IT Specialist (SysAdmin)

Summary

Join the NIH as an IT Specialist (Systems Administration) and help power the technology behind groundbreaking clinical care and research. You'll manage and modernize mission-critical Windows, virtualization, storage, compute, and backup infrastructure; solve complex technical challenges; strengthen security, reliability, and recovery; use automation to improve operations; and collaborate across NIH to keep essential Clinical Center systems running securely and effectively 24/7.

Duties

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. Qualifications

For the GS-11, GS-12 and GS-13 grade level, you must have 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 that I possess each of the following four competencies: 1. Attention to Detail - is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail; 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; 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; 4. Problem Solving - identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. You qualify at the GS-11 level, if you meet one of the following qualification requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: 1. Installing, configuring, maintaining, or supporting Windows Server systems and related directory services, including services, accounts, permissions, patching, or system settings; 2. Supporting virtualized server environments and related compute, storage, or backup and recovery resources; 3. Diagnosing and resolving server or infrastructure problems using system logs, monitoring tools, operating-system diagnostics, or other technical information; and 4. Performing systems administration maintenance and security activities such as system patching, access administration, backup and recovery, system hardening, vulnerability remediation, or approved configuration changes. OR Completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks, OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such an equivalent doctoral degree You qualify at the GS-12 level, if you meet one of the following qualification requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: 1. Administering Windows Server systems and related directory services, including configuration, patching, account or permission administration, performance monitoring, and troubleshooting; 2. Administering virtualized server environments and supporting compute, storage, storage area network, or backup and recovery infrastructure; 3. Diagnosing and resolving production infrastructure problems involving interactions among server operating systems, directory services, virtualization, compute, storage, backup and recovery, or supported applications; and 4. Implementing system security and lifecycle activities such as system hardening, privileged-access controls, security patching, vulnerability remediation, upgrades, migrations, or significant configuration changes. You qualify at the GS-13 level, if you meet one of the following qualification requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: 1. Independently administering and optimizing production server infrastructure involving Windows Server, directory services, virtualization, compute, storage or storage area network resources, and backup and recovery capabilities; 2. Diagnosing and resolving complex or recurring infrastructure problems involving interactions among multiple systems components using logs, monitoring information, performance data, or other technical evidence to identify root causes and corrective actions; 3. Evaluating and implementing infrastructure security requirements, including system hardening, privileged-access controls, security patching, or vulnerability remediation, while considering operational impacts and system dependencies; and 4. Planning and coordinating major infrastructure upgrades, migrations, system replacements, capacity changes, or other significant production changes and developing or refining technical approaches to address complex systems administration requirements. A combination of education and specialized experience that meets the qualification requirements for this position at the GS-11 grade level. 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. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13086087

Education

If you qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application packages. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education. How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your responses to the assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies: 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. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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 The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Applicants determined to be Best Qualified will be referred for further consideration. Preference eligibles in the Best Qualified category are referred before all other applicants. How You Will Be Evaluated To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 80 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements. Other Information

PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should apply online to this announcement to receive consideration. A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive credit toward their annual leave accrual rate for otherwise noncreditable prior work experience or active-duty uniformed service. The service must directly relate to the duties of the position being filled, and credit must be approved before the selectee enters on duty on a case-by-case basis, considering organizational need, specific 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 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. 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. Military Spouses selected from this announcement will remain in their current duty location (i.e., the official duty station of the military service member. 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.