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IT SPECIALIST (PLCYPLN)

Department of the Air Force
Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide
WIDE SUPPORT ELE HS A600

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below for IMPORTANT additional information.

The primary purpose of this position is: To provide oversight and guidance for and serve as a senior Air Force Staff information technology (IT) and technical advisor for airborne communications programs. Ensures Air Staff level airborne communication expertise and leadership advisement.

**Salary ranges include local market supplements.**

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/08/2026 to 04/21/2026
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 14
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Pentagon, Arlington, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
9L-DCIPS-12931330-239180-MV
Control number
864251300

Duties

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  • Plan, organize, and direct the activities of the Airborne Communications Branch ensuring that airborne communications guidance, policy, strategy, and comply with legal and regulatory requirements and meet customer needs.
  • Serve as technical expert at the Secretary of the Air Force/Air Staff level on airborne communications and TDLs to include Link-16, Link-22, both current and emerging TDLs, and Advanced TDLs (ATDLs).
  • Represent Airborne Communications Branch with a variety of installation and functional area organizations.
  • Exercise supervisory personnel management responsibilities. Advise and provide counsel to employees regarding policies, procedures, and directives of management.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • All new DCIPS employees are required to complete a two-year DCIPS trial period.
  • If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
  • This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, see Legal and Regulatory Guide
  • Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays
  • Shift work and emergency overtime may be required
  • Employee must maintain current certifications
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit
  • Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof provided on your resume
  • Relocation Incentive may be authorized for this position
  • Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
  • Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
  • Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
  • The employee may be required to travel in military and/or commercial aircraft to perform temporary duty assignments.

Qualifications

This is a GG-14 position in the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). The GG-14 duties for the "Professional" work category are at the "Senior" work level and are equivalent to those at the GS-14 level. The selectee's salary will be set within the grade equivalent to a GS/GG grade based on the selectee's qualifications in relation to the job.

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions for the GS-2210, Information Technology (IT) Management Series (Alternative A).

Experience: 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.

For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled.
1. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must reflect quality level experience which demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for successful job performance required for this position. Quality experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of creditable experience include applying knowledge of a wide range of the interrelationships of multiple IT specialists, Airborne Communications, the agency's IT architecture and emerging technologies and their applications; and applying knowledge required to perform airborne communications and tactical data links (TDLs) and military service program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key operational events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of planning actions as related to actual events. Note: Creditable experience may include previous military experience, experience gained in the private sector, or experience gained in another government agency.

To view qualifying educational requirements and/or combination of education and specialized experience click on the following link:

To view specialized experience click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/2200/information-technology-it-management-series-2210-alternative-a/

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

  1. Knowledge of airborne communications and tactical data links (TDLs) and military service program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key operational events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of planning actions as related to actual events.
  2. Knowledge of the Department of Defense Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process, and policy, procedures, and schedules for developing Program Objectives Memoranda (POM), Budget Estimate Submissions (BES) and Financial Plans in support of major war, mobilization, and other contingency and operational plans as well as methods for developing budget forecasts, cost projections, financial exhibits, unfunded requirements justifications, POM narratives, offsets and disconnects, reclamas, and issue papers.
  3. Knowledge of concepts, functions, techniques, and capabilities sufficient to evaluate new and emerging IT and communications systems and ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions and staff of a small to medium sized organization.
  4. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, negotiate complex issues, and maintain good working relations. Ability to prepare and present briefing. Possess effective writing and speaking skill to articulate pertinent program management issues in applications of TDL acquisition for Air Force systems.
  5. Ability to make critical, independent decisions, present and influence top management level decisions, and support and defend decisions to higher-level management.
  6. Ability to manage a small staff and carry out all phases of personnel management responsibilities.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT CONTINUED:
  • Position is designated special-sensitive and requires eligibility for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), other intelligence-related Special Sensitive information, or involvement in Top Secret Special Access Programs (SAP) to fully perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. A non-disclosure agreement must be signed.
  • Drug Testing: This position has been designated by the Air Force as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Testing Program. Employee must pass initial and periodic short notice drug testing. Illegal drug useby employees in sensitive positions presents a clear threat to the mission of the Air Force, national security, and public safety.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Summary Continued: This position provides airborne communications program oversight to include planning, programming, and budgeting and execution (PPBE), strategy, and policy management to ensure the USAF Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Communications is aligned with the USAF and SAF/CN vision and strategy, including statutory and Department of Defense (DoD) requirements, and is incorporated into all USAF publications. The incumbent is involved in policy development and/or establishment of policy by either taking the high-level policy and adapting USAF policy or by recommending and developing new USAF policies based on new and emerging threats and technologies.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Selectees who physically reside permanently in the U.S., the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or Northern Mariana Islands, and the Possessions of the U.S., during the entire recruitment process (application, selection, and acceptance of a formal job offer) and selected for employment in the foreign area are eligible to receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, Post Allowance, Home Leave, etc. (subject to approval)

Selectees who physically reside outside the U.S., the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or Northern Mariana Islands, and the Possessions of the U.S., during any step of the recruitment process (application, selection, and acceptance of a formal job offer) will have foreign area benefits eligibility be determined on a case by case basis.

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 package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Your responses to the questionnaire may be compared to the documents you submit. The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide

The mission of the United States Air Force is: To fly, fight, and win ... Airpower anytime, anywhere. To achieve that mission, the Air Force has a vision of Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power. That vision orbits around three core competencies: Developing Airmen, Technology-to-Warfighting and Integrating Operations. Core competencies and distinctive capabilities are based on a shared commitment to three core values -- integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.

This position is a Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel Systems (DCIPS) position implemented under Section 504, Title V of Public Law 99-569, Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987, as codified in Sec 1601, Chap 83 of Title 10 United States Code which sets forth Air Force policies and procedures for DCIPS. This position is in the Excepted Service.

DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must submit documents verifying your eligibility with your application package.

For additional information on DCIPS, click here

Agency contact information

Total Force Service Center
Phone
1-800-525-0102
Email
DO.NOT.EMAIL@CALL.ONLY
Address
IC - Air Force DCIPS
550 C Street W
JBSA Randolph AFB, TX 78150
US

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