
IT Specialist ( Appsw/Infosec)
Department of State Headquarters
Arlington, VAFull-time$144–187K/yrPosted today
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Job overview
This position is in the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, which directs the Bureau’s IT programs and advises management on information systems, knowledge management, and technology resources. The specialist maintains applications, manages system development, evaluates technologies and IT systems, and promotes IT services and automation initiatives. Applicants must meet GS-14 specialized-experience and competency requirements; education cannot substitute for specialized experience.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Summary
This positioin is located in Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of the Executive Director, Office of the Chief Technology Officer (DS/EX/CTO). The CTO Office directs all aspects of the DS information technology (IT) programs, coordinates with and advises DS management on implementing programs to facilitate the application of information systems, knowledge management, and technology resources to achieve strategic Bureau missions.
Duties
- Maintains and updates the Bureau's applications throughout their life cycle to keep them meeting user requirements.
- Evaluates new technologies and tools to recommend secure ways to automate DS functions
- Manages Bureau system development from requirements through deployment and approves designs, test plans and final acceptance.
- Evaluates IT systems, software and hardware for feasibility, compatibility and cost, and recommends solutions that meet stakeholder needs.
- Gives presentations that promote the Department's IT services and automation initiatives to federal, private-sector, vendor and other external partners.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. Applicants applying for the GS-14 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND specialized experience listed below: Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. 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. 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. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience managing the development and life cycle of IT systems, from requirements through deployment and maintenance. Experience assessing cybersecurity risks and advising senior management on security posture. Experience briefing senior officials and external partners on IT initiatives and management issues. NOTE: In order to qualify for this position, your 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. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.
Education
Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement. How You Will Be Evaluated
The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review by subject matter experts will be conducted for the top qualified candidates based on total score. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management. Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe. Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Non-supervisory) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments. Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: Knowledge of systems life cycle management and configuration control standards. Ability to prepare feasibility studies that recommend secure automation options. Knowledge of structured systems analysis, design and development principles. Knowledge of methods for evaluating IT systems, software and hardware for feasibility, compatibility and cost. Knowledge of the Department's IT services and automation initiatives. Resume review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Your resume should demonstrate how you meet all aspects of the specialized experience statement. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened.). If meeting basic qualifications through education only or a combination of education and experience, applicants will not be referred to the SME panel but will be reviewed by the HR Specialist for referral. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application may result in your removal from consideration. You may preview questions for this vacancy. Other Information
For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at [email protected]. If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
How this job compares
Set against the 300 open IT Specialist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 10, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$144–187K/yr
- US median$95–133K/yr226 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $166K, is 45% above the US median midpoint ($114K) — in the top quarter of IT Specialist salary ranges across the US.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 22 open IT Specialist jobs in Virginia and 300 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Virginia
- Air National Guard Units2 open
- Defense Information Systems Agency2 open
- Department of State Headquarters (this employer)2 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience; IT Specialist postings that state a minimum ask for 1 year at the median (227 postings).
- Education
- 32 of the 300 open IT Specialist jobs (11%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 10, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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