Internal Revenue Service Logo
Position Title
Information Technology Specialist (INFOSEC) (12 month Register)
Agency
Internal Revenue Service
Announcement Number
24-12430409C-CID-2210-13-14 Opens in new window
Open Period
Tuesday, July 9, 2024 to Tuesday, April 8, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. IRS CTAP Candidate - Are you a current displaced or surplus IRS employee and:
  • you are located either within or outside the local commuting area of this vacancy, AND
  • your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of this vacancy, AND
  • your position has the same or higher promotion potential of this vacancy, AND
  • your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent?

If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES) AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).

For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
(limit characters)
3. Treasury CTAP Candidate - Are you a current displaced or surplus Department of Treasury (non-IRS) employee and:
 
  • you are located within the same local commuting area of this vacancy, AND
  • your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of this vacancy, AND
  • your position has the same or higher promotion potential of this vacancy, AND
  • your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent?

If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES) AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).

For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
(limit characters)
4. ICTAP Candidate - Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position and:
 
  • you are located within the same local commuting area of this vacancy, AND
  • your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of this vacancy, AND
  • your position has the same or higher promotion potential of this vacancy, AND
  • your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent?
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of ICTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal, AND a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent personnel action form.
 
For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
(limit characters)
5. U.S. Citizen Candidate - Are you a U.S. citizen (either by birth or naturalization) or national of the United States? (limit characters)
Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. You may only select up to 3 location(s). (limit characters)
  • No matches found
2. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position. (limit characters)
3. Employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must demonstrate the highest level of ethics and integrity. Former employees will be subject to a screening of their prior performance and conduct with the Service, and all other applicants may be subject to reference checks of prior employment. Your responses to the following questions will be verified; Applicants providing false information may be made ineligible and will be subject to debarment for future employment opportunities with the IRS.

Please select the response that best describes your current or prior employment with the IRS. If you never worked for the Internal Revenue Service, you must select the last response "Not applicable."
(limit characters)
4. Employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must demonstrate the highest level of ethics and integrity, and must be in compliance with all Federal Tax requirements. Applicants being considered for employment with the IRS will be subject to a tax check. You can "Get Your Tax Record" at http://www.irs.gov/ (https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript) and check the status of your account, balance owed, payment history, make a payment, or review answers to tax questions. Applicants not in compliance will be determined unsuitable for employment with IRS. Your responses to the following questions will be verified; Applicants providing false information may be made ineligible and will be subject to debarment for future employment opportunities with the IRS.

Please select the response that best describes your compliance with all Federal Tax requirements. You will be subject to a tax check that will verify your response to this question.
(limit characters)
5. The following question is regarding your Selective Service status. If you are a male born after December 31, 1959, and are at least 18 years of age, civil service employment law (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions under Selective Service law. If you are required to register but knowingly and willfully fail to do so, you are ineligible for appointment by executive agencies of the Federal Government (5 CFR 300.704). Visit http://www.sss.gov/ for additional information. (limit characters)
6. If you are a current Federal employee, by what agency and organization are you employed? (limit characters)
7. If you selected "Other", please enter the agency and organization. (limit characters)
8. If you are a current Federal employee, what is your duty station? [City, State] (limit characters)
9. If you are a Federal employee, under what type of appointment are you currently serving? (limit characters)
10. If you are, or ever were a Federal civilian employee, please provide your current or last pay plan, series, and grade level or pay band. For example: GS-0303-05, IR-0343-02, WG-5400-04. (limit 250 characters)
11. If you are, or ever were a Federal civilian employee, indicate the pay plan and grade level or pay band of the highest graded position you have ever held. For example: GS-05, IR-02, WG-04. (limit characters)
12. Are you a current or former Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility? (limit characters)
13. Are you a retiree receiving a Federal annuity, either military or civilian?

Note: If you are an annuitant, your salary or annuity may be reduced upon employment.
(limit characters)
14. Have you accepted a buyout from a Federal agency within the past 5 years? (limit characters)
15. Regarding the effectiveness of our recruitment strategies; how did you first hear about this job? (limit characters)
16. If you answered "Posting on a job board or search agent other than USAJOBS (Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed, LinkUp, etc." in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the job board or search agent other than USAJOBS you saw the advertisement.

If you answered "Social Media posting (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, on-line job fairs, etc.)" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the Social Media platform you saw the advertisement.

If you answered "Attended a recruitment event (Job/Career Fair, Open House, Meet & Greet, Meetup, etc.)" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name and state of the recruiting event.

If you answered "School/University announcement/career counselor" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the school/university of the announcement where you saw the advertisement.

If you answered "Third party referral, such as diversity or community organization, or employment office (Federal, state or local)" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the third party referral and the state you saw the advertisement.

If you answered "Newspaper (print/online)" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the newspaper and the state you saw the advertisement.

If you answered "Radio" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the radio station and state you heard the advertisement.

If you answered "Transit/Bus Advertisement" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the city and state you saw the advertisement.

If you answered "Banner Advertisement - Major News Websites" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the website.

If you answered "Banner Advertisement - Movie Theater Websites" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the website.

If you answered "Classified Advertisement Website (Craigslist, Angie's List, etc.)" in the previous question, please indicate in the box below the name of the website, city and state.

If you answered "Other" in the previous question, please specify in the box below.
(limit characters)
17. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently employed, or have been employed within the last 5 years, in any one of the categories below, you must disclose this information. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Are you a current or former political appointee as described under 5 U.S.C. sections 5312 through 5316 (relating to the Executive Schedule)?
-OR-
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, or an individual who serves or served in a political capacity under agency-specific authority in the Executive Branch?
-OR-
Are you a current or former noncareer SES appointee, or an individual who serves or served in a political capacity under Limited Term SES or Limited Emergency SES appointment in the Executive Branch?
(limit characters)
18. If yes, identify the position held, the employing agency/organization, and the dates of the appointment. Please provide SF-50s showing your political appointment and, if applicable, resignation/termination SF-50. (limit characters)
19. For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, are you aware that you must submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent as specified in this announcement? An official transcript will be required if you are selected. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: BASIC REQUIREMENTS ALL GRADES: Experience must include Information Technology (IT) related experience that demonstrates each of the following four competencies: 1) Attention to Detail, 2) Customer Service, 3) Oral Communication and 4) Problem Solving.

GS-13 LEVEL: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes Experience that demonstrates accomplishment of computer project assignments that required a wide range of knowledge of computer requirements and techniques pertinent to the position to be filled. This knowledge is generally demonstrated through assignments that required the ability to analyze a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of IT system design. This would include defining what system interrelationships must be considered, or what operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration is most appropriate for a given project.

GS-14 LEVEL: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes Experience that demonstrates accomplishment of computer project assignments that required a wide range of knowledge of computer requirements and techniques pertinent to the position to be filled. This knowledge is generally demonstrated through assignments that required the ability to analyze a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of IT system design. This would include defining what system interrelationships must be considered, or what operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration is most appropriate for a given project.
(limit characters)
Thank you for your interest in applying for this position. Your responses to the following questions supplement the information provided in your resume. (limit characters)
1. GS-13 LEVEL: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-13 LEVEL: Experience that demonstrates accomplishment of computer project assignments that required a wide range of knowledge of computer requirements and techniques pertinent to the position to be filled. This knowledge is generally demonstrated through assignments that required the ability to analyze a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of IT system design. This would include defining what system interrelationships must be considered, or what operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration is most appropriate for a given project.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
2. GS-14 LEVEL: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-14 LEVEL: Experience that demonstrates accomplishment of computer project assignments that required a wide range of knowledge of computer requirements and techniques pertinent to the position to be filled. This knowledge is generally demonstrated through assignments that required the ability to analyze a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of IT system design. This would include defining what system interrelationships must be considered, or what operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration is most appropriate for a given project.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
The next set of questions will be used to determine which specialty areas within Information Technology will be right for you. Please read the description of specialized experience necessary to qualify for each specialty area and select the response that most accurately reflects your experience directly related to that specialty area. Your responses must be supported by experience and/or education outlined in your resume and/or transcripts. Applicants falsely claiming experience that is not supported will be made ineligible and will not receive further consideration. (limit characters)
3. Policy and Planning
Specialized experience includes, as a lead or member of team, developing and interpreting an organization's policies, procedures, and strategies governing the planning and delivery of services to develop new standards, methods, and techniques; evaluate the impact of technological change and conceive solutions to technical issues. Experience applying IT project management practices including developing plans and schedules, estimating resource requirements and monitoring activities. Experience designing, developing, and managing IT planning functions and projects that meet business requirements, and applying, enhancing, or optimizing existing architecture. Experience communicating complex technical requirements to non-technical personnel and preparing and presenting briefings to senior management officials on complex issues. Experience developing, implementing, and interpreting metrics for the evaluation of IT program effectiveness and efficiency. Experience coordinating policy dissemination, managing policy maintenance, and developing mechanisms to measure policy effectiveness and compliance. Experience conducting in-depth analysis of project data, requirements and impact. Experience identifying project problem areas and determining resolutions. Experience may also include serving as a Contract Officer's Representative (COR) insuring obligations stated in IT contracts are complete and advising top-level managers on acquisitions for complex equipment, supplies, and/or services. Experience with agile development or delivery methodology, such as knowledge of Scrum, Kanban or Scaled agile; experience with agile program management or coaching; experience as a Scrum Master.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
4. Systems Analysis
Specialized experience includes as a lead or member of team planning and coordinating an organization-wide implementation of process improvement methods and concepts to improve the quality of software products; providing guidance and assistance on technical issues; serving as the principal advocate within the agency/organization for the application of process improvement concepts and practices; and consulting with specialists and IT managers throughout the agency in the implementation of process improvement practices. Experience serving as a team leader or technical expert for large scale studies, IT project teams, or systems development; research, integration and deployment of COTS software; evaluating use of newly developed or developing IT technologies, components and techniques, and providing long-range alternative IT transition. Experience providing technical analyses regarding impacts of proposed changes to networks, applications or systems; identifying complex systemic network problems; making recommendations on network performance solutions or procedures. Experience evaluating proposals containing user and system requirements; advising on change requests; coordinating data gathering and development of cost/benefit analyses. Experience with agile development or delivery methodology, such as knowledge of Scrum, Kanban or Scaled agile; experience with agile program management or coaching; experience as a Scrum Master.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
5. Applications Software
Specialized experience includes designing and developing organization-wide applications as a lead or member of team, which include review and approval of technical requirements for projects, developing project plans for development projects in software analysis, design, development, and implementation. Experience leading IT projects, providing guidance to team members and serving as primary liaison between customers and vendors and IT management throughout the development process; identifying resource requirements; resolving issues affecting the configuration of the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure; identifying and correcting weaknesses in critical performance parameters, variances in achieving cost, schedule, and performance goals. Experience evaluating and selecting tools and methods for improving productivity and software quality throughout the life cycle; assessing the feasibility of adopting new software design technologies within the current systems environment; developing best practices guides for use by other IT specialists; and resolving critical issues affecting the configuration of the IT infrastructure. Experience with agile development or delivery methodology, such as knowledge of Scrum, Kanban or Scaled agile; experience with agile program management or coaching; experience as a Scrum Master.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
6. Network Services
Specialized experience includes serving as a local area network (LAN) administrator as a lead or member of team with organization-wide LAN systems, configuring and maintaining LAN, and wide area network (WAN) hardware and software. Developing, implementing, and setting security standards on LAN/WAN equipment. Evaluating overall LAN performance against relevant standards; Providing technical advice and consultation to LAN administrators throughout the organization. Experience troubleshooting Wide Area Network (WAN) connections and coordinating resolutions and installation with contractors/engineers. Experience upgrading switches; consolidating regional networks; and redesigning network infrastructure in response to changes in network technologies or network requirements. Experience managing a large or complex network, establishing routing schema; establishing security practices; developing contingency and recovery plans; maintaining directory services; managing domain name services; providing intranet, Internet, or extranet gateways; and coordinating other actions to ensure the implementation of networks that support mission requirements. Experience conducting cost-benefit analyses and total cost of ownership; developing capacity studies and contingency plans. Experience managing the design of network architectures, evaluating and defining infrastructure requirements; selecting hardware and software components; assembling installation teams; coordinating network implementation planning; and overseeing testing and implementation.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
7. Data Management
Specialized experience includes developing logical data models as a lead or member of team to be translated into workable physical database schema and structures in the database development process; planning and coordinating the development of data structures and access strategies in alignment with business and mission requirements; planning and managing the migration of databases to new technologies; developing technical designs, identifying systems requirements, validating data sources, establishing testing, implementation, and post-implementation support procedures; developing user instructions; and coordinating the evaluation and selection of data management tools; planning and overseeing the installation or reinstallation process of several large databases, and coordinating with specialists in other functional areas to resolve connectivity, compatibility, reliability, security, and related issues; applying patches, service packs, and security fixes, and implementing and managing adequate security at the database/application level. Experience selecting modeling methodologies and tools; generating models that are capable of accommodating new and unanticipated business requirements and processes; verifying integrity; and maintaining and revising existing models.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
8. Systems Administration
Specialized experience includes, as a lead or member of team, reviewing proposed new systems, networks, and software designs for potential security risks; developing and implementing migration strategies or countermeasures; resolving integration issues related to the implementation of new systems within an existing infrastructure; developing contingency to ensure availability and accessibility of network resources in the event of emergencies. Experience generating and running simulation models for future applications and evaluate and verify impacts on the current and planned organizational architecture. Experience developing and implementing plans for installing new products or equipment, resolving installation problems, and maintaining server integrity and availability, including planning for continuity of operations. Experience installing, upgrading, and maintaining software and hardware; documenting the physical configuration of an organizational system; optimizing the functionality of networks and systems using performance tuning tools and techniques.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
9. Systems Administration/Customer Support
Specialized experience includes, as a lead or member of team, developing and implementing migration strategies, including planning for continuity of operations during the deployment of new server technology. Experience generating and running simulation models for future applications and evaluating and verifying impacts on enterprise IT architecture. Experience developing and presenting plans for integrating new server technology into existing architecture. Experience planning and coordinating the installation, configuration, maintenance, and upgrade of enterprise management software and related enterprise-level changes infrastructure. Experience planning, implementing, and managing problem management systems designed to effectively recognize, report, track, and resolve problems and evaluate the feasibility of adapting new methods to enhance customer satisfaction. Experience managing projects that have a significant impact on the delivery of customer support services, e.g., infrastructure or work force relocation projects. Experience representing a customer support office in planning for the installation and implementation of new systems, leading efforts to define post-implementation support requirements.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
10. Customer Support
Specialized experience includes, as a lead or member of team, evaluating and recommending the adoption of new or enhanced approaches to delivering IT services; testing and optimizing the functionality of systems, networks, and data; identifying and defining business or technical requirements applied to the design, development, implementation, management and support of systems and networks; evaluating proposals for the acquisition or use of IT products and services, ensuring the optimal use of commercially available products; and responding to customer service problems resulting from incidents and/or catastrophic events, such as virus infections or power outages. Experience ensuring the integration of IT programs and services; developing solutions to integration/interoperability issues; applying or extending, enhancing, or optimizing the existing architecture; managing assigned projects; communicating complex technical requirements to non-technical personnel; and preparing and presenting briefings to senior management officials on complex issues.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
11. Systems Analysis/Applications Software
Specialized experience includes planning and coordinating an organization-wide implementation of process improvement methods and concepts to improve the quality of software products; serving as the principal advocate within the agency/organization for the application of process improvement concepts and practices; and consulting with specialists and IT managers throughout the agency in the implementation of process improvement practices. Experience as a leader or member of a team performing maintenance or modification of applications; providing technical guidance in designing, coding, testing, debugging, and maintaining programs or applications software; translating and interpreting functional requirements; applying computer assisted software engineering (CASE) tools to the design and development process; testing, installing, implementing, documenting and maintaining software; solving programming problems; maintaining source code; modifying and/or upgrading code as necessary. And/or, experience as a leader or member of an IT project development team; drafting project plans for software analysis, design, development and implementation; identifying resource requirements; reporting progress; enlisting customer engagement; resolving critical issues affecting the configuration of the IT infrastructure; identifying and correcting weaknesses in critical performance parameters, and variances in achieving cost, schedule, and performance goals; investigating, evaluating and selecting tools and methods for improving productivity and software quality throughout the life cycle; assessing the feasibility of adopting new systems analysis techniques or software design technologies within the current systems environment; and developing best practices guides. Experience with agile development or delivery methodology, such as knowledge of Scrum, Kanban or Scaled agile; experience with agile program management or coaching; experience as a Scrum Master.

Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
12. INFOSEC
Specialized experience must include experience as a lead or team member in the IT Security field or work where the primary concern was securing the IT application or environment. Experience applying regulations or other official guidance and principles pertaining to the the planning, development and implementation of the technical aspects of IT Security programs; serving as an Information System Security Officer (ISSO); monitoring, installing and troubleshooting network security devices or applications connected to wide, metropolitan, and local area networks. Experience leading or supporting computer project assignments; knowledge of computer requirements and techniques that demonstrate the ability to analyze a number of alternative approaches in the process of making decisions concerning major aspects of IT system design; defining required personnel resources, project schedules, planning and implementation of technical aspects appropriate for a given project; and applying communicative techniques to effectively and diplomatically interact with internal and external customers.
Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
(limit characters)
13. Which of the following programing languages do you have experience using?
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
14. To qualify for this position and receive full credit for your relevant experience you must list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. Your resume must support your responses to the questions. Do you understand that failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination?
(limit characters)
15. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand if I make an intentional false statement or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.

Failure to agree or respond to the statement below will disqualify you from further consideration for the position. Select the most appropriate response below.
(limit characters)