Summary This position is in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Information and Technology (OIT), Software Product Management (SPM). The incumbent works independently within a team that is responsible for engineering, implementing, and sustaining the Department of Veterans Affairs software applications Responsibilities MAJOR DUTIES: Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan the development of a new application or modification of an existing application. Compile and write documentation of program development and subsequent revisions, inserting comments in the coded instructions so others can understand the program. Optimizes and integrates legacy system components using current and emerging software principles, methods and approaches to meet technical and functional requirements. Tests and validates programs ensuring relevant standards, conventions, methods, and techniques are appropriately applied as part of the development unit testing as well as post-installation evaluation of the software solutions. Identify, manage, and mitigate issues and risks to enable the provision of optimal resources and service to IT projects. Prepares programming specifications, including inputs, outputs, flow diagrams, decision logic tables, and linkages with other application systems. Establishes system requirements in terms of objectives, functions, and expectations for new and existing programs/software. Develops program and module designs, such as structural, behavioral, interaction and block diagrams. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; Tour of duty will be determined based on organizational needs. Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the Agency Policy Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist/1845A Physical Conditions: The work is sedentary. No special demands are required to perform the work. Working Conditions: The work is performed in a typical office setting. Special safety precautions are not required. Travel may be required to national and local meetings, training on new techniques, or consultation with vendors or other development or verification groups. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2024. You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. BASIC REQUIREMENT - Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) Applicants must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below at a proficiency level equivalent to the next lower grade level in federal service. 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 You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: experience and proficiency in all of the following programming applications/languages: Visual Basic/VB.Net/Visual Studio, Transact-SQL and MS SQL Server management Studio. It is also preferred to have experience in the latest MS-Office Components (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: 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: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire