IT Specialist (APPSW)

Clarification from the agency

You must be a current or former federal employee eligible to apply under merit promotion procedures or otherwise be eligible as a status applicant (e.g., Veterans Employment Opportunity Act) OR be an individual who is eligible through an OPM interchange agreement or for a non-competitive appointment.

• Plan and coordinate software testing activities for clinical research information systems, applications, integrations, releases, upgrades, and production changes.
• Review business, functional, and technical requirements and develop test plans, test cases, test scripts, test data, and testing criteria.
• Execute and document functional, integration, system, regression, performance, usability, and acceptance testing.
• Identify, document, track, and retest software defects and incidents to verify corrective actions and validate system changes.
• Evaluate test results and risks, communicate findings and testing status, and provide technical recommendations supporting release-readiness decisions.
• Prioritize testing assignments, coordinate testing resources, and provide technical direction to personnel supporting testing activities.
• Test clinical information systems, custom applications, system integrations, and software across multiple user platforms and environments.
• Participate in release-readiness and go/no-go discussions by reporting critical defects, testing risks, unresolved issues, and overall test status.
• Coordinate with developers and technical teams to validate corrective actions, perform retesting, and confirm that system changes meet established requirements.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
• Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements within thirty (30) calendar days of the closing date of this announcement, including time in grade.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Based on your appointment, a one or two-year trial/probationary period may be required. A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period.
• If selected, and based on duty location, you must pass a pre-employment medical examination, provide evidence of immunization, and be free from communicable diseases.
• The work is sedentary.
• Some work may require walking and standing in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site.
• The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.
• The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions.
• Some employees may occasionally be exposed to uncomfortable conditions in such places as research facilities.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for a IT Specialist (APPSW), GS-2210 position, you must have IT related experience demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience obtained in either the private or public sector, and/or completion of specific, intensive training that demonstrates all of the following four competencies:

1. Attention to Detail - is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail; and
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; and
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; and
4. Problem Solving - identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

In order to qualify for a IT Specialist (APPSW), GS-2210 position at the GS-12 grade level, if you meet the following qualification requirements:

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: 1) Reviewing business, functional, or technical requirements to identify testing needs and expected system behavior; 2) Developing and executing test plans, test cases, or test scripts for software applications using testing methods such as functional, integration, system, regression, performance, usability, or acceptance testing; 3) Identifying, documenting, and tracking software defects or incidents, including retesting corrected defects and validating that changes meet established requirements; 4) Preparing or coordinating test data, test environments, and testing activities associated with software releases, upgrades, or production changes; and 5) Communicating test results, defects, risks, and testing status to developers, project teams, customers, or other stakeholders.

AND, you qualify at the GS-13 level, if you meet the following qualification requirements:

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: 1) Independently planning and coordinating software testing efforts across applications, projects, releases, upgrades, or production changes; 2) developing test plans, criteria, test cases, or test scripts within established testing methodologies based on system requirements, technical risks, and expected application behavior; 3) evaluating test results and software defects to identify risks, determine additional testing needs, and provide technical recommendations regarding release readiness; 4) prioritizing and coordinating testing assignments or resources and providing technical direction to other personnel supporting testing activities; and 5) tracking and communicating critical testing issues, coordinating retesting following corrective actions, and communicating testing status, risks, findings, and recommendations to technical teams, customers, project stakeholders, or management.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer.

Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13083048

How you will be evaluated

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

The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by the agency's Reemployment Priority List (RPL). RPL candidates will be rated, placed into one of the quality categories below, and referred to the hiring office, once veterans' preference is applied. · Qualified · Well Qualified · Best Qualified

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies:

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least 80 points on the assessment(s) and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Required for All Applicants
RESUME:

Your resume must clearly demonstrate, in two pages or less, how your skills and experiences align with the "Qualifications" section and support your questionnaire responses. While cover letters provided with your application will be shared with hiring officials, they will not be used for initial qualification determinations. We cannot assume required experience based on your work or academic history. If your resume exceeds two pages, only the first two will be reviewed. Use a legible font such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, or Arial, with 0.5-inch margins. Suggested formatting: 14-point for titles and 10-point for body text. You may use the USAJOBS Resume Builder or upload your own resume. If uploading, ensure it includes all required information and is organized so we can match the following to each position:

1. Job title
2. Employer name
3. Employment dates (MM/DD/YYYY)
4. Hours worked per week (full-time assumed; part-time prorated)
5. Detailed duties, accomplishments, skills, responsibilities, and supervisory details (if applicable)
6. Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Help Applying, USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Guidance.If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study.

APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed application questionnaire.

ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTATION:
You must submit the following documentation, if applicable to you AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire. If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.

• SF-50 - A copy of your most recent competitive career or career conditional SF-50 that shows the effective date of your latest position and the full performance level. You may obtain a copy of your SF-50 from your eOPF.
• Veteran Documentation: (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.). Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation if you are a 10-point preference eligible. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you have derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point preference eligibles, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
• Schedule A (Disability Appointment): Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead. Please note the Schedule A hiring authority neither guarantees employment, nor gives an individual preference in the hiring process.
• Visit our sites on Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)for more information and required documentation.

Do not submit documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official(s).

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