Network Architect-DHA

Summary

IT Specialist (APPSW) Network Architect positions are being filled through the Office of Personnel Management's delegated Direct Hire Authority, open to all U.S. citizens. Selections made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Many" do not apply.

Duties

This announcement serves as public notice. Applications submitted will be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available. Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6‑month eligibility period has elapsed. Positions filled with applications from this pool will be placed into positions where cybersecurity duties occupy the majority of the work performed.

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered. Please visit the new resume guidance for more information. Read all sections of this announcement in its entirety. This information is crucial to submitting a successful application. Applicants must qualify for the series and grade of the posted position. 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. The resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, abilities, and proficiency of any required competencies to perform the specific position for which you are applying.

To qualify for the 2210 IT Specialist series, the applicant must demonstrate the following competencies:

• Attention to Detail – Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Customer Service – Works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; and is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Oral Communication – Expresses information effectively to individuals or groups, taking into account the audience and nature of the information; 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.

Duties: Establishes and maintains executive‑level coordination and liaison interfaces within SSA and with outside organizations (IT industry) involved in SSA’s operational and telecommunications systems. Develops and maintains an extensive network of information technology professionals/specialists throughout the public and private sectors. Plans, directs, and/or conducts complex, sensitive and/or confidential studies which involve resolving critical problems in existing or future systems, and which require innovative solutions in many aspects of the studies. Assesses needs and develops policies and regulations to ensure timely delivery of services. Leads ongoing research activities for determining the most effective techniques and practices for the resolution of critical systems problems. Prepares and presents written reports and memoranda, oral presentations, seminars, workshops and recommendations concerning short‑ and long‑range objectives that provide authoritative information and analyses, which examine, compare, and develop options to devise new approaches to understanding issues involved, and recommends solutions.

Minimum Qualifications: Grade 15. To qualify at the GS‑15 level, you must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS‑14 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such IT related experience must include skill in network planning, design, implementation and troubleshooting in a data‑center environment utilizing redundant hardware and fail‑over capabilities. Includes planning and designing data‑center network infrastructures that support several thousand users, troubleshooting complex network outages that affect users in a large campus, cloud, or data‑center environment. Please note: this specialized experience is REQUIRED and must be explicitly documented/described in your résumé, or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Qualification standards and additional information for this position can be found here:

Additional Information

See announcement cutoff dates below under How to Apply. This announcement serves as public notice. Applications submitted will be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available. Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6‑month eligibility period has elapsed. Applications may be gathered from additional recruitment sources.

The Social Security Administration’s technology team plays a vital role in supporting the agency’s mission to serve millions of Americans. We are responsible for the strategic planning, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the agency’s computer systems and enterprise information technology infrastructure. Our team is dedicated to designing, building, testing, and delivering innovative technology solutions that ensure uninterrupted, 24/7 availability of critical services to the public. Our technology environment is robust and dynamic, spanning agency data centers and hybrid cloud platforms. We provide continuous operations management for essential applications, maintain and monitor all computer storage, network assets, and technology services, and ensure seamless, high‑performance delivery for key workloads such as online services, Social Security number verification, and secure data exchanges. We also lead governance activities for infrastructure and software change management, capacity planning, and performance testing, guaranteeing a highly available and resilient environment. We are committed to leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to optimize processes, enhance system efficiency, and improve the experience for both users and employees. With multiple specialized divisions, a central operations center, and regional service support centers, our team delivers comprehensive support and exceptional customer service to agency employees, state partners, and industry collaborators.

• Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See
• Salary Range Information:
  • Denver, CO – $164,956 – $197,200
  • Durham, NC – $154,492 – $197,200
  • Woodlawn, MD/Urbana, MD – $169,279 – $197,200
  • Wilkes/Barre, PA – $147,945 – $192,331
• Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1‑year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
  • Performance and conduct
  • Needs and interests of the agency
  • Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government
  • Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service

Do you have a desire to help SSA manage its Social Security programs? Analyze and solve problems? Help and advise millions of retired and disabled individuals? Work on a team to make a difference in people’s lives and your own? Join SSA, one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!