This position is located in the Office of Systems, Office of Digital Transformation (ODT), Woodlawn, MD.
Serve as a recognized technical expert in the Systems Analysis, Customer/User Experience, Discovery, Software Design, User Accessibility, IT planning, IT investments, IT Project Governance and Quality Assurance of programmatic, management information (MI), and administrative systems. As a technical expert the specialist takes the lead on various projects and performs a wide range of duties.
Summary
This position is located in the Office of Systems, Office of Digital Transformation (ODT), Woodlawn, MD.
Serve as a recognized technical expert in the Systems Analysis, Customer/User Experience, Discovery, Software Design, User Accessibility, IT planning, IT investments, IT Project Governance and Quality Assurance of programmatic, management information (MI), and administrative systems. As a technical expert the specialist takes the lead on various projects and performs a wide range of duties.
Provides ongoing evaluation of activities in functional area(s) of responsibility. Identifies the need for changes in operation, emphasis, priorities, planning, training, or methodologies and makes recommendations to remedy the situation.
Serves as an agency-wide resource person in providing technical support and advice concerning Customer/User Experience, Discovery, Software Design, User Accessibility, IT planning, IT investments, and/or IT Project Governance and Quality Assurance.
Provides guidance on work involved in applying analytical processes to planning, designing, and implementing new or improved information systems to meet organizational needs.
Initiates and develops procedures and guidelines in area of responsibility and expertise.
As regulations or policies are changed at higher levels, assesses their impact and initiates or recommends necessary revisions to local guidelines and policies.
Provides technical support to co-workers in analyzing systems external and internal specifications to determine whether requirements are correctly represented and to ensure conformance with performance specifications.
Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required
Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results
Selectees may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period
Relocation expenses will not be paid
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. See Additional Information section.
Qualifications
Applicants must qualify for the series and grade of the posted position. Experience must be IT-related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate.
Your resume must provide sufficient experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and proficiency of any required competencies to perform the specific position for which you are applying. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your experience, education, knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies as they relate to this position. Your resume and supporting documents must specifically address the evaluation criteria for the position. Describe duties you perform (not just knowledge, skills and abilities) as they relate to the specialized experience required for this position. Be clear, accurate and specific when describing your experience; e.g., list all positions separately, include full start and stop dates for each position, your work schedule (number of hours per week), your grade (if your position is federal), and a comprehensive description of the relevant duties you performed in each position.
This information is instrumental in determining the highest quality candidates to be referred to the Selecting Official. Please submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position. If your application materials do not demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, and/or education needed for this position, your application will be ineligible for consideration.
To qualify for the 2210 IT Specialist series, applicants must demonstrate the following IT-related competencies:
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.
In addition, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12 level (or above) in the federal service that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such IT-related experience must include ALL of the following:
applying best practices and industry research to both define interaction standards and build pattern libraries;
creating interaction prototypes using tools/software such as, HTML/CSS, Axure RP or Adobe XD, to evaluate effectiveness of design standards; AND
developing and/or conducting training on design systems implementation.
This experience must be IT-related and may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, Trusted Tester certification), as appropriate.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than November 22, 2021 and submit documentation of vaccination by November 23, 2021 OR shortly after appointment or onboarding with SSA, if this occurs after November 22, 2021. At the time of selection, SSA will provide additional information regarding what documentation you must provide and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement.
To ensure compliance with an applicable nationwide preliminary injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
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.
The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire, which is designed to capture the desired competencies for this position. These competencies include:
Ability to apply human-computer interaction research, as well as customer and user-centered design methodologies to develop design systems standards.
Ability to work within and manage systems projects or teams to achieve business results
Knowledge of modern software design tools, platforms and methodologies to build prototypes, define interaction standards and deliver customer-focused systems
Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11546312
Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method, based on your responses to the Assessment Questions. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:
1 - Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.
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.
You must submit supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified category as described in the vacancy announcement. Candidates must also provide:
proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD-214 member 4 copy preferred) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must contain dates and show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15)and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received.
Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Your Resume
The Occupational Questionnaire
Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section)
The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (EST) on 07/01/2022.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Tonya Pledger at Tonya.R.Pledger@ssa.gov.
Individuals with disabilities may also call us via Federal Relay using the (voice) contact telephone provided.
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.
DCS - ODT
6401 Security Boulevard
Woodlawn, MD 21235
US
Next steps
Once you have successfully submitted your application materials, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.
Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must submit supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified category as described in the vacancy announcement. Candidates must also provide:
proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD-214 member 4 copy preferred) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must contain dates and show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15)and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received.
Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Your Resume
The Occupational Questionnaire
Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section)
The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (EST) on 07/01/2022.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Tonya Pledger at Tonya.R.Pledger@ssa.gov.
Individuals with disabilities may also call us via Federal Relay using the (voice) contact telephone provided.
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.
DCS - ODT
6401 Security Boulevard
Woodlawn, MD 21235
US
Next steps
Once you have successfully submitted your application materials, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.
Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.