IT Specialist

Join VA's Infrastructure Operations (IO) to deliver and maintain secure, high-availability IT and cloud solutions. Help protect and modernize mission-critical systems and support quality services for Veterans. Work in a dynamic, innovative environment as IT Specialist. Located in the Infrastructure Operations (IO)/Support Systems (SS). Apply Now! Major Duties: Provides advanced technical support of Server software patching, installation, and package creation. Oversees installation, implementation, configuration, and support of system components. Manages server configuration and standardization efforts. Troubleshoots hardware/software interface and interoperability problems. Provides ongoing optimization and problem-solving support. Responds to alerts when performance is outside thresholds and rectifies them. Implements system security measures (confidentiality, integrity, availability,, authentication, non-repudiation). Maintains baseline system security per organizational policy. Provides advanced support for enterprise security services (firewalls, anti-virus, operation system updates, removable media). Applies service-oriented security architecture principles to meet confidentiality, integrity, availability requirements. Cybersecurity Code 801- Program Manager: Leads, coordinates, communicates, integrates, and is accountable for the overall success of the program, ensuring alignment with agency or enterprise priorities. Cybersecurity Code 451 • System Administrator: Responsible for setting up and maintaining a system or specific components of a system ( e.g. for example, installing, configuring, and updating hardware and software; establishing and managing user accounts; overseeing or conducting backup and recovery tasks; implementing operational and technical security controls; and adhering to organizational security policies and procedures). Cybersecurity Code 461 • Systems Security Analyst: Responsible for the analysis and development of the integration, testing, operations, and maintenance of systems security. For more information about these work roles, where they fit within the larger Cyber Workforce, and how they can support your unique career journey, please visit the Cyber Career Pathways tool on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies website: https://niccs.us-cert.gov/workforce-development/cyber-career-pathways Work Schedule: Monday • Friday 8am • 4:30pm. Compressed/Flexible: Available at the manager's discretion. Telework: Ad Hoc, as determined by Agency Policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist/PD10041A Physical Demands: The work is sedentary, but may involve intermediate periods of walking, bending, stooping, lifting, carrying, moving (up to 50 pounds) computer components and supplies, reaching, pulling, and working at a keyboard and monitor. Subject to call back outside tour of duty. Working Conditions: The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. 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. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/09/2026. You must meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements, Specialized Experience and Selective Placement Factors to qualify for this series as described below. Minimum Qualifications Requirements EXPERIENCE: To qualify for this position, you must have information technology-related experience demonstrating all of the four competencies listed below. Ensure that this experience is clearly described in your resume: 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-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Providing technical support and administration for enterprise storage and data protection platforms, including NetApp, Dell PowerMax, Dell Data Domain, and Commvault HyperScale; configuring and maintaining Cisco MDS Storage Area Network fabric infrastructure; designing storage architectures; developing provisioning, tiering, replication, backup, recovery, and data migration strategies; and validating recovery objectives. Experience troubleshooting complex hardware, software, and interoperability issues to root cause; applying information assurance principles and security controls; remediating vulnerabilities; monitoring performance, capacity, and availability; and recommending mitigations, upgrades, and lifecycle refreshes. Experience leading enterprise storage and data protection projects across teams and Service Lines, including developing Standard Operating Procedures and ensuring alignment with Service Level Agreements. AND- Selective Placement Factor: This position includes a skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to • and essential for- satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. Selective Placement Factor Hands-on experience administering enterprise storage arrays, such as NetApp and Dell PowerMax, including provisioning, capacity management, and performance optimization. Experience administering enterprise backup and recovery systems, such as Commvault HyperScale and Dell Data Domain, including backup operations and recovery validation. Experience configuring and maintaining SAN fabric infrastructure, such as Cisco MDS, including zoning and Fibre Channel connectivity. Experience applying information assurance controls addressing confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and performing vulnerability or compliance scanning on IT systems. 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. 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. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those who have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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. 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. 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. There is no educational substitution at this grade level.