IT Specialist

Summary

Duties

• Contributes to IT Tower management performance measures, baselines, and spend analysis processes.
• Develops surveys and approaches and implements expenditure analysis processes.
• Evaluates procedures and tests methods of analyzing specific information technologies.
• Advises technical staff and provides recommendations to management on complicated or unusual problems.
• Serves as a project manager, carrying out assignments involving multifaceted and complex problems that are handled through individual projects and/or technical studies.
• Work with peers, leaders, and technical staff to provide service implementations, advise and provide guidance to customers, and comply with best practices and processes.
• Provides expert technical advice, guidance and recommendations to senior leadership, management and technical specialists on critical, complex, and controversial IT Tower management issues ensuring integration of key program activities

Position is bargaining unit eligible.

This position is primarily aligned to the following NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework work roles:

• 641 - System Requirements Planning: Responsible for consulting with internal and external customers to evaluate and translate functional requirements and integrating security policies into technical solutions.

Promotion Potential: The position is at Full Performance Level

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8am - 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: available at the manager's discretion.
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist/PD18501A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, but there may be occasional walking, standing, bending
and carrying of light items. The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

All required documents must be uploaded at the time you submit your application. The system supports only one submission. Applicants will not be able to edit their application or upload additional documents once it has been submitted.

Applications that are incomplete-including those missing required documentation-will not be considered. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the Required Documents section and ensuring all mandatory materials are included prior to submission.

Note: Applicants will not be contacted for missing information. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation necessary to determine qualification and eligibility.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/16/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 or equivalent in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Analyzing, designing, developing, or provisioning telecommunications infrastructure, including moves, changes, or new installations; translating functional requirements into technical solutions for new or modified IT/telecommunications systems, such as cost estimates, use cases, or design specifications; applying capital planning regulations and policies to evaluate IT program effectiveness, efficiency, or total cost of ownership; and advising management or technical staff on complex IT Tower management issues, including preparing documents to support programmatic recommendations.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.