IT Specialist (SYSADMIN) - DIRECT HIRE

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Department of Information Technology (DoIT), Immediate Office of the Superintendent, United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Maritime Administration (MARAD).

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the GS-13, you must have at least one year of equal or equivalent experience, which includes: Experience planning and managing multiple full life-cycle environmental related projects including developing detailed project work plans; identifying schedules and budgets; developing marketing strategies; preparing and delivering formal and informal presentations; meeting project milestones and finalizing project close-out reports.

Experience utilizing systems design tools, method, and techniques to analyze acquisition systems design (including web applications), business processes, and operations of an organization.

Experience managing enterprise-level platforms and applications across diverse business functions and academic technology.

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: 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.

Technical Knowledge - Possesses practical and theoretical understanding of IT systems, software development and product management practices, systems analysis methods, integration approaches, and data instrumentation/analytics sufficient to design, implement, maintain, and optimize enterprise academic and administrative platforms (e.g., LMS, SIS, CRM) to meet institutional goals Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Communication - Ability to clearly and effectively convey technical and non-technical information, both orally and in writing, to diverse audiences—including stakeholders, end users, vendors, and team members—to facilitate understanding, collaboration, and successful project outcomes.

For all types of consideration, 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, 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.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Major Duties:

The IT Specialist (Systems analysis/product owner): Is responsible for the full range of system application development for various areas throughout the Academy.

Evaluates commercial-off-the-shelf (cots) software and makes recommendations for software selections.

Once selected, plans, coordinates, implements, and maintains commercial-off-the shelf software that support agency functions.

Exercises ownership of the product lifecycle for key academic and administrative platforms (e.g., lms, sis, crm, case management), including implementation, upgrades, backlog management, and continuous optimization to support institutional goals and enhance user experience.

Collaborates with cross-functional team including it, faculty, staff, and external vendors—to gather requirements, define user stories, prioritize features, and ensure timely delivery of high-impact solutions.

Leverages data and analytics to inform product decisions, improve platform performance, and support strategic initiatives such as branding, seo, and student engagement.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic and strategic product owner with five to ten years of experience in the system development life cycle and application management.

We are seeking an independent, self-starter with exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple high priority initiatives at USMMA.