Information Technology Specialist (Applications Software)

Full Job Description

In this position you will provide technical solutions in responding to diverse business requirements.

You serve as a Senior IT Specialist under the direction of the MRP Application Development Services Directorate (ADSD) Branch Chief or a Section Chief within the MRP ADSD.

You will conduct and lead major projects to assess information needs for APHIS and AMS agencies in the MRP business area of USDA.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

FOR THE GS-13 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Contributing to the design and development of full-stack solutions using application frameworks (e.g., .NET Core, Java), cloud and container platforms (e.g., Azure, Kubernetes, Docker), and database technologies (e.g., SQL Server, PostgreSQL).

Applying secure-coding, DevSecOps, and CI/CD practices to diagnose and resolve issues across application, database, or cloud layers using tools such as Azure DevOps, SonarQube, Jira, or Bitbucket.

Using generative AI tools, such as GitHub Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, or similar large language models, to assist in secure software development and analysis.

Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.

In addition, all applicants qualifying based on experience must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below.

Applicants must demonstrate possession of these competencies within the body of the resume; no separate statements addressing them are required.

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.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

• The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Leading Agile projects that deliver technical designs, deployable increments, maintenance releases and finished software applications as they may relate to any MRP mission program.
• Acting as an expert technical liaison to support any contracted development effort that will deliver software applications intended to support any MRP mission program.
• Acting as an expert technical liaison to support any MRP mission program in the development of statements of work (SOW) intended for the contracted development of software applications.
• Ensuring all developed code by self or subordinates meets all defined security requirements as defined by the Security branch.
• Providing tier 3 technical support to any applicable MRP mission software application.
• The configuration of commercial off the shelf (COTS) software applications as they may relate to any MRP mission program.