As a Solutions Architect/Engineer (ENTARCH) you will perform the following duties:

• Designs comprehensive IT solutions that integrate multiple systems and platforms, ensuring scalability, security, and compliance with industry best practices. Develops detailed architecture diagrams, specifications, and documentation to clearly communicate solution design and facilitate implementation. Collaborate with security and compliance teams to identify and address potential risks, ensuring that all proposed solutions meet organizational security and compliance requirements. Provides technical leadership and guidance to development and infrastructure teams throughout the solution design and implementation process. Maintains a strong understanding of emerging technologies and industry trends to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement.
• Captures and analyzes business requirements, translating them into clear and concise technical specifications. Assesses existing systems, platforms, and architectures to identify areas for improvement or replacement. Researches, evaluates, and recommends IT solutions, considering functionality, scalability, cost, security, and integration capabilities. Develops and presents recommendations to leadership and stakeholders, articulating the benefits and risks of various solutions and identifying the best-fit option based on business needs and technical feasibility. Conducts proof-of-concept (POC) evaluations to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of proposed solutions.
• Works closely with development, infrastructure, security and other technical teams to implement and integrate solutions, providing technical guidance and support to ensure successful execution. Oversees configuration, testing, and deployment of solutions, ensuring adherence to established standards and best practices. Troubleshoots technical issues that arise during implementation and integration, identifying root causes and implementing effective solutions. Communicates effectively with business users, IT staff, and vendors, presenting complex technical concepts in a clear and understandable manner. Coordinates with project managers to ensure projects are delivered on schedule and within budget. Participates in cross-functional teams to address complex business challenges and develop innovative solutions.
• Creates and maintains comprehensive documentation of solutions, architectures, and configurations, ensuring accuracy and completeness. Develops training materials and job aids for IT staff and end-users to facilitate effective use and maintenance of implemented solutions. Ensures documentations is readily accessible and up-to-date, providing a valuable resource for IT staff and stakeholders.
• Stays up-to-date with emerging technologies and industry trends, proactively identifying opportunities to improve existing systems and processes. Contributes to the development of IT standards and best practices, promoting consistency and efficiency across the organization. Monitors system performance, identifying areas for optimization and recommending improvements to enhance security, efficiency, and reliability. Participates in post-implementation reviews to identify lessons learned and improve future solution design and implementation processes.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility requirements 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:

Qualifications

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.

The GS-14 salary range starts at $127,829 per year depending on the locality of the position.

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level or higher in the Federal service and have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies below:

IT SPECIALIST COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS:

• Attention to Detail - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant investigates and evaluates "state of the art" technology of the industry.
• Customer Service - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant confers with users to evaluate the effectiveness of, or identify the need for, computer programs or management systems.
• Oral Communication - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant persuades others to take particular course of action or to accept findings, recommendations, changes, or alternative viewpoints.
• Problem Solving - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant identifies and accommodates technology and resource constraints.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:  

In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is experience defined as experience designing and implementing complex IT solutions that integrate multiple systems or platforms, including developing architecture diagrams, technical specifications, and documentation. This experience must also include analyzing business or functional requirements; evaluating existing systems or architectures to identify improvements; and researching or recommending IT solutions based on functionality, scalability, security, cost, or integration needs. Such experience may be obtained in government, industry, or other related fields.

How you will be evaluated

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

A panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review the resumes of qualified candidates and assign a score for each of the five required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) based on the experience documented in the resume and narrative responses:

1. Knowledge of IT systems, platforms, and integration methods, including cloud computing, on-premises infrastructure, networking, databases, and security.

2. Knowledge of state-of-the-art business practices to cross-functionally analyze business requirements, assess project feasibility, define current and long range future businesses environments, and manage IT investment portfolios.

3. Knowledge of strategic planning and enterprise architecture methodologies, standards, and best practices (e.g. TOGAF). This includes the ability to contribute to the development and communication of these techniques to ensure the alignment of IT strategy, plans, and systems.

4. Knowledge of policy, planning, project methodologies, and advanced application tools/technologies is required to provide comprehensive support planning and architectural guidance for complex information management challenges.

5. Knowledge of emerging information technologies, industry trends, and IT standards, with the ability to apply this knowledge to improve existing systems and processes.

Demonstration of these KSAs must be supported by your resume. Applicants should also make note of each KSA, as you will be asked to address them later in the application process

Your possession of the KSAs will place you in one of the following categories:.

• Best Qualified = 4+ out of 5 KSAs  

• Well Qualified = 3 out of 5 KSAs (Well Qualified for CTAP/ICTAP) 

• Qualified = 2 or less out of 5 KSAs.

If you are eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), your resume must clearly demonstrate experience in at least 3 of the 5 required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) to receive priority consideration.

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. 

ICTAP/CTAP Candidates: The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found “well-qualified" for this vacancy.

Demonstration of these KSA’s must be supported by your resume. Applicants should also make note of each KSA, as you will be asked to address them later in the application process.

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

• Resume: Your resume should not exceed 2 pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. Resumes exceeding two pages will not be accepted by USAJOBS and will prevent your application from moving forward in the hiring process.  Your resume must contain the following information:

  • Name, address, telephone number, email address;

  • Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);

  • Relevant work experience—should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.

  • Education, certifications or licensures—If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure to include the required information and any required documents like transcripts.

  Your resume should contain enough information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic, general, or specialized experience requirements for each grade level you are applying. This information must be clearly identified in your resume. If you do not provide enough information for us to determine your qualifications, you may be rated ineligible.

• If you are claiming veterans' preference:

  1. 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.
  2. 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 active duty military- Certification on a letterhead from your military branch that includes your rank, character of service (must be under honorable conditions) & military service dates including discharge/release date (must be no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted).
• 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 SF-50.

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

Next steps

Additional locations