IT Specialist (SysAdmin)

National Institutes of Health • Montgomery County, MD

5d

About The Position

Join the NIH as an IT Specialist (Systems Administration), supporting the technology behind clinical care and research at the NIH Clinical Center. The role manages and modernizes mission-critical Windows, virtualization, storage, compute, and backup infrastructure; resolves complex technical challenges; strengthens security, reliability, and recovery; and uses automation to improve operations. The position collaborates across NIH to keep essential systems running securely and effectively.

The position supports infrastructure for clinical care and research systems and includes system administration, monitoring and troubleshooting, security and lifecycle work, automation, coordination with technical and operational stakeholders, and maintenance of technical and recovery documentation. The work is sedentary, with occasional light carrying, walking, standing, and travel to meetings or conferences. Some employees may occasionally encounter uncomfortable conditions in research facilities. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated; normal safety precautions are required.

Requirements

• Meet the U.S. citizenship or U.S. national proof requirement by the announcement closing date.
• Successfully complete required background investigation, qualification verification, onboarding, document submission, and other job-related requirements.
• Meet all qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Be able to perform the essential duties, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Meet the IT-related experience or training competencies of attention to detail, customer service, oral communication, and problem solving.
• For GS-11 by experience: at least one year equivalent to GS-09 performing qualifying work that includes Windows Server and directory services support; virtualized server and related compute, storage, or backup/recovery support; infrastructure troubleshooting; and systems maintenance or security activities. Alternatively, qualify through the specified doctoral degree or three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.
• For GS-12 by experience: at least one year equivalent to GS-11 administering Windows Server and directory services; administering virtualized server and compute, storage/SAN, or backup/recovery infrastructure; resolving production infrastructure problems across components; and implementing security or lifecycle activities.
• For GS-13 by experience: at least one year equivalent to GS-12 independently administering and optimizing production server infrastructure; resolving complex or recurring multi-component infrastructure problems; evaluating and implementing security requirements; and planning or coordinating major infrastructure changes.
• A combination of education and specialized experience may meet the GS-11 qualification requirements.
• If qualifying through education, submit transcripts or a course list; official transcripts are required from selectees before an official offer.
• A pre-employment medical examination and immunization evidence may be required depending on duty location; selected employees must be free from communicable diseases.

Responsibilities

• Administer and support Windows Server, directory services, virtualization, compute, storage/SAN, and backup and recovery infrastructure supporting NIH Clinical Center clinical care and research systems.
• Monitor system performance and diagnose and resolve infrastructure, availability, interoperability, and service-restoration issues using logs, monitoring tools, diagnostics, and other technical information.
• Strengthen system security through hardening, security baselines, privileged-access management, patching, and vulnerability remediation.
• Plan, test, document, and implement upgrades, migrations, configuration changes, hardware and firmware maintenance, and other system lifecycle activities using established change-control practices.
• Develop and use PowerShell, scripting, and automation to improve repeatability, reduce manual administration, and support efficient infrastructure operations.
• Collaborate with system owners, application teams, support staff, vendors, cybersecurity personnel, and other NIH technical organizations to resolve incidents, coordinate changes, and maintain reliable services and approved interfaces.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, configuration records, operating procedures, implementation steps, and recovery documentation.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package for employees and their families.
• A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive credit toward annual leave accrual for qualifying prior work experience or active-duty uniformed service, subject to approval.
• A recruitment incentive may be available case by case.
• A relocation incentive may be available to a current federal employee moving from a different geographic location, subject to conditions.
• A salary above the minimum may be approved based on superior qualifications or a special government need.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed