Defense Finance and Accounting Service Logo
Position Title
IT SPECIALIST (APPSW)
Agency
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Announcement Number
DFAS-ML-12700161-25 Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 to Wednesday, March 12, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
The following section is used to determine your eligibility for appointment in the Federal Government or Status for referral consideration. Please indicate by your responses all categories of eligibilities for which you would like to be considered. You will only be considered under eligibilities that you select. If you are not able to select at least one of the eligibilities below, you are not eligible to be considered for this position.

NOTE: You must submit the required documentation to verify EACH eligibility you select. Failure to provide the required documents will render you not eligible for consideration.

See instructions under the "How to Apply" tab for submitting documentation.
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1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a current, permanent Career or Career-Conditional employee of the agency hiring for this position in the competitive service AND have permanently held a grade below the target grade of this position? (SF-50 block 24 must be a "1" or "2") (limit characters)
3. Are you a current, permanent Career or Career-Conditional employee of the agency hiring for this position in the competitive service AND have permanently held a grade at or above the target grade of this position? (SF-50 block 24 must be a "1" or "2") (limit characters)
4. Are you a veteran who is currently an employee of the agency hiring for this position on a permanent Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)? (SF-50 block 24 must be a “1” or “2” AND block 34 must be a “2”). (limit characters)
5. I am an MR or NG Reserve Technician who will lose or has lost my military membership through no fault of my own after completing at least 15 years of technician service and a minimum of 20 years of service creditable for non-regular retirement.  I am exercising my preference eligibility to DoD positions within my local commuting area in accordance with Section 3329(b) of Title 5, U.S.C.  This preference eligibility is valid for 1 year after separation. 
NOTE 1:  If you indicate "yes" to this question, you must submit a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist and copies of the appropriate documentation, such as the notification letter you received showing you are no longer eligible for military or NG membership (through no fault of your own) and that you have completed at least 15 years of technician service and a minimum of 20 years of service creditable for non-regular retirement. 
NOTE 2:  By using this eligibility, you certify that you have not obtained permanent Federal employment, nor have you accepted or declined a PPP job offer.
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6. I am currently on retained grade based on receiving a written RIF notification letter of a change to lower grade, or a notification letter of a classification downgrade dated within the last 2 years.  I am exercising my preference eligibility to DoD positions within my local commuting area. 
NOTE 1:  If you indicate "yes" for this statement, you must submit a copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist and copies of the appropriate documentation, such as a RIF change-to-lower-grade notice, and an SF-50 reflecting your RIF change to lower grade. 
NOTE 2:  By using this eligibility, you certify that you have not accepted permanent Federal employment at your retained grade, nor have you accepted or declined a PPP job offer.
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7. I am a military spouse who is currently married to my active duty sponsor. I am exercising my preference eligibility for positions within the local commuting area of my sponsor's current duty station.  I certify that I have not accepted nor declined a permanent, continuing Federal appropriated or non-appropriated fund position in the local commuting area of our current duty location. 
NOTE 1:  Military spouses are eligible for one permanent noncompetitive appointment using their preference eligibility for the duration of the active duty sponsor's assignment to a permanent duty station, as long as the military spouse has not declined or accepted a permanent Federal or non-appropriated fund position in the commuting area of the sponsor's current duty location.  If you certify that you have not used your preference at your sponsor's current duty location and it is discovered to be untrue, you may be subject to loss of MSP and possible disciplinary action. 
NOTE 2:  You must include a copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP.
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Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
2. Are you a retired Federal employee receiving an annuity from the Office of Personnel Management? NOTE: If you answered yes to this question, attach a copy of your retirement Standard Form 50 to your application. (limit characters)
3. Are you a current or former (within last five-years) Executive Branch political appointee; Schedule C excepted service appointee (confidential, policy or transitional role), or non-career or limited appointee in the Senior Executive Service (SES)?

Agencies must request OPM approval to appoint the following current or former (within five-years) Executive Branch political appointees to permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES positions:
https://www.opm.gov/FAQs/QA.aspx?fid=023f2059-dff7-4307-89b4-c553c218af1d&pid=08248d29-d26e-44b6-9988-57655358d509
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4. To be eligible for Military Spouse Preference (MSP) under this vacancy announcement, you must have appointment eligibility under one of the following authorities and submit the appropriate, required documentation to verify your eligibility. Please select one or more eligibilities that apply to you. (limit characters)
There is a time-in-grade (TIG) requirement for this position for applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position in the previous 52 weeks. These applicants must meet TIG within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Your answer to this section will indicate you possess the time in grade requirement or if it does not apply. Please answer the following question(s) by selecting the most appropriate response.
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5. There is a time in grade (TIG) requirement for advancement to this position. Have you completed one year in a position at, above, or equivalent to the GS-11 level? Please indicate the appropriate response below: (limit characters)
6. This section is used to determine if your current performance rating is acceptable for further consideration. All current federal employees must have a minimum performance rating of at least Fully Successful (or equivalent) to be considered for placement. Current federal employees who have a current unacceptable performance rating will be excluded from consideration. NOTE: Failure to select one of the below responses will render you ineligible for further consideration.

If you are a current Federal employee, was your most recent performance rating of record (that is, the rating recorded in your official personnel folder) at least Fully Successful (or equivalent); OR a Pass rating on a Pass/Fail scale? Even if you have not received a rating of record in the past 12 months, you should still indicate your most recent performance rating of record.
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Assessment 1
Please accurately identify your level of training or experience when completing this questionnaire. Your responses will be evaluated and verified based on your submitted resume. Ensure that your resume accurately describes the level of education and/or experience claimed in the assessment questionnaire. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your stated level of experience and demonstrated capability. By continuing in the application process, I acknowledge that my self-assessment questionnaire score may be reduced, and I may lose consideration for this position if the work experience described in my resume does not support my responses to the assessment questionnaire. (limit characters)
1. From the descriptions below, select the letter which corresponds to the highest level of experience or education which you fully possess and demonstrates your IT-related work experience addressing the four competencies, in the vacancy announcement, and your ability to perform the work of an Information Technology Specialist (APPSW) at the GS-12 grade level. Select only one letter for each item. (limit characters)
For each item, select the one response that most accurately describes your current level of experience and capability using the scale below. (limit characters)
2. Analyze production processing to identify viable systems improvements in application response, usability, flexibility, and data integrity.
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3. Applies a thorough systemic knowledge to evaluate system change requests and to determine impact on production systems. (limit characters)
4. Evaluate major financial management/accounting IT systems, operating concepts, system and security requirements in order to carry out comprehensive reviews of production operations.
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5. Perform programming tasks to develop and maintain applications such as writing, debugging, and maintaining code.
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6. Coordinate systems change proposals with other functional staff to ensure standard application for system wide usage. (limit characters)
7. Review systems change proposals to determine their applicability based on compliance with regulations. (limit characters)
8. Troubleshoot software functionality to identify potential problems and research potential root cause(s). (limit characters)
9. Modify and upgrade application code according to software change requests. (limit characters)
10. Perform software development to include functional and technical analysis of programming. (limit characters)
11. Propose policies, standards, and guidelines for software development, and translate and interpret them into meaningful rules to be followed during the application design and coding process. (limit characters)
12. Test and validate application code according to quality standards. (limit characters)
13. Participate in meetings with system users to identify areas of concern or problems with systems in meeting changing organization needs.
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14. Prepare technical guidance and training to ensure customers understand software and computer capabilities.
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15. Train supporting analysts on the interrelationships of systems or subsystems to communicate the detailed logic of each system.
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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
16. Do you certify, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all of the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.)? Do you understand that the information provided may be investigated? Do you understand that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in or with your application may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work? Do you also understand that false or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001)? (limit characters)