IT Specialist

Summary The incumbent of this position is responsible for developing and executing a wide variety of IT initiatives in support of VA strategic priorities that span across the enterprise and require the use of modem digital delivery best practices. In addition to developing strategies, planning, and execution of project management principles, methods and tools, the incumbent will be hands-on in the day-to-day execution of all aspects of the project and program. Learn more about this agency Duties Major Duties: Spearheads efforts in the use of modem technology development and management approaches through the application of intensive/expert and diversified knowledge of advanced digital delivery practices, theories and concepts as well as drawing heavily upon best practices from the consumer internet industry such as human-centered design, DevOps, and agile development processes. Conceptualizes new methods, principles, and concepts to resolve broad systemic programmatic problems to deliver better government services to the American people through technology and design. Conceives, plans, and manages broad, emerging, and/or critical large-scale agency programs, serves as an expert throughout the agency on major nation-wide/government-wide program issues of Congressional interest Responsible for implementing major transformations of enterprise-wide VA digital services, operating policies and procedures, standards and related reporting systems as indicated by the Supervisor. Provides leadership in the areas of IT policy, IT budget, IT portfolio management, and IT strategic planning. Plans, leads, coordinates, communicates and evaluates to ensure success of a wide variety of IT projects. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Tour of duty may be subject to change based on organizational needs. Travel Required: Up to 25% travel may be required, as needed, for this position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not applicable Designated Drug Testing Position: Not applicable Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the Agency Policy Telework: Adhoc telework may be authorized at management discretion Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist/PD18493A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Demands and Working Conditions: The work is largely sedentary. The incumbent must possess the flexibility and versatility of mind necessary to defend and negotiate matters involving significant controversial issues. May be required to work under stressful conditions, such as long hours, to complete sensitive and urgent work assignments. This is not a remote position. OI&T has multiple worksites at various duty locations, and the individual(s) selected may be assigned to any federal government work site. This announcement will NOT be used for changing duty locations. If selected, and you are a current VA employee, and not on an approved exemption, you will continue to report to your current duty location. 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. Physical Requirements: 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. 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 dentification 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/01/2026. Applicants must meet all requirements when a request is received to fill a vacancy. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Basic Requirements 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 five 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. 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. AND Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-14 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience within the last 2 years creating information architecture strategy and design deliverables, including sitemaps, navigation schemas, domain and URL structures, and IA standards, to support workstreams related to structuring and organizing information across web and mobile app experiences; AND conducting findability research, such as tree testing and card sorting, and analyzing site and search data and translating findings into actionable improvements to support continuous improvement of site structure, labeling systems, navigation, and search experiences. 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.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/. Education There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement. Additional information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. If selected you will be required to report to one of the following locations: Albany, NY Arlington, TX Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Bedford, MA Boston, MA Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH Dallas, TX Denver, CO Detroit, MI Eatontown, NJ Hines, IL Houston, TX Little Rock, AR Long Beach, CA Los Angeles, CA Martinsburg, WV Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN Nashville, TN Oakland, CA Orlando, FL Philadelphia, PA Pheonix, AZ Pittsburgh, PA Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Shepherdstown, WV St. Louis, MO St. Petersburg, FL Tampa, FL Washington, DC If space is not immediately available a temporary exception to telework may be granted. If/when workspace is identified, the employee is expected to report to their assigned duty location Expand Hide  additional information 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. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.