This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/573650500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
The IT Specialist (Network/SYSADMIN) is responsible for the SMA, Hilo, HI network, system, virtual machine and data storage administration. The incumbent is responsible for the operation of complex systems in a functioning astronomical observatory.
Learn more about this agency07/15/2020 to 08/07/2020
$79,109 - $102,847 per year
GS 12
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
Occasional travel - Travel may be required to attend scientific, technical or administrative meetings or other functions at SAO or other institutions.
No
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
12
No
No
20-51
573650500
This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals. Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #20-50.
1. Network administration. The SMA relies on complex network infrastructure for telescope operations. Network administration duties include: oversight of network operations and rapid response to outages; configuration of switches, routers, and firewalls to maintain network security; optimizing routing paths; documenting network architecture; planning, designing, and costing network improvements or expansions; specification, acquisition, and installation of network hardware; maintaining network hardware; network software and security upgrades; and coordination with IT staff at other Maunakea observatories, the University of Hawaii, the SAO, and the Smithsonian.
2. System administration. The SMA is controlled by a heterogenous collection of computers, primarily Red Hat Linux systems. System administration duties include: oversight of computing operations and rapid response to outages; monitoring system status for anomalies or security issues; system configuration; system software and security upgrades; oversight of software license and support contracts; analysis of computing requirements; and planning, designing, and costing improvements or expansions.
3. Virtual machine administration. The primary SMA servers are virtualized. VM administration duties include: deployment of VMs and containers; analysis of server loads and balancing them with VM resources; migration of VMs between physical hosts; system software and security upgrades; maintenance of VM hosts; specification, acquisition, and installation of VM host hardware; and planning, designing, and costing improvements or expansions.
4. Data storage administration. SMA observations produce data at a rate that can exceed 1 TB per night. Data storage administration duties include: maintenance of data storage servers and backup systems, including cloud storage; specification, acquisition, and installation of storage hardware; planning, designing, and costing improvements or expansions; and oversight of cloud storage contracts. Perform other related duties as assigned.
Must have a valid State driver's license as you must travel between Hilo and Maunakea using SMA (government) vehicles. You may be required to provide a copy of your driver's license if contacted for an interview.
Incumbent must pass a high altitude physical examination (condition of employment).
Incumbent will make frequent trips to the SMA telescope on Maunakea at 4075m (13375 ft) altitude, which experiences a broad range of weather conditions, including rain, snow, and high winds.
Individuals 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.
AND
Experience for GS-12 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-11 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience that includes IT support activities such as network administration, system administration, virtual machine administration, data storage administration, user support, or writing or modifying computer software professionally
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.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
Education is not substitutable for specialized experience at this grade level.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:
1. Knowledge of and skill in administration of complex data networks.
2. Experience with and skill in administration of Linux servers.
3. Skill in administration of virtual machine hosts sufficient to balance server loads.
4. Knowledge of and skill in administration of data storage systems.
5. Knowledge of computer programming sufficient for system administration tasks.
6. Ability to communicate technical information effectively to diverse audiences.
Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:
Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above.
Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above.
Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree.
This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.
Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher.
Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.Important Note:
The review of your resume will determine your final rating and should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
Your application package should include the following documents:
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.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page.
Please Note:
At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed.
Additional Information:
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/573650500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
The Submillimeter Array (SMA) is a joint project of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA), headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Comprised of eight relocatable antennas and associated instrumentation, the SMA is an interferometer array for astronomical observations at submillimeter wavelengths, 180 GHz to 420 GHz. The SMA is a technically specialized scientific research facility in continuous operation, 24 h per day. Support offices and laboratories are located in Hilo, Hawaii, while the telescope itself is located near the summit of Maunakea at 4075 m (13375 ft) altitude.