IT Specialist (Network)

Summary

This position is located in the Data Center Section of the Network Operations Pillar,Core Network Services (CNS), Connectivity and Collaboration Services ( CCS), Core Network Services, Office of Information and Technology (OIT).

This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Videos

Duties

Please note, there may or may not be actual/projected vacancies when you submit your application. Your resume and any supporting documentation will be retained with other applicants and reviewed as vacancies occur. You will not receive a notice regarding your application's status other than the initial acknowledgment until a request is received to fill a position.

We will refer qualified applicants to the selecting official for consideration. The organization's hiring need will determine the referral of additional applicants. Applicants will be notified about their application's status if referred or if we fill all vacancies. Your application will expire in 3 months from the day of submission. If you are still interested in the position after the 3 month period, you will need to re-apply to this vacancy announcement.

Duties

1. Serves as a subject matter expert and senior analyst within the Data Center Section of Solution Delivery This position is responsible for a wide range of IT networking and telecommunications services that typically extend and apply to all of CCS and/or the VA in general.

2. Provides guidance and assistance to systems programmers, analysts, operators, communications technicians, IT support staff and vendor personnel with unusual and non-routine technical problems. Participates in disaster recovery and continuity of operations planning, testing and Implementation within CSS and the VA.

• Prepares and reviews change requests through the use of automated tools for all modifications to hardware and software within the VA's network environment. Uses existing simulation results or develops new models to analyze operations and evaluate new designs and/or equipment changes to accommodate projected workloads.
• Designs enhancements to the current environment and formulates new approaches. Designs, develops, tests, and maintains specialized support software including utilities, restart/recovery routines, telecommunications interfaces, programmer and operator aids, shell script routines and performs security administration functions.
• Writes and maintains system documentation for network infrastructure installed in the CNS enterprise data centers as well as other locations such as VBA Regional Offices. Creates and maintains system documentation and files. Researches documents and reports malicious probes to the VA Network Support Operations Center (NSOC) and Technical Security in accordance with established procedures.
• Develops and conducts technical training courses, as required. Develops and maintaining a comprehensive hardware and software management administration for the VA telecommunications network that links an international system of workstations, printers, servers and local area networks with the Agency's centralized computer facilities. The network includes four Information Technology Center's (ITCs) at Austin, Texas, Hines, IL, Martinsburg, WV and Philadelphia, PA. In addition to the four ITCs, develops supplemental analyses and supportive materials as appropriate. Collaborates with representatives of VA, VBA and VHA central offices, Information Technology Centers (ITCs), CCS and Regional Offices in the development of the agency's architecture.
• Analyzes and documents requirements for NETWORK operating system software and related third party software, software change control, performance software, hardware and related technical considerations for the VA's network environment.
• Prepares and assures that proposals are consistent with the agency's long-range plans and budget constraints.
• Performs a variety of technical duties. Serves as the principal representative to agency components and as liaison between the other OIT offices, Central Office, and Regional Offices in defining their needs as it relates to network infrastructure and security.
• Represents CSS and OIT at inter-component meetings regarding network related issues. Develops and maintains standards and procedures relating to hardware/ software architecture and network security matters within the Agency.

Work Schedule: M-F, 8 am - 4:30 pm

Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: May be available with Supervisor approval

Duty Location Status:( Martinsburg, West Virginia)(1) (Philadelphia, PA)(2)

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Bargaining/Non-Bargaining: This is bargaining position.

Position Description Title/PD#: IT Specialist (Network)/PD06251A

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Must be a U.S Citizen

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

GS-13 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Specialized experience is defined as hands on experience in configuring network infrastructure and providing Network support for enterprise data centers utilizing switches, routers, firewalls, load balancing, LAN.

Preferred Experience:

• Install, test, and maintain network devices, and analyze present and projected communication traffic volumes, to include system capacity, peak loading, and the overall effect an increase in traffic may have on network performance
• Upgrade the network operating system on a switch or router, configuring a switch and router to provide internal and external connectivity for a Data Center
• Map customer business requirements to applicable hardware, standardizing Data Center networks throughout multiple facilities
• Manage networks using Solarwinds /Orion monitoring and mapping tools; configure High Availability within a Cisco NXOS Data Center environment
• Expand network capabilities to support customer bandwidth requirements

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

• 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.
  
  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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

• 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.
  
  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.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  Documents Accepted:
  
  
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • Resume
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  
  
  Documents Required:
  
  
  • Resume
  
  
  Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
  
  Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
  
  Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
  
  
  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
  
  All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
  
  To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/13/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12523782.
  
  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
  
  NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  
  To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Recruitment Team Two A
  
  Phone
  
  000-000-0000
  
  Email
  
  VAOITOPSHRRPTeam2A@va.gov
  
  Address
  
  DAS for Information Technology - 200
  
  1615 Woodward St
  
  Austin, TX 78772
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Documents Required:

• Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.


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

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/13/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12523782.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Recruitment Team Two A

Phone

000-000-0000

Email

VAOITOPSHRRPTeam2A@va.gov

Address

DAS for Information Technology - 200

1615 Woodward St

Austin, TX 78772

US

Next steps

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request