This vacancy is for an Information Technology (IT) Specialist position is located in Philadelphia, PA Regional Census Center. Special Pay Rates apply at the Grades 9 and 11 in the advertised locality.
This is a time limited Appointment, initial appointment is not to exceed (NTE) 2 years. This appointment may be extended or terminated earlier at management’s discretion.
A trail period may be required.
This is a NON-BARGAINING unit position.
The work schedule for this position is Mixed Tour. With a Mixed Tour work schedule, an employee may be changed between full-time, part-time and intermittent work schedules to accommodate fluctuating workloads and is subject to a signed agreement.
Summary
This vacancy is for an Information Technology (IT) Specialist position is located in Philadelphia, PA Regional Census Center. Special Pay Rates apply at the Grades 9 and 11 in the advertised locality.
This is a time limited Appointment, initial appointment is not to exceed (NTE) 2 years. This appointment may be extended or terminated earlier at management’s discretion.
A trail period may be required.
This is a NON-BARGAINING unit position.
The work schedule for this position is Mixed Tour. With a Mixed Tour work schedule, an employee may be changed between full-time, part-time and intermittent work schedules to accommodate fluctuating workloads and is subject to a signed agreement.
Observe, monitor, and participate in the maintenance of all computer hardware, software, and telecommunications in the Regional Census Center (RCC) and Area Census Office (ACO).
Reviews requirements of projects to determine objectives of the program, concepts, and processes required. Organize work processes and solutions to problems making adjustments as needed for a project/program.
Troubleshoots problems and resolves them if possible; initiates problem resolution procedures as necessary.
Responsible for the configuration of new equipment and installation or upgrade of both hardware system and application software.
Provides operational and technical support for the RCC and ACO.
Supporting the users of the system, creating and deleting users as appropriate, providing access rights to applications, files, and system devices.
Suitability/Background Investigation for Federal employment.
Registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
Must be 18 years or older to be hired.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
Applicants are responsible for insuring that the application submitted clearly indicates that they meet the qualifications listed below. To be eligible for this position, you must have the specialized experience, education, or a combination as indicated below.
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.
Specialized experience or education sought for these positions include:
Specialized Experience: Experience for this position includes demonstrated accomplishment of computer project assignments that required a wide range of knowledge of computer requirements and techniques that include analyzing a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of ADP system design such as system inter-relationship, operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration.
GG-2210-09 Experience:Applicant must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes demonstrating knowledge of computer requirements and techniques in carrying out project assignments which involve the development of minor modifications to parts of a system, analyzing the interrelationships of pertinent components of the system; planning the sequence of actions necessary to accomplish the assignment
OR
Education: master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in one of the following majors: computer science, information science, information systems management, mathematics, statistics, operations research, engineering, or another major which provided knowledge equivalent to major in a computer field.
GG-2210-11 Experience: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes demonstrating knowledge of computer approaches, techniques, and requirements appropriate to an assigned computer application area, planning the sequence of actions necessary to accomplish the assignment where this entailed coordination with others outside the organizational unit and development of project controls, adapting guidelines or precedents to the needs of an assignment.
OR
Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree with major study in computer science, information science, information systems management, mathematics, statistics, operations research, engineering, or course work that required the development or adaptation of computer programs and systems and provided knowledge equivalent to a major in the computer field.
GG-2210-12 Experience: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes demonstrating accomplishment of computer project assignments that required a wide range of knowledge of computer requirements and techniques that include analyzing a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of ADP system design such as system inter-relationship, operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration.
Education: No substitution of education for experience is permitted. All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions
Graduate Education: Degree in 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.
Additional information
The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.
The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.
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.
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.
Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold). The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
The following competencies are desirable at the full performance level of this position (FPL 12).
Knowledge of software packages and operating systems.
Ability to serve as an expert on automation issues and their impact on agency operations.
Skill in modifying and adapting system approaches to meet specialized requirements of new projects, and skill in coordinating the efforts of a team.
Ability to resolve problems for users utilizing various operating systems. We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.
Knowledge of computer communications and support systems and the interrelationships between hardware and software components and capabilities.
Knowledge of computer equipment analysis necessary to serve as an authority in automation related issues.
Knowledge of a wide range of computer techniques, requirements, methods, and procedures including approaches used by other agencies to design solutions for application requirements.
Ability to track distribution of hardware to many users.
For more information on category rating, please go to: http://www.hr.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@cfoasa/@ohrm/documents/content/prod 01_009474.pdf
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.
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.
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.
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position(s). Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and providethe appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx
• Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment, (Schedule A disability, 30 percent disabled veteran, certain military spouses, etc). Show proof of your disability. Documentation may be from any licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory to practice medicine), a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., State or private), or any Federal or State agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits;
• Your medical documentation should distinguish between disabilities that are temporary, or transient, versus disabilities, which are chronic, permanent, on-going, or unresolved with no end in sight.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
• Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Census Bureau employees.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
• Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecogdoc. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application.
• CTAP Eligibles
CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice) 2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; 3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and 4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply online, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov/. To begin, click the "Apply" button and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. (After registering in your USAJOBS account and clicking "Submit," you will automatically transition to the Department of Commerce's specific site where you will complete your application. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.)
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
If you have problems completing your online application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by email at mgshelp@monster.com or by phone at 866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday—Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
Philadelphia Regional Census Center
Philadelphia, District of Columbia 19106
United States
Next steps
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov and clicking on "Applications" The status will be visible next to the corresponding position. The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete;
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
Referred or not referred; and
Selected or Not Selected
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position(s). Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and providethe appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx
• Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment, (Schedule A disability, 30 percent disabled veteran, certain military spouses, etc). Show proof of your disability. Documentation may be from any licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory to practice medicine), a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., State or private), or any Federal or State agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits;
• Your medical documentation should distinguish between disabilities that are temporary, or transient, versus disabilities, which are chronic, permanent, on-going, or unresolved with no end in sight.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
• Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Census Bureau employees.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
• Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecogdoc. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application.
• CTAP Eligibles
CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice) 2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; 3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and 4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply online, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov/. To begin, click the "Apply" button and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. (After registering in your USAJOBS account and clicking "Submit," you will automatically transition to the Department of Commerce's specific site where you will complete your application. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.)
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
If you have problems completing your online application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by email at mgshelp@monster.com or by phone at 866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday—Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
Philadelphia Regional Census Center
Philadelphia, District of Columbia 19106
United States
Next steps
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov and clicking on "Applications" The status will be visible next to the corresponding position. The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete;
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
Referred or not referred; and
Selected or Not Selected
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
