Information Technology Specialist

Federal Emergency Management Agency•Washington, DC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in Washington, DC. The Information Technology Specialist uses expert knowledge of advanced IT principles, concepts, methods, standards, and practices to lead multifunctional development projects involving software analysis, design, development, and implementation for new systems or major enhancements to existing systems. The work requires a thorough understanding of application software design concepts and methods, the relationships among IT disciplines, IT infrastructure, and project management principles and methods. The incumbent reviews how new systems-design policies affect the system design process, assesses whether new software-design technologies can be adopted in the existing systems environment, and leads implementation activities throughout FEMA. The position supports FEMA’s mission to help people before, during, and after disasters. Employees have recurring emergency-management responsibilities and may be recalled at any time for emergency operations. This may involve irregular hours, work away from the official duty station, duties outside the regular position description, and extensive travel with little advance notice. Deployments may last weeks to months and may involve relocation to physically austere and operationally challenging emergency sites. The position requires a Secret Clearance, U.S. citizenship, and the ability to deploy on short notice to locations throughout the United States and its territories for extended periods. The selectee must attend a three-week in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland, within six months of onboarding; FEMA covers travel expenses.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen.
Successfully pass and maintain a background investigation for a Secret Clearance; the investigation may include a credit check and review of financial issues and certain criminal or drug-related matters.
Register for Selective Service, if applicable.
Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements, including 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band.
Be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
Be able to deploy with little or no advance notice anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period.
Demonstrate IT-related experience in attention to detail, customer service, decision making, information management, interpersonal skills, oral communication, problem solving, teamwork, and technical competence.
For GS-14 qualification, have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-13, gained in federal, state or local government, or the private sector, that includes leading multifunctional development projects for new systems or major enhancements using advanced IT principles, concepts, methods, standards, and practices; applying software design concepts and methods, knowledge of relationships among IT disciplines, IT infrastructure, and project management principles and methods; and using new software-design technologies to review the impact of new systems-design policies on the system design process.
Attend a three-week in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland, within six months of onboarding.
Current or former political appointees within the past five years must disclose that status to the Human Resources Office.
New Federal competitive-service employees and new supervisors or managers must complete a one-year probationary period.
If identified as a Testing Designated Position, submit to random drug testing under FEMA’s Drug-Free Workplace Plan.

Responsibilities

Provide expert guidance on IT projects for subordinate staff.
Ensure FEMA policies and standards are followed during development.
Lead application design reviews.
Support the collection and analysis of data on the effectiveness of acquisition programs.
Apply application software design concepts and methods to lead application development.
Review the impact of new systems-design policies on the system design process.
Assess the feasibility of adopting new software-design technologies in the current systems environment and lead implementation activities throughout FEMA.
Participate in recurring emergency-management responsibilities and deploy for emergency operations when required.