in your resume. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/ Other accepted documents: Cover Letter Other (1) Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action If your application is rated as well-qualified (score 85 or above) and you are claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (I/CTAP) 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. Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted. You will not be contacted for additional information. Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.