IT Specialist (SYSANALYSIS) Job in Arlington, VA

Vacancy No. DARPA-26-13050020-DH Department Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Salary $143,913.00 to $187,093.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/28/2026 Close Date 9/11/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Arlington, VA


IT Specialist (SYSANALYSIS)

Department of Defense
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

Summary

The Information Technology Directorate (ITD) is responsible for developing and implementing innovative information technology systems and processes that enable e-business within and between DARPA, other government agencies, and DARPA performers. ITD manages two global Wide Area Networks at the Secret and Special Access Program levels that deliver responsive and secure information technology services to DARPA performers.

This job is open to

The public

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

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. Citizens

Duties

As an IT Specialist (SYSANALYSIS) at the GS-2210-14 some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Acts as deputy to the Chief of Engineering by supporting technical prioritizations, engineering planning, project coordination, schedule awareness, and risk identification for assigned initiatives.
  • Provides technical guidance on the software development lifecycle (SDLC), application modernization, secure coding practices, testing strategies, configuration management, and integration with legacy and modern platforms.
  • Provides senior technical coordination and review for enterprise network engineering activities supporting DARPA operations.
  • Engages in the process of technical strategy, design review, and engineering coordination for cloud, hybrid infrastructure, platform services, and enterprise systems.
  • Provides recommendations on modernization options, technical debt reduction, infrastructure automation, system integration, and operational sustainment approaches.
  • Supports engineering evaluation and integration planning for AI/ML- enabled capabilities, data services, workflow automation, and emerging technology pilots.
  • Provides technical input to acquisition planning, statements of work, technical evaluation criteria, task planning, and contractor performance discussions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Occasional Travel
  • Work Schedule: Full-time
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a TS/SCI background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: MaxiFlex
  • Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized at management's discretion
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Not Required
  • Telework Eligibility: This position is situational telework eligible only
  • This is a drug tested designated position

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-14, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:

  • Skill in applying modern IT concepts, principles, methodologies, frameworks, and practices in system analysis, systems development, software engineering, cloud and hybrid infrastructure, network engineering, cybersecurity-informed engineering, DevSecOps, and automation sufficient to identify technical risks.
  • Experience assessing technical design to recommend improvements in one or more areas such as cloud architecture, enterprise infrastructure, network connectivity and routing and segmentation.
  • Experience evaluating AI/ML and emerging technology concepts to determine data dependencies and assess risk.
  • Experience preparing technical recommendations and communicating technical concepts to senior leaders and stakeholders.
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

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

Additional information

RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES/DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF?ver=LQ7feWw-8-5DI2tceUpmgA%3d%3d

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment.
You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position.

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov))

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Assessment. This additional online assessment is required and 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.

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency.

For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx

Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the " Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp)" eligibility. If you are claiming Military Spouse eligibility and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager. Information and required documentation for claiming Military Spouse eligibility may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

The following documents are REQUIRED


1. Your resume:

  • IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
  • Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf?

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13050020.The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/11/2026 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  • Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  • Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  • Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  • Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
  • Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Please review the General Application Information and Definitions at:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d

As required by 5 C.F.R. § 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. § 1194).

Agency contact information

DARPA TEAM
Phone
614-693-0237
Email
DHRS-D-DARPA@dla.mil
Address
DARPA
675 N. Randolph Street
Arlington, VA 22203
US

Next steps

A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter.

The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.

REGARDING INTERVIEWS: Interviews may be required for this position. Accommodations may be made to conduct telephonic interviews to preclude travel hardships for applicants.

NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.

This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a separately organized agency within the Department of Defense (DoD) under a Director, appointed by the Secretary of Defense. The Agency engages in advanced basic and applied research and development projects essential to DoD and conducts prototype projects that embody technology that may be incorporated into joint programs, programs in support of deployed US forces, or selected Military Department programs. In this regard, the Agency arranges for, manages and directs the performance of work connected with assigned advanced projects by the Military Departments, other government agencies, individuals, private business entities, and educational or research institutions, as appropriate; recommends through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) to the Secretary of Defense assignment of advanced projects to the agency; keeps the USD(R&E), the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (OJCS), the Military Departments, and other DoD agencies informed on significant new developments and technological advances within assigned projects; and other such functions as the Secretary of Defense or USD(R&E) may assign.

Agency contact information

DARPA TEAM
Phone
614-693-0237
Email
DHRS-D-DARPA@dla.mil
Address
DARPA
675 N. Randolph Street
Arlington, VA 22203
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.darpa.mil