Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results
 

IT Specialist (SYSANALYSIS/APPSW)

Department of Energy
Western Area Power Administration
Chief of the Information Officer, A2804

Summary

As an IT Specialist (SYSANALYSIS/APPSW), you will serve as a systems business analyst and technical expert in the application of WAPA policies, regulations, specifications, guidelines and procedures to operations, control areas, and merchant business to include supporting interrelationships between the business environments and the Information Technology systems.

THIS IS NOT A REMOTE POSITION. YOU WILL HAVE TO PHYSICALLY REPORT TO ONE OF THE DUTY LOCATIONS LISTED IN THE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/13/2026 to 05/22/2026
Salary
$106,437 - $154,280 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Folsom, CA
Loveland, CO
Watertown, SD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-WA-00571-12957290-IMP
Control number
869245700

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

This position is only open to current Western Area Power Administration employees on a career or career-conditional competitive service appointment.

Duties

Help

As an IT Specialist (SYSANALYSIS/APPSW), some of your duties will include, but are not limited to:

  • Provides business insight to IT personnel involving design applications that meet customer/business partner needs.
  • Develops and administers policies, standards, specifications, guidelines, and procedures governing IT management, reliability, and merchant activities.
  • Acts as the project manager lead for multiple, simultaneous, multifunctional IT projects for an assigned region or WAPA for the purpose of identifying and resolving IT systems and/or applications issues.
  • Serves as an expert consultant and business liaison in areas affecting users and customers/business partners, their functional interfaces, and the impacts of procedural modifications.
  • Provides day-to-day support for assigned systems, applications, equipment, and/or modules, to include development of formal reports or ad-hoc queries, design and development of extensions for the purpose of additional functionality, reconciliation, or integration with other applications, troubleshooting user problems/questions, and analyzing and resolving data issues.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
  • Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
  • In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
  • You may be required to complete a financial disclosure (OGE-450).
  • Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
  • Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

Applicants must meet the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the 2210 Series as described below:

Applicants 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.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The experience need not have been in the federal government.


To qualify for the GS-13:
In addition to meeting the IOR above, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level or pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes:
  • Developing and implementing IT application systems through all phases of the lifecycle, including requirements gathering, system design documentation, software development, testing, and deployment.
  • Managing IT projects, coordinating stakeholders, defining requirements, monitoring schedules, and ensuring successful delivery of project outcomes.
  • Providing technical support for IT systems and applications by troubleshooting user issues, analyzing data, and maintaining compliance with security protocols and organizational IT standards. Key systems experiences include at least two of the following: Physical access control systems, video surveillance systems, and/or transmission line inspection systems.

Time-in-Grade: Current career or career-conditional GS employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional GS employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current career or career-conditional federal employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position.




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.

Additional information

  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov.
  • Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
  • This position is at the full performance level.
  • Upon reporting, and annually thereafter, the selectee may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification. These certifications may be subject to public disclosure.
  • The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is sedentary.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is done in an office. Periodic travel to WAPA field offices and/or HQ, Department of Energy Headquarters, other Power Marketing Administrations, vendor training sites and offices, and vendor/user group conferences may be required.

ADDITIONAL SALARY INFO:

Folsom, CA: $117,984-$153,382
Loveland, CO: $118,675-$154,280
Watertown, SD: $106,437-$138,370

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.

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the scores provided from the SME resume review or USA Hire Assessment to place you into an initial quality category via OPM's Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified."

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Configuration Management
  • Information Resources Strategy and Planning
  • Information Technology Program Management
  • Technical Competence

All qualified Non-competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified".

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (05/22/2026) of this announcement.


To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12957290.

Western Area Power Administration

Join the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Team - Discover Your Next Adventure!

At WAPA, we do more than keep the lights on. As part of the Department of Energy, we are a collective of innovators and problem-solvers dedicated to reliable, cost-based federal hydroelectric power.

Why WAPA?

We market and transmit wholesale electric power generated from 57 federally owned hydroelectric power plants across a 15-state region with over 17,000 miles of transmission lines. As one of the nation's largest transmission providers, WAPA brings wholesale power to market, at cost-based rates, to preference customers such as public utilities and cooperatives, municipalities, national security facilities, and irrigation districts.

Our priority is your career growth and development, with comprehensive training and professional opportunities in a supportive environment. Enjoy competitive salaries, a robust retirement plan, health benefits, flexible schedules, and a work-life balance that values your well-being.

Power Your Career with WAPA

Ready to be part of our dynamic team? Apply to our current openings and take the first step towards a rewarding career that empowers both the West and your future.

Your skills. Our legacy. A shared Future. Are you in?

Agency contact information

PMA Careers
Email
PMACareers@wapa.gov
Address
WAPA Headquarters
12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.