It Specialist (Application Software) Job in Springfield - 87323359 - ZA8M1D8TZ6DDM

Job Title:
IT Specialist (Application Software)

Department:
Department Of Homeland Security

Agency:
Customs and Border Protection

Job Announcement Number:
IHC-330973 VP PN

SALARY RANGE:
$89,033.00 - $115,742.00 /year

OPEN PERIOD:
Wednesday, December 01, 2010 to Wednesday, November 30, 2011
SERIES & GRADE:GS-2210-13

POSITION INFORMATION:
Full Time Career/Career Conditional

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
13

DUTY LOCATIONS:
1 vacancy - Springfield, VA

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:
United States Citizens

JOB SUMMARY:

CBP: Securing America's Borders

Whether on the frontlines or serving behind the scenes supporting our mission, the men and women of CBP are dedicated to keeping America safe.  CBP counts on them. Our Nation counts on them.  Can we count on you?

CBP Mission Statement:  We are the guardians of our nation's borders.  We are America's frontline.  We safeguard the American homeland at and beyond our borders.  We protect the American public against terrorists and the instruments of terror.  We steadfastly enforce the laws of the United States while fostering our nation's economic security through lawful international trade and travel.  We serve the American public with vigilance, integrity, and professionalism.

Discover a challenging and rewarding career in CBP, the sole organization responsible for securing the nation's borders.  As part of our carefully selected, highly trained team, you'll leverage state-of-the art technology, innovative strategies and world-wide partnerships to protect our communities and defend our frontier.

At U.S. Customs and Border Protection, we:

• Screen passengers, vehicles, and shipments entering our country
• Seize illegal narcotics, vehicles, and agricultural products
• Prevent unauthorized entry into the country
• Rescue individuals who fall into dangerous conditions traversing our border

For more information about CBP's mission, activities, and careers, visit our web site, http://www.cbp.gov/.

Who May Apply:  All U.S. Citizens

Organizational Location:  This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Information and Technology, Springfield, VA.           

Relocation Expenses:  Relocation expenses will not be paid.

NOTE: In order to view/and or print the entire announcement, scroll to the bottom of this page and click "Print Preview", then "Print".  Instructions on How to Apply and the Required Documents to submit can be found in the printed announcement and by clicking the appropriate tab above.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Background Security Investigation
• Residency in the U.S. for the last 3 years (see explanation)

Additional Duty Location Info:
1 vacancy - Springfield, VA


You will perform work that supports the design, documentation, development, modification, testing, installation, implementation, and support of new or existing applications software. Specifically, you will develop and interpret policies, procedures, and strategies governing the planning and delivery of application software services throughout the agency; review and approve technical requirements for projects; develop and execute assignments to develop new methods for software design agency-wide; review and approve technical requirements for projects; design, develop and manage systems that meet current and future business requirements; conduct analyses and recommend resolution of complex issues affecting software design agency-wide; provide technical guidance in designing, coding, testing, debugging and maintaining programs agency-wide; translate and interpret IT policies, standards and guidelines for agency-wide software design; ensure that software design complies with regulatory requirements; develop, implement and provide guidance in the application of standards, methods, and procedures for agency-wide software testing; analyze current agency-wide operating procedures; develop new or supplemental guidance to improve the quality of testing process and the reliability and predictability of test results; design, write, test and debug large and complex programs; test, install, implement, document and maintain software; manage assigned nationwide projects; provide expert technical advice, guidance and make recommendations to senior management and other team members on critical and controversial IT issues; and serve as primary liaison between customers and vendors and IT management throughout the development process.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

You qualify at the GS-13 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the skills needed to perform the job duties. This experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-12 if outside the Federal service, is required.

Examples include providing technical guidance in designing, coding, testing, debugging and maintaining applications programs; translating and interpreting functional requirements into applications programs; testing, installing, implementing, documenting and maintaining software; and applying computer assisted software engineering tools to the design and development process

In addition to the above Specialized Experience your resume must also demonstrate the following:

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR:

Applicant must have experience with the software product DIMENSIONS and WORKLENZ

KSAOs

Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements are required to possess certain Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, or Other Characteristics (KSAOs) to successfully perform the functions of this position.  Candidates will be asked to demonstrate their attainment of these KSAOs in an online job questionnaire.  The KSAOs are:

• Skills in applying, application software design and systems engineering theories, comcepts, and methods.
• Knowledge of the mission ans line and administrative programs of the office to which assigned.
• Skills in applying project management principles and methods.
• Ability to provide expert advice and guidance on a wide range and variety of complex application software designs.
• Skill in applying oral and written communication techniques.

Education:

Substitution of education for experience is not accepted at this grade level.

U.S. Citizenship:  Candidates must be United States citizens and present proof of citizenship, if selected.

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. During the three years prior to applying for this position, you must have: physically resided in the United States or its protectorates or territories (excluding short trips abroad, such as vacations); worked for the U.S. Government as an employee overseas in a Federal or military capacity; and/or been a dependent of a U.S. Federal or military employee serving overseas.

Exceptions may be granted to applicants if they can provide complete state-side coverage information required to make a suitability/security determination. Examples of state-side coverage information include: the state-side address of the company headquarters where the applicant's personnel file is located, the state-side address of the Professor in charge of the applicant's "Study Abroad" program, the church records for the applicant's overseas church missions, and/or the state-side addresses of anyone who worked or studied with the applicant while overseas. Applicants must provide this information when filing their application for employment.

Qualifications by Closing Date:  You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.  Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification through a review of your work experience and/or education as provided in your resume, transcripts (as applicable), and narrative responses to assessment questions. 

Background Security Investigation:  You will need to successfully complete a background investigation before you can be appointed into this position.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

To determine if you are qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire.  The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire and will be between 70 and 100.  The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills and abilities required of this position.  If, after reviewing your resume and/or support documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.  Please follow all instructions carefully.  Errors or omissions may affect your rating.


BENEFITS:
The Federal government offers a number of exceptional benefits to its employees.  These benefits include, but are not limited to: health care, life insurance, thrift savings plan, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, earn annual and sick leave, long-term care insurance, retirement savings plans, and transit subsidies.  Other benefits are offered on a case-by-case basis and include, but are not limited to: student loan repayment and annual leave enhancement.  For more information about these benefits, please visit http://www.usajobs.gov/EI/benefits.asp
OTHER INFORMATION:

Direct Deposit: All agency employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.

E-Verify:  CBP uses E-Verify to validate all newly hired applicants' ability to work legally in the United States.  For more information on E-Verify, please follow this link: http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/e-ver-employee-rights.pdf.

Privacy Act: Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579):  The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.

Probationary Period:  You may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.  

Promotion Potential:  When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected.  Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, and administrative approval. 

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.

Signature: Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application.

Social Security Numbers:  Your Social Security Number is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name.  As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you.  Failure to provide your Social Security Number on your application materials will result in your application not being processed.

Supervisory/Managerial Positions:  First time supervisors and/or managers will be required to serve an 18 month probationary period.  You may also be required to complete an appropriate supervisory/managerial training course within the one year of assignment to this position. 

Important!  All the information you provide may be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application forms, by checking references and through other means, such as the interview process.  Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work.

HOW TO APPLY:

You are required to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload your documentation into Application Manager.

Initially, Application Manager requires you to create an account.  Once your account is created, Application Manager provides a site where you can track the status of jobs you have applied to at U.S. Customs and Border Protection; access uploaded documentation; view/print copies of notification letters; and print a copy of your questionnaire.

The navigation box will appear on the left side of the screen when you are working on an Application Package.  The items listed in the navigation box are pages you need to visit and represent steps you need to complete, in order for your Application Package to reach the status of COMPLETE.

You can "Save" an incomplete application and return to finish the process at a later date provided the announcement has not closed.  You must click the "Submit" button in Application Manager to have all your documents included for consideration.

If you have documents in your Application Manager account from a previous vacancy announcement they can be opened, copied and saved then reused as an upload file for this vacancy.  Uploading your documents will speed the processing of your application for this announcement.

Note:  If you start a questionnaire please complete it in its entirety before "Submitting."  An incomplete questionnaire will affect your rating or may result in your application being rated ineligible.  You may complete the assessment questionnaire more than once, but your rating will be based on the most recent submission.

Instructional guidance listed below:

To Start A New Assessment Questionnaire:

• Click the Apply Online button.
• Create an account and complete the Assessment Questionnaire.
• If you already have an account, log in with your User ID and Password to complete the Assessment Questionnaire.

To Save An Incomplete Assessment Questionnaire: 

• Scroll to the top or bottom of the page and click the "Save" button.
• After the page refreshes, click the "Logout" button.

To Return To A Saved/Incomplete Assessment Questionnaire:

• Click this link to Return To Application Manager:

https://applicationmanager.gov/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fhome.aspx

• Log into your account and locate the vacancy on the "My Application Packages" page.
• Click on the six digit Vacancy ID number of the application that you want to complete. The page will refresh and display your Application Package Status.
• Select the "Complete Application Package" button, which will take you to the assessment questionnaire. As you complete each page of the questionnaire click the "Next" button. 
• Once you have completed the assessment questionnaire the "Upload Documents" page will display. Follow the procedures outlined on the upload documents page. You will receive an "Upload Successful" acknowledgement each time you attach a document file. Once you have uploaded all of your documentation and the file is displayed in the table, select the "Next" button.
• Click the "Submit My Answers" button to complete the application package. You will receive a confirmation that your submission was successful. You have the option to view or print a copy of your assessment questionnaire and responses by clicking the View/Print My Answers link.

To Fax a Resume or Supporting Documents:

If you upload your documents using Application Manager, DO NOT FAX the same documents.  To verify uploaded documents have been processed, please wait one hour to ensure they have cleared the virus scan.  You can verify that your uploaded documents are attached to your application by checking the Details tab of your Application Manager account https://applicationmanager.gov/ for this vacancy announcement.  Your documents will display under the Details tab in the Document area.

Faxed documents will take 2-3 business days to process.  To fax documents, you MUST use the special cover page.  Print the pre-populated cover page on the upload documents screen of Application Manager.  Or, you may click this link http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf to print a copy of the cover page.  When faxing documents, follow the procedures outlined below.   

• Include the 8-character Vacancy Identification Number: IA330973 
• Provide your Social Security Number and full name in the spaces provided or we will not be able to associate your document(s) with the rest of your application.
• You may submit multiple documents for the same vacancy announcement using one cover page.
• Fax your cover page and documents to 1-478-757-3144.

Faxed documents submitted with missing information will not be processed. The following will prevent your faxed documents from being processed:  

• Not using the special cover page mentioned above.
• Missing, incomplete, or invalid Vacancy Identification Number.
• Missing or incomplete Social Security Number or Name.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Resume :  Your resume, curriculum vitae, Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF 612), or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications must be in English.  It must contain sufficient information which shows the skills and abilities you possess which qualify you for this position.  This includes the Minimum Qualification requirements and any Selective Placement Factor (as applicable).  Dates must be listed with both Month and Year for qualifying purposes.  In addition, your resume must contain the basic information outlined in the Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF 612).  This form can be found at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of612.pdf. 

Transcripts:  Transcripts are required if you are basing your qualifications on education or if they are required to meet basic qualifications.  Education must be from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable for qualifications requirements unless it has been evaluated.  For graduates of foreign universities, the applicant must submit an evaluation for all course work from an organization recognized as specializing in interpretation of education credentials.   For a listing of accredited agencies for foreign education, please see http://www.naces.org/members.htm.  For a listing of accredited schools in the United States, please see http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-accreditation.html

Veterans' Preference Documentation:  In order to receive Veterans' Preference, you MUST submit the documents listed below as proof of eligibility.

Five Point Preference:  DD-214 (Member Copy 4), or, if you are CURRENTLY serving on active duty, a statement of service from your unit which states the date you entered on active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.  For those supplying the statement of service, preference will be verified by a DD-214 (Member Copy 4) upon separation from the military.

Ten Point Preference:  DD-214 (Member Copy 4) and a VA letter dated 1991 or later as proof of service connected disability.

For more information about Veterans' Preference, click this link:  http://www.opm.gov/employ/veterans/html/vetguide.asp.

Proof of Eligibility is required for Priority Selection Rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):  Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection.  To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position.  Eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) or equivalent that documents separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

Indianapolis Hiring Center
Phone: (877)290-1810
Email: CustomerResponse@cbp.dhs.gov Agency Information:
CBP Indianapolis Hiring Center
6650 Telecom Drive
Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN 46278

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Your application and all supporting documentation must be received by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on the closing date.  Note that you will be allowed to apply more than once but the last application is the only one that will be used.

Applications and supporting documentation WILL NOT be accepted by mail or e-mail.  The address below is for inquiries only.  If you are unable to apply on-line, contact the Human Resources Office listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, or faxed (i.e., resume, veteran's documentation, assessment questions and answers, and SF 50's) is received and is accurate.  Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

If a document is not in a legible format, an applicant will not be able to view it and must again upload or fax the documentation by the closing date of the announcement.  An applicant can verify that the information has been received by following the instructions below.

1) Click this link to Return to Application Manager:   https://applicationmanager.gov/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fhome.aspx.

2) Log into your account and locate the vacancy on the "My Application Packages" page.

3) Click on the six digit Vacancy ID number you want to view. The page will refresh and display your Application Package Status.

4) Click on the details list and click on View by the document you want to see.  If prompted choose OPEN. You may have to choose a program with which to view the document, choose Adobe 6.0.

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful.  After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official.  If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.

Notification Process:   Once the online application package is received you will an electronic notification acknowledging receipt of your application.  The second notification will state if you were qualified or not qualified for the position.  The third notification would inform you if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration.  The final notification will inform you of the final disposition, if the position was filled, another applicant was selected, etc.