Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Information and Technology (OIT), located in Springfield, VA.
Basic Requirement: Applicants must 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. Along with the four competencies listed above you must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience described below to qualify based on experience. Experience: You qualify for the GS- 07 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Assisting with routine and recurring applications software assignments including researching issues and problems and providing information and assistance to customers and project managers. Communicating clear and concise information relating to applications software systems and projects, both orally and in writing. Assisting with preparing and updating manuals, instructions, and operating procedures ensuring the application of appropriate security measures to the assignment. Experience: You qualify at the GS-9 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Resolving issues and problems related to application software principles and methods. Designing, developing, testing, and implementing application software. Applying analytical methods and guidelines to identify, consider, and resolve issues. Experience: You qualify at the GS-11 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Designing, documenting, developing, modifying, testing, installing and implementing new or existing support application software. Analyzing and refining application systems. Processes information technology application software requests to ensure development solutions meet customer requirements. Applying applications software principles and methods such as modifying input forms; documenting customer business rules; and developing flow diagrams and/or pseudo-code. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements. Education Substitution: GS-07: Graduate Education. Successful completion of one year of full-time graduate education from an accredited college or university may substitute for the experience required at this level. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work such as computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) - A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) may also substitute for the experience required. It is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average (i.e., GPA 3.0 or higher of a possible 4.0, excluding pass/fail credits. Pass/fail credits cannot be more than 10% of total credits), or (3) honor society membership. Review Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) to see if you qualify under this provision. Please see www.opm.gov for additional information. GS-09: Successful completion of a Master's degree or two full years of graduate education leading to such a degree or a J.D. or L.L.B. degree for the experience required at the GS-9 grade level. This education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university and demonstrate the skills necessary to do the work of the position. For this position a degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or a degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks is qualifying. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. GS-11: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in an accredited college or university, may be substituted for experience at the GS-11 grade level. Such education must demonstrate the skills needed to do the work. For this position a degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or a degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks is qualifying. One year of fulltime graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 54 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 3 years of full-time study requirement. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 06/24/2025. 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.
As an Information Technology Specialist (Applications Software), in this position, you will serve as the workforce planning and management software/application product owner, acting as the primary liaison between program offices throughout the software development process to interpret, compose, validate, and translate functional workforce planning and management requirements into technical requirements, developing new and innovative methods for software design, testing, and implementation.This position starts at a salary of $57,617.00 (GS-07, Step 1) to $109,975.00 (GS-11, Step 10) with promotion potential to $131,826 (GS-12 Step 10). Major duties for this position include, but are not limited to: Performing routine and recurring applications software assignments resolving issues and problems and providing information and assistance to customers. Analyzing and refining application systems requirements for less complex programs utilizing approved recommendations and input from stakeholders to design, develop, test, and implement applications software. Participating in working groups, studies, and teams to evaluate established applications software methods and procedures preparing recommendations for changes in methods and practices. Collaborating on multimedia projects including user interface designs and layouts.