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Information Technology Specialist (Computer Specialist)

Department of Justice
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/16/2026 to 03/23/2026
This job will close when we have received 70 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$121,785 to - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
Washington, DC
5 vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Telework in accordance with agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CO-2026-0226
Control number
861341700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• THIS IS A DELEGATED EXAMINING ANNOUNCEMENT OPEN TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS. • Division: System Development Branch, Information Technology & Data Division, Central Office, Washington, DC • Duty Location: Central Office, Washington, DC • Note: This vacancy announcement has been set to receive the first 70 applications. Therefore on the day the 70th application is received, this announcement will close at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.

Duties

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Designs, implements and maintains complex in-house programs and sub-routines, including generalized record selection programs, linkage routines to operating systems, data communications systems and checkpoint/restart procedures.

Responsible for data base integrity, backup and recovery, installation of new releases of system software, migration of new modules to the database, reviewing the test results of new applications programs to assure successful migration to limit access of sensitive data on a need to know basis.

Responsible for the installation of new releases and maintenance of a complex telecommunications system used to manage the SENTRY Network and the SENTRY database management system.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
  • Selective Service Requirement: http://www.sss.gov

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  • 1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
  • 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
  • 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established category rating criteria.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements.

Education:

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at this grade level.

OR

Experience:

You must have Information Technology 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

Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in federal service. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Such experience is typically gained in the Information Technology field or through the performance of work where the primary concern is Information Technology.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

  • Experience in major operating system software, including the ability to modify code and diagnose and correct problems.
  • Experience in the development, implementation and maintenance of specialized areas, remote job entry, computer security, telecommunications software, on-line systems, intra and inter-governmental transfer of data, database management, backup and recovery and formatted file structure.
  • Experience providing technical expertise on mainframe computer security and monitors overall performance of SENTRY or their major applications and providing trouble shooting to determine cause of inadequate response time.li>
  • Experience evaluating user’s needs, hardware and software options, directing and formulating the design and testing of computerized systems, install hardware and software, and analyze broad system specifications .
  • Experience recognizing and resolving hardware and software problems.

AND

Selective Placement Factor:

Applicants applying for this position MUST also possess the following Selective Placement Factor. In the event you do not possess the Selective Placement Factor, you will be found ineligible for the position.

  • Applicant must have experience in the last twelve months using one or more of the following language or software development environments: C, C++, Model View Controller (MVC) Framework, J2EE, Java, JavaScript, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Structured Query Language (SQL).

AND

  • Applicant must have experience with one or more of the following operating systems or system level software: Microsoft Windows, MySQL, Web Servers, and PC utilities.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.

All applicants are subject to, and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees:

A prerequisite of the secondary law enforcement position is the completion of the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II".  If you have not completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II", you are ineligible for secondary law enforcement position(s) and coverage but may still be considered for a non-law enforcement position.

If you are not a current Bureau of Prisons employee, you must submit training records demonstrating you have completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II" to your hiring Human Resource office prior to appointment. 

Individuals selected who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and who have not had three years "primary" law enforcement retirement coverage, will not be covered by law enforcement retirement while in this position. To regain coverage, individuals must return to a position with "primary" coverage.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Based upon your responses to the assessment questions during the application process, your application will be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Applications will be reviewed from the top quality category. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are found qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to the responses you provided on the online assessment.

NOTE: Candidates within the top quality category and who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans preference you are claiming on your resume. Although veterans preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under "How You Will Be Evaluated", veterans preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

Preference eligibles who meet the 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 in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). As noted above, an agency may not select a non-preference eligible in lieu of a preference eligible in the same category unless there are grounds for a passover and the agency has complied with the passover procedures at 5 U.S.C. § 3318(b).

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Ability to analyze, troubleshoot and solve data information and/or program problems.
  • Skill in organizing and managing projects.
  • Ability to communicate orally.
  • Ability to communicate in writing.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

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