IT Specialist (NETWORK)

• Assist with monitoring and maintaining enterprise local and wide area networks, related services, alerts, and performance using established tools and procedures.
• Perform initial troubleshooting of connectivity and service interruptions; apply established procedures and refer unfamiliar or non-routine issues to higher-graded specialists.
• Assist with installing, configuring, inventorying, and testing network equipment, software, access controls, and approved network changes under technical guidance.
• Support customers with network access, remote connectivity, and service interruptions by gathering information, applying routine fixes, and providing status updates.
• Maintain network diagrams, equipment records, operating procedures, technical documentation, and reference materials for assigned network services.
• Apply established cybersecurity controls and support cloud connectivity, segmentation, data transfer, availability, latency, and performance for enterprise and artificial intelligence workloads.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
• You will be required to report to an OPM assigned office.
• This position is not eligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit

Qualifications

Successful applicants are placed in a dynamic 1 year developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government. At the successful conclusion of this program, you may be eligible for non-competitive conversion to a Federal career or career-conditional position.

To meet the Recent Graduate Program Eligibility requirements, you must have obtained a qualifying Associates, Bachelor's, Master's, Professional, Doctorate, Vocational or Technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years.

Applicants who will meet all degree or certificate requirements for graduation within 30 days of the announcement's closing date are eligible to apply.

All Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants may verify accreditation at the following website: Accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by OPM accordingly.

ATTENTION VETERANS: A veteran, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2108, who due to military service obligation, was precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon his or her release or discharge from active duty. In no event, however, may the individual's eligibility period extend beyond 6 years from the date on which the individual completed the requirements of an academic course of study.

Competency Requirement: You must meet the competency requirements for the Information Technology (IT) Management Series 2210 as described below.

A. You must have Information Technology related experience demonstrating each of the following required competencies, and must meet or exceed the *minimum proficiency level for each (Please see below section Minimum Proficiency Level):

• Attention to Detail - Performs work thoroughly, checks information and work products, and attends to details that affect accuracy or completeness. Level 2, Basic
• Customer Service - Identifies customer needs, provides information or assistance, responds to service issues, and contributes to the delivery of reliable products and services. Level 2, Basic
• Interpersonal Skills - Uses courtesy, tact, and respect when working with others and develops effective working relationships with people from different backgrounds and situations. Level 2, Basic
• Reasoning - Identifies applicable rules or relationships, reviews relevant information, distinguishes routine from unfamiliar situations, and draws supportable conclusions. Level 2, Basic
• Teamwork - Cooperates with others, contributes to shared assignments, exchanges information, and supports accomplishment of team goals. Level 2, Basic

Or

B. You do not meet the standard exactly, but you request a holistic qualification review based on appropriate licensure, registration, certification, or special training that, when considered with your entire background, clearly supports a high evaluation of your competence to perform the work of this position.

The credential or training must be directly related to information technology, enterprise networking, cloud connectivity, cybersecurity, telecommunications, or another duty of the position.

You must submit:

• A copy of each license, registration, certification, or training credential on which you are relying; and
• Documentation explaining how the credential or training demonstrates your ability to perform the work of this position.

Possession of a credential does not automatically establish qualification.

Or

C. You do not fully meet the standard pathway in Option A, but you request a holistic qualification review based on a record of academic achievement, technical project work, or early-career experience that demonstrates foundational competence in information technology or enterprise networking.

Supporting evidence may include:

• Senior capstone projects, thesis work, or significant course-based labs involving network design, configuration, troubleshooting, or security;
• Participation in technical competitions, hackathons, or cybersecurity challenges (e.g., CCDC, CTF events, network simulation exercises);
• Documented contributions to open-source projects, student-run infrastructure, or university IT systems;
• Internships, co-ops, or volunteer roles providing hands-on experience with enterprise networking, telecommunications, or IT support - even if below the threshold for Option A;
• Relevant academic research or independent study with a faculty sponsor in networking, cybersecurity, or related IT disciplines; or
• Active student membership with demonstrated technical contribution in professional organizations such as IEEE, ACM, or similar bodies.

You must submit documentation explaining what you did, what technologies or tools you used, and how it relates to the duties of this position. Membership in an organization or enrollment in a program, by itself, does not establish qualification.

Minimum Proficiency Level*Applicants may qualify by meeting or exceeding the minimum proficiency level established for each of the required competencies. Below is a detailed explanation of the Proficiency Level Scale used to evaluate General Competencies for this position:
Level 1 - Awareness:- Applies competency in the simplest or most structured situations.- Requires close and extensive guidance.- Demonstrates awareness but limited practical application.- Learning the foundational elements.
Level 2 - Basic:- Applies the competency in somewhat routine or structured situations.- Requires frequent guidance.- Demonstrates familiarity with key concepts and practices.- Beginning to build confidence and independence.
Level 3 - Intermediate:- Applies the competency in moderately difficult situations.- Requires occasional guidance.- Demonstrates solid understanding and consistent application.- Able to adapt to new or unfamiliar contexts.
Level 4 - Advanced:- Applies the competency in considerably difficult or varied situations.- Requires little or no guidance.- Demonstrates broad and in-depth understanding.- May coach or guide others.
Level 5 - Expert:- Applies the competency in exceptionally difficult or novel situations.- Serves as a key resource and trusted advisor to others.- Demonstrates mastery and deep insight into the competency area.- Often leads or mentors others in this area.

OPM Qualification Standards and additional information for this position can be found here: Competency-Based Qualification Standard for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, your resume will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement.

Qualified applicants will be placed in one of four groupings:

1. Preference eligible having a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more
2. Other 10-point preference eligible
3. 5-point preference eligible
4. No preference eligible

Selection will be made from the highest available preference group, as long as at least three candidates remain in that group. When fewer than three candidates remain in the highest group, consideration may be expanded to include the next grouping.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and 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.

The USA Hire 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.

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

1. Your Resume showing the applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed to include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Only the first 2 pages of the resume/application will be used to verify minimum qualifications. Please be sure to include specific dates of employment and work schedule(s).

• Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
• Classified or government sensitive information
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information, such as age, sex, religious affiliation, etc.
• Encrypted and digitally signed documents

2. Your final college transcripts showing that you are a Recent Graduate to meet eligibility for this position.
3. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Next steps