Supervisory Information Technology Specialist (Operating Systems)

Summary

This position is located in the Production Support Operations (PSO) Branch under the Technology Office. Leads the PSO by directing system operations, ensuring reliability of RD production environments, and overseeing issue resolution. Guides staff, sets priorities, and coordinates with stakeholders to maintain secure, efficient IT operations and drive continuous and drive continuous improvement. USDA Employees: Please refer to the Next Steps section.

Duties

• Serves as the Production Support Operations Branch Chief; directly supervises the work of the federal staff and assigned contractors. Ensures organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values are communicated to the team and carried out.
• Supports Microsoft, Linux, AIX, and Solaris servers and applications in a virtual PaaS environment. Manages cloud technologies that include, but are not limited to, Salesforce, Mulesoft, Azure, and AWS platforms, server backups, cloud integration.
• Supports a variety of Operating Systems (OSs), applications, programs, and platforms as well as various infrastructure management tools. Provides HW/SW implementation, administration, and configuration support.
• Performs server and system configuration. Performs system engineering, roll-out implementation configuration, debugging, and support. Performs system patching, vulnerability remediations, OS and Common component upgrades, etc.
• Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies, standards, and guidelines affecting information technology projects within RD, including periodic changes and amendments to those documents.
• Manages and/or represents the Branch in dealings with personnel internal and external to the office. Meets with involved parties to identify issues, explore alternatives, and arrive at acceptable solutions.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience as defined below: Time in Grade GS-14: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience leading and overseeing the management of key Information Technology (IT) applications and infrastructure used by agency personnel and customers who do business with our agency. Knowledge of various IT platforms, including but not limited to Cloud, PaaS, Mainframe, and other technology platforms. Proven knowledge with tools and approaches for IT Service Management and best practices to deliver IT infrastructure services effectively and efficiently. Experience interfacing with developers to assist in successful integration and implementation of new applications and enhancements and to deploy applications properly into the Hosting environment to conform to applicable security requirements. Demonstrated leadership experience including strategy and execution of full system life cycle and ability to work cross functionally with internal and external customers. Experience coordinating project work plans, schedules, standard reports, and technical requirements. Experience coordinating release management services consistent with applicable security, change, and release management guidelines. Experience maintaining technical documentation (policies, procedures, templates, etc..), increasing employee and key stakeholder adoption and usage, and meeting objectives on time and on budget. There is no education substitution for this 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Qualifications are based upon meeting specialized experience only. Education cannot be used to qualify for this position.

Requirements

You must be a US Citizen or US National. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. The U.S. Government utilizes Trusted Workforce 2.0 to implement Continuous Vetting (CV) as a-whole-of government approach to personnel security. If selected for this position, you will be subject to continuous automated record checks of criminal, financial, and public record databases throughout your period of eligibility or employment, replacing traditional periodic reinvestigations. Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Grade: GS 14. . Telework eligible. Apply by 2026-11-10 on USAJOBS.