IT Specialist (SysAdmin)

Join the NIH as an Information Technology Specialist (Systems Administration) and help deliver secure, high-performance enterprise IT services. You'll design, implement, and support critical infrastructure, servers, storage, networking, and cybersecurity solutions while solving complex technical challenges. Collaborate with experts, drive innovation, and make a direct impact supporting mission-critical applications and services., * Design, implement, manage, and optimize enterprise IT infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking, and application hosting environments.

• Administer and support mission-critical systems to ensure high availability, performance, security, and reliability.

• Lead cybersecurity efforts by implementing security controls, conducting vulnerability assessments, and ensuring compliance with federal security requirements.

• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues affecting infrastructure, applications, and enterprise services.

• Plan, coordinate, and execute system upgrades, migrations, and technology modernization initiatives.

• Monitor system performance, analyze trends, and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency, scalability, and customer experience.

• Provide technical leadership, consultation, and guidance to stakeholders, customers, and IT teams.

• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions that support organizational and mission needs.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, implement, and maintain secure, resilient, and cost-effective IT solutions.

• Develop and maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, and best practices., * U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.

• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.

• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.

• The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.

• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.

• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Based on your appointment, a one or two-year trial/probationary period may be required. A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period.

• If selected, depending on your duty location, you must pass a pre-employment medical examination, provide evidence of immunization, and be free from communicable diseases., * At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: telework compressed schedules, flexible schedules.

• This position is designated as a Tier 2 "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.

• Visit our Help Applying page for helpful information on the application process.

• A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active-duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.

• A newly appointed or reappointed individual may receive a recruitment incentive. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.

• A current federal government employee may receive a relocation incentive if moving from a different geographic location. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.

• If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: Reasonable Accommodation.

• We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s). Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions.

• If selected, you may be eligible to receive a salary above the minimum based on superior qualifications and/or a special need of the Government for your services. This applies to employees paid under the General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS) pay systems and is at the discretion of the hiring manager. A salary above the minimum must be approved before the appointment.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution., If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, your application and responses to the online questionnaire will be evaluated under Category Rating and selection procedures for placement in one of the following categories:

• Best Qualified - for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria

• Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria

• Qualified - for those who meet the minimum qualification requirements, You may use the USAJOBS Resume Builder or upload your own resume. If uploading, ensure it includes all required information and is organized so we can match the following to each position:

• Job title

• Employer name

• Employment dates (MM/DD/YYYY)

• Hours worked per week (full-time assumed; part-time prorated)

• Detailed duties, accomplishments, skills, responsibilities, and supervisory details (if applicable)

• Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Help Applying, USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Guidance. If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS To claim veterans' preference, career transition selection priority, Schedule A, or military spouse eligibility, you must provide the documentation listed below AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire.

• Veterans' preference (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation for 10-point claims. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you are claiming derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point claims, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
• Visit our sites on Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) for more information and required documentation.
• Visit our site on the Appointment of Certain Military Spouses for more information and required documentation to verify eligibility.
• Schedule A Eligibility (Applicants with Disabilities) Applicants who are eligible to be considered under Schedule A must submit appropriate documentation to verify eligibility. Documentation must be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be on a medical professional's letterhead. Veterans' preference takes precedence in these appointments.

The Schedule A and military spouse hiring authorities do not guarantee employment or give an individual preference in the hiring process.

Do not submit documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official(s)., * Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.

• Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Veteran, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.

• Complete the application questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12980782

• After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.

• If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.

• Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.

• Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

• Set aside about 2 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

• Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

• Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the application questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.

Do you have experience in Serving clients?, Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration., In order to qualify for an Information Technology Specialist (Systems Administration), GS-2210 position at the GS-13 level, you must have IT related experience demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience obtained in either the private or public sector, and/or completion of specific, intensive training that demonstrates all of the following four competencies:

1. Attention to Detail - is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail; and
2. 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; and
3. 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; and
4. Problem Solving - identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

AND

1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector typically gained in the IT field or through performing IT related tasks such as: advising on developing and implementing hosting infrastructure technologies; reviewing and evaluating hosted applications security requirements; installing upgrades to the Windows operating system and related utilities; serving as a technical consultant to customers in support of application systems hosted on an organization's servers, diagnosing causes of critical systems administration problems, and devising solutions; and analyzing server performance data and recommending changes.

A combination of education and specialized experience that meets the qualification requirements for this position.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay. Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position., This job does not have an education qualification requirement., * Accountability

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment., Position sensitivity and risk High Risk (HR) Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job. Background check type

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required No Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Pulled from the full job description

• Flexible schedule, 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 windowLearn 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.