IT Specialist (Network Services)

Summary

This vacancy is for an IT Specialist (Network Services) position in the Office of the Chief Information Officer located at the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other IT Specialist (Network Services), ZP-2210-4, positions within the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Duties

• Provides administration and ongoing design, engineering, and support of BEA’s network infrastructure, including Cisco-based on-premises networks (e.g., routers, switches, wireless technologies) and Microsoft Azure cloud networking solutions.
• Provides administration and support of Cisco Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone systems, Microsoft Teams Phone functionality, and network security and logging applications.
• Maintains IT security and network documentation and supports implementation of federal IT security laws, regulations, standards, and guidelines, ensuring timely remediation of critical compliance findings identified during annual audits.

Qualifications

For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled. 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 Specialized Experience: For the Band IV (GS-13), you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the Band III (GS-12) in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes: Administering, monitoring, securing, and troubleshooting enterprise TCP/IP-based LAN and WAN environments, including IPv6 and DNS services; configuring and hardening network infrastructure to protect against security threats and vulnerabilities; supporting and securing on-premises and cloud-based networking environments; supporting enterprise voice technologies, including Cisco voice infrastructure or Microsoft Teams Voice solutions; and using network logging and monitoring tools, such as Splunk, to evaluate performance, identify anomalous or malicious activity, troubleshoot network issues, and support security incident response. An active Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification, or higher, and a cloud networking certification are preferred. Education: Education cannot be substituted at this band/grade level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement, 09/16/2026, to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans' preference does not apply in DHA, preference eligible are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc). You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Online Assessment: Applicants must complete the online USA Hire Competency Based Assessments measuring critical general competencies required to perform the job. Examples used in the assessment may include general situations not directly related to this position. 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. CTAP and ICTAP candidates: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: The Employee's Guide to Career Transition. We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. Do NOT include the following types of information in your application if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position: Social Security Number (SSN) Date of Birth (DOB) Photos of yourself Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13053564. Other Information

The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339. Individuals who have received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment, otherwise known as a buyout, must repay that incentive if they are reemployed by the Federal Government within five years of separation. This announcement is issued under "direct-hire" authority. Consistent with 5 U.S.0 3304(a)(3) and OPM regulations (5 CFR 337 Subpart B) on direct-hire: All candidates who meet all the qualification and other eligibility requirements may be referred for consideration. Competitive examining rules providing for rating and ranking and veterans' preference do not apply.