Clarification from the agency

Well-qualified surplus/displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) in the local area and current/former Federal employees in permanent competitive service positions (status candidates). VEOA eligibles and those eligible for non-competitive appointment under special hiring authority, e.g., Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, former Overseas employees, VISTA/Peace Corps, some Land Management employees, and certain veterans, e.g., VRA, 30% Disabled. See link in "How to Apply".

This job is also open in another announcement to:

The public

If selected, you will serve as an Information Technology (IT) Specialist for the United States Attorney's Office for Southern District of California. You will be responsible for providing technical and analytical assistance involving three or more IT specialty areas which support the information management needs of the district. At the full performance level, typical work assignments will include:

• Maintaining network architecture and infrastructure, to include configuring and maintaining servers, hubs, routers, and switches;
• Planning and scheduling the installation of new or modified hardware, operating systems and applications software, working closely with customers to ensure seamless installation and minimizing installation problems;
• Managing accounts, network rights, and access to systems and equipment;
• Implementing policies and procedures to ensure information systems reliability and accessibility and to prevent and defend against unauthorized access to systems, networks, and data;
• Monitoring functionality, security, and integrity of internet services, as well as managing internet servers;
• Providing for customer training, including orientation for new users; and
• Assessing policy needs and developing policies to govern IT activities.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
• You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

Qualifications

GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience OR Education.

Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped you with the competencies needed to perform the duties of the job. Qualifying experience must demonstrate possession of each of the following competencies: Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Oral Communication, and Problem Solving.

Examples of specialized experience include: assisting with performing a variety of day-to-day operations and maintenance, troubleshooting, configuration, customer assistance, recovery and resolution of hardware and software problems; using network equipment such as routers and servers; and performing ongoing network monitoring and management.

Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Information Science, Engineering, Computer Science): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B.); OR 2 full years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree. This education must have been in one of the following fields OR must have provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the following fields and must have required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks: Computer Science, Engineering, Information Science, Information Systems Management, Mathematics, Operations Research, Statistics, or Technology Management.

GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions as defined below: Specialized Experience OR Education.

Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped you with the competencies needed to perform the duties of the job. Qualifying experience must demonstrate possession of each of the following competencies: Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Oral Communication, and Problem Solving.

Examples of specialized experience include: providing IT customer service and support in troubleshooting, recovering, and resolving recurring software/hardware problems; providing technical support services to coordinate teleconferences and distance learning activities; performing ongoing network monitoring and management; distributing and installing new or upgraded software to ensure customers receive current versions of supported software; designing, developing, testing, implementing, and managing internet and intranet websites; creating basic scripts or code using general knowledge of programming languages and tools; and participating in the testing and implementation of an organization's information security program.

Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Information Science, Engineering, Computer Science): a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree. This education must have been in one of the following fields OR must have provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the following fields and must have required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks: Computer Science, Engineering, Information Science, Information Systems Management, Mathematics, Operations Research, Statistics, or Technology Management.

GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal Service.

Specialized Experience is experience that equipped you with the competencies needed to perform the duties of the job. Qualifying experience must demonstrate possession of each of the following competencies: Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Oral Communication, and Problem Solving.

Examples of specialized experience include: maintaining network architecture and infrastructure; configuring and maintaining servers, hubs, routers, and switches; monitoring network capacity and performance; analyzing network traffic patterns and installing network software fixes, upgrades, and enhancements; resolving hardware/software interface and interoperability problems; designing, developing, testing, implementing, and managing internet and intranet websites; implementing policies and procedures to ensure information systems reliability and accessibility and to prevent and defend against unauthorized access to systems, networks, and data; implementing programs to ensure users are aware of, understand, and adhere to systems security policies and procedures; instituting a rigorous content management plan to provide users with appropriate information in an effective manner; and assessing and providing feedback on problematic trends and patterns in customer support requirements and providing recommendations to resolve cited problems.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

You will be rated on the following Competencies (see The OPM Website for definitions):
Accountability, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The 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.

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

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

- Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).

- Required: Your resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements. Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job:

• Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade),
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

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.

- Required if you meet qualifications based on education: An unofficial college transcript (Note: If you are selected for this position, an official transcript will be required prior to your first day.) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement.

- Required if you are a current or former Federal employee: a recent copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing title, series, grade, and full performance level (FPL); AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. Please note your SF-50 must include your FPL in the remark section (e.g., appointment, reassignment, promotion actions), pay adjustments and awards do not include this information so they are not acceptable.

- Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.

- Required, if applicable: VEOA documentation In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable).

- If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

- 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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency; and
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Next steps