Information Technology Specialist

Summary You will serve as an Information Technology Specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Capital Access (OCA), Customer Service Center (CSC) in Buffalo, New York. This position is responsible for troubleshooting problems, establishing and maintaining remote location communications, train and support end-users and providing support the Center staff in a service-oriented environment. Learn more about this agency Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. citizenship is required. You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government travel credit card. Favorable background investigation and credit check are required. You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period. This position is not included in a bargaining unit. Mandatory Overtime: In order to respond quickly and efficiently to disaster survivors, substantial compensated overtime hours may be required while on assignment (up to seven days a week and ten to fourteen hours a day). Qualifications Individual Occupational Requirements 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 four competencies listed below. 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. Generally, time in Non-Pay status is not creditable towards the specialized experience requirement listed below. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. You may qualify based on experience, education or a combination of both. Experience: To receive credit, you must indicate the month and year as well as the average hours worked per week for each employer. Average work hours must be stated on the resume to quantify each period of work experience or that experience will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. You must address the specific specialized experience required for each grade level of this position on your resume or application or you will be rated "Ineligible" for that grade level. GS-11: To qualify you must have at least 1 full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. This experience may have been gained in a Non-Federal service position. In addition, this Specialized Experience must demonstrate the following: Communicating orally to various internal and external customers to accomplish program objectives and goals, which includes training staff and/or end users via on-the-job training or classroom instruction; and Communicating in writing to various internal and external customers to accomplish program objectives and goals; and Assisting with implementing Information Technology (IT) security requirements, policies, and procedures designed to protect the integrity and vulnerability of systems, networks, and data including Personal Identifiable Information (PII); and Installing and troubleshooting Information Technology (IT) hardware, software, and networks in a variety of local and/or remote locations; and Configuring Windows-based networks; setting up Windows-based accounts; and/or working with Cloud-based technologies such as Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Enterprise Tools, etc.; and Deploying and maintaining mobile devices such as laptops, telephones, etc. for employee use. GS-12: To qualify you must have at least 1 full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. This experience may have been gained in a Non-Federal service position. In addition, this Specialized Experience must demonstrate the following: Communicating orally to various internal and external customers to accomplish program objectives and goals, which includes training staff and/or end users via on-the-job training or classroom instruction; and Communicating in writing to various internal and external customers to accomplish program objectives and goals; and Implementing IT security requirements, policies, and procedures designed to protect the integrity and vulnerability of systems, networks, and data including Personally Identifiable Information (PII); and Configuring and troubleshooting IT hardware, software, and networking technologies in a variety of local and/or remote locations. Configuring windows-based computer equipment, configuring and utilizing Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and utilizing hard drive encryption standards Utilizing remote access industry standards, such as Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications website Qualification Standards:GS-2210: Information Technology Management Series (opm.gov) *Experience that demonstrated 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 by assignments where the applicant analyzed a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of ADP system design, such as what system interrelationships must be considered, or what operating mode, system software, and/or equipment configuration is most appropriate for a given project.*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. If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy) All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 12/24/2024. Education If qualifying based on education, you must submit transcripts by the closing date of this announcement or you will not be found eligible. GS-11: PH.D or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field or 3 full years of related progressively higher level graduate education leading to a PH.D or equivalent doctoral degree. OR A combination of experience and education as indicated above. GS-12: There is no educational substitution at this grade level.. All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 12/24/2024. Additional information If selected for this position, you will be eligible for benefits. The above link is provided for your reference to explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees. Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire Read more 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 window Learn 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.