IT Specialist (InfoSec) (Applications Architect)

National Labor Relations Board

Office of the Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Applications Administrative Systems Branch

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Chief Information Office (OCIO) which provides strategic direction and leadership for the Agency's Information Technology (IT) program.

OCIO supports the Headquarters and Field Offices of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) through a customer-focused, enterprise architecture driven organization.

The incumbent advises managers, supervisors, and employees on information systems security, providing advice, guidance, and consultation.

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.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. CTAP and ICTAP. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Many', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

As an IT Specialist (InfoSec) (Applications Architect), GS-2210-14, your typical work assignments may include:

Developing requirements, analysis and design documents, and software specifications to streamline Agency processes.
Developing information systems using platforms, programming tools, software and/or other resources to meet user needs in the most effective way ensuring that security issues are properly addressed.
Updating technical and user documentation; maintaining test tools; and managing software and hardware upgrades.
Monitoring test and quality control procedures for system development efforts.
Reviewing systems code developed by other government staff members or by contract staff and documents any recommended changes.
Performing other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U. S. Citizenship Required.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
This is not a remote position.
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
This position is in the Competitive Service.
This position is not part of the Bargaining Unit.
You may be required to complete as applicable, a new one-year probationary period or two-year trial period if appointed.
If you are a current status federal employee, you may be required to complete a new one-year probationary period if selected.
Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position.
Subject to a background investigation prior to appointment.
Submit complete application package online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

Qualifications

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT
The Ideal Candidate serves as an authoritative expert on the Agency Administrative Systems, leveraging expertise in the Agile SCRUM Systems Development Life Cycle with Microsoft technologies, including Microsoft Azure, Cloud App Security, Microsoft Power Platform (PowerApps, Power Automate and Power BI), and Microsoft Teams. In addition, the Ideal Candidate possesses comprehensive knowledge of Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) requirements, federal cybersecurity regulations, policies, procedures, and standards. Microsoft certification in Azure or Teams is preferred

BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT
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.

In addition to the BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT, applicants must also meet the following:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-13 grade level, which has provided them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an IT Specialist (InfoSec) (Applications Architect) position at the GS-14 grade level.

Specialized experience includes:

Knowledge of Microsoft Azure cloud and application security to identify and remediate vulnerabilities; and
Directing the strategy, design, and creation of Power BI dashboards to support data-driven decision-making; and
Performing senior level work using Agile/SCRUM methodology with the design, development and automation of business processes utilizing the Microsoft Power Platform.

This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the specialized experience from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

For more detailed information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website here.

NOTE: 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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for this position.

Additional information

SUPPLEMENTARY VACANCIES
Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY / REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
The National Labor Relations Board is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.

Applicants with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Agency's Selective Placement Coordinator by email here. NLRB offers a wide array of reasonable accommodations and programs for individuals with disabilities. (Note: for additional information for job seekers with disabilities, please click on the following website here.)

PLACEMENT POLICY
The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by Promotion. The position may be filled by Reassignment, Change to Lower Grade, Transfer, Appointment, or Reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

PROBATIONARY/TRIAL PERIOD
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period, or 2-year trial 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; and
The needs and interests of the agency; and
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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

ALTERNATE APPLICATION INFORMATION
Applicants may contact the Office of Human Resources.

The National Labor Relations Board offers career opportunities that feature competitive starting salaries and the potential for performance-based increases, flexible hours, and the ability to achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle. You will enjoy a range of comprehensive and competitive employment benefits that include Work/Life Balance Programs (Alternative Work Schedules, Telework, Employee Assistance Program, and the Child Care Subsidy Program), the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, and the Transit Benefit Program.

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.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Oral Communication
Problem Solving
Technology Awareness

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

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13021539

Optional Four Essay Questions
At the time of application, applicants will be provided with four short, free-response essay questions designed to ascertain their dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee) to review. Responses are not required and will not be scored. If applicants choose to provide a response to the essay questions, they will be required to certify that they are using their own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). The responses to each question cannot exceed 200 words per question.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

For evaluating the quality of applicants for referral to the selecting official, a multi-phased process will be used.

Phase 1: Applicants' resume and supporting documents will be reviewed by Human Resources (HR) to determine whether they meet the basic qualification requirements.

Phase 2: Applicants who are minimally qualified may be advanced to a Structured Resume Review assessment conducted by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel. SMEs may review applicants' resumes to evaluate technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience.

Phase 3: Applicants who successfully pass the Structured Resume Review assessment may be advanced to a Structured Interview conducted by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel. SMEs may assess applicants' ability to demonstrate the required competencies for the position.

Phase 4: A final score, which may combine the results from one or more assessments, may be used to identify the qualified applicants. The qualified applicants may be referred to the selecting official for consideration and may be required to participate in one or more additional interviews as part of the hiring process.

Required Documents

Please submit the supporting documents outlined below for your claimed eligibility status.

RESUME
In compliance with Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service resumes must not be longer than two pages in length. The resume must address minimum qualifications and other requirements listed in the job announcement. If the two-page resume criteria and/or the resume formatting requirement is not met, candidates will be rated as ineligible and will not be referred for hiring consideration.

Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below:

Contact Information: Name and how best to contact you, including email address and phone number.

Relevant Work Experience

Job Title and Employer (including series and grade for any Federal positions)
Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 -08/2022 or present)
The number of hours you worked per week

Ensure work experience descriptions are aligned with the job announcement and address all required qualifications. Brief descriptions should demonstrate your ability to perform the tasks at the required level as stated in the job announcement.

OTHER DOCUMENTS (IF applicable)

Most Recent Performance Appraisal (Current/Former Federal Employees)
If performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months or if you are unable to provide a copy, an explanation of why must be provided. Please include a document in your application package explaining why the performance appraisal is not available.

Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) (Current/Former Federal Employees)
Most recent SF-50 showing current grade and tenure or showing highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different from your current grade. Performance Award, Realignment/Reassignment, Name Change and Detail SF-50s will not be accepted as proof of grade and tenure.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)
If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting the minimum requirements for the position and scoring at least an 85) and provide all of the following documents:

Your most recent performance appraisal; AND
The proof of eligibility letter from the Agency; AND
Your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.

Individuals with Disabilities: Disability Letter

Veterans: DD-214 (member copy-4)
Disabled Veterans: DD-214, SF-15 and VA letter dated 1991 or later (indicating % disability)
Certain Military Spouses: Copy of service member's PCS order authorizing the spouse to accompany the service member AND Proof of marriage to the service member; OR Proof the service member was released or discharged from active duty due to a service-connected disability AND documentation of the service member's 100% disability AND proof of marriage to the service member; OR Proof of the service member's death while on active duty AND proof of marriage to the service member.
Family Member Preference (Derived Preference)

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJOBS does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:

Resume; and
Any other documents needed to verify your qualifications or eligibility (see the Required Documents section).

Please follow the instructions listed below for submitting your complete application package. Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all instructions before you begin.

To begin the process, click the APPLY ONLINE button at the right side of this screen to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure you click the SUBMIT MY ANSWERS button at the end of the process.

If you have never applied through USAJOBS for a position with the Federal Civil Service, you will need to create a USAJOBS account.

To change or update your application, simply reapply through USAJOBS, before the closing date. New or updated resumes are considered "incomplete" applications until the required virus scan is cleared.

To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Agency contact information