Summary
Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) is a renowned fellowship program that pairs mid-to-senior-level entrepreneurs, executives, and technologists of all kinds with top civil servants and change-makers working within the federal government to tackle some of our nation’s biggest challenges. Fellows are embedded within federal agencies as senior advisors for 12-24 month engagements working on mission-critical problems, shaping smarter policy and/or advancing equitable technology for public good.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This public notice is issued under the Schedule A 213.3102(r) authority to recruit talent for positions established to support programs that operate under specific criteria developed by the agency. Use of this authority will be limited to staffing technical positions that directly support programs and initiatives established by the Administration to accomplish goals of the presidential management agenda; to fulfill Congressional mandates; or to accomplish agency goals and priorities.
Duties
The PIF program brings the principles, values, and practices of the innovation economy into government through the most effective agents of change we know: our people. PIF pairs talented, diverse technologists and strategists with forward-thinking civil servants to tackle our nation’s biggest challenges, and to achieve profound and lasting social impact that serves the public. Serving as trusted advisors and experts alongside government leaders, these Fellows leverage technology, design and strategy expertise to improve experiences for the American people now and into the future.
The position requires that Fellows perform work of an exceptional degree of difficulty across a wide range of topics at the convergence of technology, policy, and delivery. The Fellow will leverage their experience deploying high-quality, human-centered platforms and services to lead major initiatives, consult on systems and policy proposals, and provide technical, policy, and programmatic guidance to government agencies. The individual will be expected to deliver innovative solutions that draw upon best practices. These solutions should have the potential to dramatically improve the delivery of government services, and provide value to the public at whom those services are directed.
The incumbent will use their demonstrated experience building and scaling initiatives to grow the effectiveness of the program.
Typical duties include, but are not limited to:
- As a strategic advisor for technology or innovative practices, meets with and advises government leaders in the creation of meaningful solutions that can help save lives and taxpayer money, fuel job creation, and significantly improve how the Government serves the American people.
- Reinforces, upholds, and advocates for TTS’ core principles for building IT services, products, and platforms, including building in the open, use of agile and/or iterative methodologies, and user-centered design methods.
- Drives adoption and proficiency of technology or innovation changes within the organization, and supports cross-office collaboration.
- Works closely with partner agencies in a leadership role and navigates and works through conflicting priorities from stakeholders.
- Leads or supports the development of new solutions or improvement of existing ones to better serve the American people.
KEY OBJECTIVES:
Obj. #1 You will act as a strategic advisor to design and deliver a digital government with and for the American public.
- You will analyze and scope the technical and policy requirements needed to implement complex digital solutions
- You will leverage your experience deploying high-quality, user centric platforms and services to lead major initiatives
- You will apply forward thinking design and development principles to product development and project management such as lean start-up, user centered design and agile
Obj. #2 You will conceive/recommend projects/strategies to advance the state of the art in the specialty area.
- You will consult on systems and policy proposals, and provide technical policy and programmatic guidance to the government
- You will demonstrate thought leadership, contributing best practices in a variety of technologies and principles
- You will translate business problems into technology strategies and solutions that draw on current and emergent tools and technologies
Obj. #3 You will utilize an entrepreneurial mindset, technology acumen, and strong communication skills in order to drive projects from ideation to completion.
- You have the ability to present sensitive recommendations to higher authorities and to articulate positions/policy of vast technical complexity
- You possess knowledge of and expertise in driving and implementing technology solutions from concept to market that overcome significant challenges resulting from complex bureaucratic environments or technically difficult problems
- You have a high degree of emotional intelligence, are a quick study, and intuitively know what needs to get done to deliver with integrity, ensuring compliance at all levels
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- US Citizens and National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
- Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
- Register with Selective Service, if you are a male born after 12/31/1959
- Direct Deposit of salary check to financial organization required.
If selected, you must meet the following conditions:
- Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or NonCareer SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
- Serve a one year trial period, if required.
- Undergo and pass a background investigation based on the Security Level designation on the assigned Position Description. Position security requirements are dependent on the position for which selected, and may be designated at Top Secret, Secret, No clearance required, High Risk, Moderate Risk or Low Risk. Dependent on which position you are selected for you will be required to undergo and pass the appropriate Tier background investigation level. You must be granted the required security clearance before you can start the job, as applicable.
- Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee. We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
- Complete a financial disclosure report to verify that no conflict, or an appearance of conflict, exists between your financial interest and this position
- This position has job functions that must be executed within specific geographic locations. The official duty station is a federal facility, leased space, or an alternative worksite (typically the employee’s home) within the specified geographic area. If you are selected for this position you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement (Washington, DC Pay locality Area). At that time, you may be eligible to request to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency’s telework policy.
Qualifications
In order to properly be able to evaluate your previous experience, we recommend being as detailed as possible in your resume and following our general guidance on creating federal style resume. Qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, so failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.
For each job on your resume, provide:
- the exact dates you held each job (from month/year to month/year)
- number of hours per week you worked (if part time).
If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.
For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here.
QUALIFICATIONS: Information Technology Specialist - Presidential Innovation Fellow (PIF)
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: 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.
GS-15 LEVEL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the basic requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 in the Federal Service.
Specialized experience for this role is defined as experience:
- Leading or advising executive leadership on the launch of new technology initiatives, providing recommendations that influence policies, projects, or programs, and/or securing leadership buy-in or stakeholder consensus; AND
- Deploying user-centered and iterative development methodologies; AND
- Applying advanced technical knowledge to products or service delivery in one or more of the following: artificial intelligence, machine learning, data strategy, design (service, human-centered, user experience), product, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, digital transformation or digital strategy; AND
- Experience in at least one of the following areas:
- Leading data science, engineering, product, or design initiatives focused on technical products, platforms, or solutions; OR
- Leading cross functional teams, which may include designers, product managers, data scientists, or software engineers, to meet program or project goals, objectives, and priorities OR
- Leading the development or implementation of digital strategy and policy.
In addition to the criteria indicated in the Qualifications section, you will be scored using a multiple hurdles approach as part of the application process which will measure your possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities:
-
Mastery of, and expert skill in applying, advanced IT principles, concepts, methods, standards, and practices sufficient to accomplish assignments such as: developing and interpreting policies, procedures, and strategies governing the planning and delivery of IT services throughout customer agencies; providing expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations to management and other technical specialists on critical IT issues; applying new developments to previously unsolvable problems; and making decisions or recommendations that significantly influence important IT policies or programs at partnering agencies.
- Knowledge of and expertise in driving and implementing technology solutions that overcome significant challenges resulting from complex organizational environments and/or technically difficult problems.
-
Expert knowledge of and ability to employ state-of-the-art tools, methods, and methodologies for developing, testing, and deploying IT services in order to evaluate technical advancements and advise customer agencies on emerging IT tools, methods, and techniques.
-
Mastery of, and expert skill in applying, user-centered design and business process engineering concepts and methods sufficient to provide leadership and direction to highly complex IT initiatives and projects designed to identify potential improvements in the way information technology is applied to highly complex customer requirements.
-
Knowledge of and expertise in driving and implementing technology solutions that overcome significant challenges resulting from complex organizational environments and/or technically difficult problems.
-
Expert skill in persuading others to take a specific action or make a decision. Expert skill in building consensus through give and take, gaining cooperation from others, and facilitating “win-win” situations.
-
In-depth knowledge of and expertise in frameworks for evaluating a range of qualitative and quantitative metrics around user needs, resource prioritization, and program management and related analytical skills to apply a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for assessing and improving program effectiveness.
-
Expert skill at effectively communicating with people of varying levels of technical knowledge; convey and explain highly complex IT information to facilitate understanding through dialogue, one-on-one conversations, presentations, and other mediums.
-
Expert skill in building and maintaining positive business relationships with customer agencies, stakeholders and other parties at various levels throughout the product life cycle.
-
Expert skill in collaborating across roles and organizations to build strategic relationships, achieve common goals, and to resolve sensitive issues.
Characteristics that we look for in Fellows include:
Entrepreneurship and Technology
- Mid-senior/executive career professional experience in a subject matter expertise
- Ability to break down business problems, understand and design effective solutions and strategies that draw on current and emergent tools, technologies, initiatives and other resources
Approach and Methodology
- Expertise determining user needs and designing and deploying solutions with a focus on customer experience
- Ability to describe esoteric and highly technical solutions to non-technical stakeholders
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
- High degree of emotional intelligence. A quick study, who intuitively knows what needs to get done to deliver with integrity
- Comfort in ambiguity. Able to build relationships, continually define and scope opportunities independently, and maintain focus and momentum as priorities shift.
- Ability to work with humility and empathy; bring together diverse co-creators; address power dynamics; and co-define challenges and ideate with stakeholders, community members, and the public
Leadership
- Demonstrated experience leading stakeholders through change where you may lack explicit authority
- Interest in building a culture within the Fellowship and taking a genuine interest in other Fellows’ work, including providing feedback and collaborating when appropriate
- Dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in working cross-government and providing vital services to the public
Benefits
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.
GSA has been repeatedly named as one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ in the federal government. You will have access to many benefits including:
- Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans)
- Life insurance coverage with several options
- Sick leave and vacation time, including 11 paid holidays per year
- Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan)
- Transit and child care subsidies
- Training and development
- Flexible spending accounts
- Long-term care insurance
- Training and development
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.
We will use a method called Category Rating to assess your application. Here's how it will work:
In addition to the criteria indicated in the Qualifications section, you will be scored on multiple hurdles during the application process which will measure your possession of the competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities.
The assessment hurdles for this position will include the following:
Resume Review - Review your resume to determine your minimum qualification for the position based on the required IT competencies and the specialized experience.
Written Assessment - If your resume reflects you initially meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you will be sent a written assessment via email to respond to after the closing date of the announcement. The email will contain the assessment and additional instructions.
Structured Interview - If you meet the basic qualification requirements and you pass the Written Assessment hurdle, you will move forward to the Structured Interview assessment to further assess whether your experience meets the required competencies for this position.
Your final score will be based on your Structured Interview. Your results will be used to place you in one of the following categories and standard score ranges:
- Best Qualified = Candidates scoring between 95 - 100
- Well Qualified = Candidates scoring between 85 - 94 (Well Qualified for CTAP/ICTAP)
- Qualified = Candidates scoring between 70-84
Ranking and Preference
Veterans preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the qualifying structured interviews. Within each category, veterans will receive selection over non-veterans.
If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.
- Resume - must include applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
-
If you are claiming veterans’ preference:
(a) Copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 that shows your type of discharge and the dates of your active duty service.
(b) If you are claiming 10-point preference or derived preference (a spouse, widow or widower, or parent of a deceased or disabled veteran), submit both of the following in addition to the DD-214: (1) completed SF-15 form; and (2) proof of your entitlement (refer to SF-15 for complete list).
- If you are ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.
- Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit an SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action) or an equivalent agency Notice of Personnel Action form is acceptable.
How to Apply
Submit a complete online application including any required documents prior to 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. You can modify or complete your application any time before the deadline. Simply return to USAJOBS, select the vacancy, and update your application. For more detailed instructions on how to apply, click here: Apply for a GSA Job.
If you are having issues applying to this announcement, you should switch to a different browser, network or device. Note: Your firewall may block your transfer from USAJOBS to your GSA application.
To begin, click the Apply Online button on the vacancy announcement.
- Sign in or register on USAJobs and select a resume and documents to include in your application.
- Once you have clicked Apply for this position now, you will be taken to the GSA site to complete the application process.
- Click the Apply To This Vacancy and complete all steps in the application process until the Confirmation indicates your application is complete. If you click Return to USAJobs or get timed out prior to receiving confirmation, your application will not be submitted and cannot be considered for this job.
- Note: Review the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement to determine which apply to you and must be submitted online. You may choose one or more of the following options to submit your document(s): Upload (from your computer) or USAJOBS (click the "USAJOBS" link to complete the transfer process).
Need Assistance?
- Questions or issues completing an application and/or submitting documentation - contact mgshelp@monster.com or 1-866-656-6831 Monday-Friday 7AM - 7PM EST, except for Federal holidays
- Specific questions on the position - contact the HR representative (Monday-Friday during normal business hours) listed on the announcement, prior to the application deadline
You must receive HR approval before deviating from these instructions.
Be sure to APPLY EARLY. Your application must be fully completed and submitted before the announcement closing.
Things to note about the application process:
- You may not be considered for the position, if any part of the application is incomplete or missing the required supporting documentation. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or dismissing you if hired.
- The Minimum Qualification determination can only be made using the information that’s directly within your resume and directly associated your listed work experience. Examples of stuff that can’t be used for minimum qualification:
- Links to portfolios or other external materials (Yes, the links themselves may be “directly” on the resume but the information is not).
- Information you include in cover letters, responses to questions, etc. as these are not directly associated with your work experience
- Lists of tools, technologies, programming languages, etc. that are listed separately from your work experience
- Only applications found “minimally qualified” can be considered for the next assessment hurdle.
Next steps
After the closing date/deadline:
- ELIGIBILITY/QUALIFICATIONS: Your application will be reviewed for all requirements.
- REFERRAL TO MANAGEMENT: If you meet all the requirements, and pass the assessment hurdles, you may be referred to management for review and a possible interview.
- SELECTION/TENTATIVE JOB OFFER: If you are selected, you will receive a tentative offer and start the suitability and/or security background investigation process.
- FINAL JOB OFFER: Once our security office determines you can come on board, you will be given a final offer and your start date will be established.
- FINAL COMMUNICATION: Once the position is filled, we will notify you of your status. You may also check your status by logging into USAJobs. Go to My USAJobs and then to Applications.
Thank you for your interest in working for U.S. General Services Administration!
|