IT Specialist (APPSW) Job in Woodlawn, MD

Vacancy No. SSA 12933514-26 -DEU-OIG Department Social Security Administration
Salary $121,785.00 to $158,322.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/15/2026 Close Date 4/19/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Woodlawn, MD


Summary

This position is located within the Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Development and Operations Division (DOD

This job is open to

The public

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

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizen

Duties

  • Develops workplans, detailed systems analysis and design of new or existing major systems or subsystems and oversees software development, testing and implementation activities for programmatic and administrative systems.
  • Provides expertise in the development of planning disciplines, priorities, and analytical approaches for the design, development, testing and implementation of programmatic and administrative systems.
  • Provides expertise in the planning, installation, testing, operation, troubleshooting, integrating, and maintenance of COTS hardware and software systems
  • Provides client/server and/or web-based application support, including troubleshooting and diagnosis and performs technical analysis of problems and their resolution.
  • Performs software integration to develop applications, designs data models and frameworks, and collates business requirements.
  • Provides authoritative advice to executive level managers in OIG about the area of expertise. Conducts continuing reviews of computer technology developments
  • cont'd applicable to system design and prepares long range forecasts of developments relevant to OIG applications
  • Conducts continuing reviews of computer technology developments applicable to system design and prepares long range forecasts of developments relevant to OIG applications.
  • Analyzes and plans for anticipated changes in data capacity and performance requirements.
  • Troubleshoots complex technical hardware and software problems and formulates solutions to ensure OIG applications continue working effectively/efficiently

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Background and/or security investigation required
  • Job offers are contingent on background / security investigation results
  • Selectees may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period
  • Relocation expenses will not be paid
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
  • Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information.

READ ALL SECTIONS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS INFORMATION IS CRUCIAL TO SUBMITTING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION.

Applicants must qualify for the series and grade of the posted position. Experience must be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate. Your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, abilities, and proficiency of any required competencies to perform the specific position for which you are applying. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your experience, education, knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies as they relate to this position. Please submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position.

To qualify for the 2210 IT Specialist series, the applicant must demonstrate the following competencies:
  • 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; know about available products and services; and 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.

To qualify for the GS-13, Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-13 level or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience must include all of the following:

  • Experienced in managing and deploying physical and virtual server architectures, operating systems (such as Windows Server and Linux) , and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), designing and provisioning infrastructure with IaC tools like Ansible, and maintaining code repositories with Git to support secure, reliable, and collaborative continuous integration and deployment workflows.
  • Experience leading and managing complex infrastructure projects from planning through execution, including developing project timelines, coordinating resources, and ensuring successful delivery.
  • Experience implementing and maintaining compliance with federal security policies, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements (such as FISMA, NIST, or FedRAMP) for IT infrastructure.
  • Experience creating, maintaining, and updating technical documentation for infrastructure systems, including system configurations, procedures, and architectural diagrams.

Additional information

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.
Telework eligible as determined by the agency policy
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the online assessments completed during the application process. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Decision Making
  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Reasoning

The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation.

Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method, based on your responses to the Assessment Questions. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:

1 - Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.

Required Documents

You must also submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.

This is under required doc Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered. To be considered, your resume must:

  • Clearly demonstrate your qualifications for the position
  • Include your contact information

We recommend using a clear, easy-to-read format and focusing on information most relevant to the job announcement.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
  1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
  2. Other supporting documents detailed below, as applicable.
If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

You must also submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.

INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified category as described in the vacancy announcement. Candidates must also provide:
  • proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
  • proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
For more information visit http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD 214 member 4 copy) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15). Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF 15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. For more information visit the Vet Guide.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO VETERANS: The Office of Personnel Management has published the end date for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as August 31, 2010. To receive veterans' preference for service during the Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom era, you must have served for more than 180 days between September 11, 2001 and August 31, 2010 OR be in receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal. The updated CFR language is available here. Other qualifying eligibility for preference (e.g., disability) remains unchanged.

Military Spouse Appointing Authority: You may be eligible for an appointment under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority if you are: 1) The spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces; 2) The spouse of a former service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected disability; or 3) The un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while on active duty. Each of these categories has different eligibility criteria that must be met. Individuals applying for consideration under this authority MUST provide the applicable supporting documentation (e.g., documentation verifying marriage, DD-214 member 4, copy of a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a branch of the military certifying the service member's service-connected disability rating, DD-1300, statement from military installation certifying current active duty etc.). You are no longer eligible if you remarry.

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.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
  5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Note: Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning 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. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Careers at SSA at Careers@ssa.gov

Individuals with disabilities may also call us via Federal Relay using the (voice) contact telephone provided.

Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.

Agency contact information

Careers at SSA
Phone
000-000-0000
Email
Careers@ssa.gov
Address
SSA OIG
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21235
US

Next steps

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments system. These additional online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

Once you have successfully submitted all of the required application materials and assessments, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible.

Social Security Administration

Do you have a desire to:

  • help SSA manage its Social Security programs?
  • analyze and solve problems?
  • help and advise millions of retired and disabled individuals?
  • work on a team to make a difference in people's lives and your own?
Join SSA, one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!

Agency contact information

Careers at SSA
Phone
000-000-0000
Email
Careers@ssa.gov
Address
SSA OIG
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21235
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Social Security Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.ssa.gov/careers