IT Specialist 6 month Register-Direct Hire

Summary

WHAT IS Information Technology Division? A description of the business units can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisions Position(s) are to be filled in the following area(s): IT - Consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a location, that location will become your official post of duty. REVIEW THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position. Develops and implements new cloud concepts, security architectures, methodologies, standards, and operational procedures in IT security across cloud service providers (Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP)). Provides expert guidance to other IT professionals throughout the IRS, Treasury, and in other agencies regarding cloud modernization initiatives, enterprise security integration, and emerging technologies, to develop the overall program area and to identify mission related work and/or how it may impact other IT initiatives. Oversees and manages the identification, evaluation, and reporting of information security, data protection, insider threat, and enterprise risk management issues to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulatory requirements, executive orders, and government-wide cybersecurity standards while aligning with and supporting the overall enterprise risk posture. Reviews, evaluates, and analyzes IRS cloud security policies, standards, and procedures to ensure they are up-to-date, comply with applicable federal mandates, cybersecurity frameworks, regulations, agency strategic objectives, and other binding standards. Ensures policies remain current and effectively address evolving threats, operational risks, and user impacts. Serves as the expert technical advisor on agency-wide information security, and privacy programs and initiatives to comply with federally mandated security requirements, Zero Trust Architecture principles, and commonly accepted industry security best practices while advising on integrating IT programs with other business programs of equivalent complexity within the IRS.

Requirements

Probationary Period - All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding. Government Credit Card - Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel. Key Eligibility Requirements: U.S Citizenship - Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. Selective Service Registration - Males born after December 31, 1959 are required to be registered with the Selective Service System or prove they are exempt from having to do so. Personal Identity Verification (PIV) - Must provide 2 forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired original or certified copies. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS SHOWN IN QUALIFICATIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTIONS

Qualifications and evaluation

This position will be filled through the Direct Hire Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. For more information on Direct-Hire Authority visit: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further. 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 The USA Hire Assessments 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. assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Referral: Applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. Applicants will be referred on a first in first out basis. Candidates may be required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring practices). We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site. If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be found "well qualified" for the position to receive special selection priority. If you are selected, you will be subject to all requirements listed in the Requirements, Qualifications, and Additional Information sections of this announcement which includes, Prior Employment/Tax Checks, Fingerprint/Criminal History checks.

Education

QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-15: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Directing, overseeing, or providing strategic guidance for major IT programs, enterprise-level projects, technology modernization efforts, or high-visibility initiatives with broad organizational, agency-wide, or mission impact. Applying IT principles, to evaluate requirements, resolve complex technical issues, guide architecture and design decisions, and ensure compliance with cybersecurity, privacy, accessibility, and federal requirements.. Collaborating with executives, senior leaders, customers, stakeholders, program or product leaders, and technical organizations to define mission needs, set priorities, and direct implementation of secure, resilient, scalable, and mission-effective IT solutions. Overseeing enterprise technology governance, risk management, modernization planning, and implementation efforts across multiple organizations. Evaluating competing technical, operational, software, and strategic approaches and advising senior leadership or executive stakeholders on decisions, tradeoffs, policies, standards, governance, and resolution of IT challenges that affect mission delivery. And ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EXPERIENCE Experience that includes one or more of the following: Leading enterprise AI strategies or directing the design, development, integration, or implementation of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Generative AI, Natural Language Processing, or related technologies. Establishing enterprise AI architectures, governance, technical standards, security requirements, or modernization strategies. Advising executive leadership regarding AI strategy, responsible AI implementation, enterprise data architecture, vendor capabilities, or AI-enabled modernization initiatives. Or CYBERSECURITY EXPERIENCE Experience that includes one or more of the following: Providing executive-level technical leadership for enterprise cybersecurity, cloud security, Zero Trust, identity management, enterprise risk management, or infrastructure protection initiatives. Developing enterprise cybersecurity architectures, modernization strategies, technical standards, or risk management frameworks. Advising executive leadership regarding enterprise cybersecurity strategy, emerging threats, modernization priorities, technology investments, or government-wide cybersecurity initiatives. You must also meet the following requirements MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: Minimum age for federal employment is 18 years old, or at least 16 years old and have: Graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or Completed a formal vocational training program; or Received a statement from school authorities agreeing with your preference for employment rather than continuing your education. EDUCATION A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here (Section 3, Explanation of Terms) or here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions. We recommend choosing an evaluator from a member organization of one of the following national associations of credential evaluation services: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE).

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement. Initial consideration for this announcement is limited to the first 100 applicants. Additional applicants will be considered in application date order as needed, if there are still vacant positions after the first round. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on 03/01/2027. To begin the application process, click the "Apply Online" button. You will be re-directed to USA STAFFING to continue your application process; answer the online questions. To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13051540. Upload all required documents. (To submit supporting documents, import documents from USAJOBS to the appropriate document types. If the document you need is not imported from USAJOBS, you may upload it directly into this application.) Click the Submit Application button. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability. Set aside up to 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources. Visit USA Hire Online Help for online assessment information, system requirements, reasonable accommodations, and what to expect next. Reasonable Accommodations (RA): We provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process. To review reasonable accommodation policies and procedures please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/reasonable-accommodations/. USA Hire Assessment 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. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information) To update your application, including supporting documentation: Visit USAJOBS - How to Update Application during the announcement open period, make updates or add supporting documentation, then continue through the entire application process and click Submit Application to send updates to the hiring agency. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

Required documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. Incomplete or insufficient information may result in not being considered for the position, or not receiving special consideration for which you may be eligible. Please view Application Preparation or How to write a resume for federal job. 1. Resume Requirements (Failure to provide the following information, may result in not being considered): Limited to two (2) pages. Recommend a standard 8.5x11-inch document size, a sans-serif font such as Arial or Calibri with a font size no smaller than 10-point, page margins of 0.5 inches. Applicants that attempt to circumvent the 2-page limit page limit, for example by materially reducing readability, will be deemed ineligible. Includes your name and contact information. Include relevant work experience - Employer Name, Job Title, Employment dates (start to end date or present), number of hours worked per week, and a brief description of duties that clearly demonstrate your qualifications. To receive full credit for work experience, you must include specific MM/DD/YYYY start and end dates for every position. Pay plan, series, and grade (e.g., GS-0301-09) for all federal service jobs. Don't Include on Resume: Photographs, classified or sensitive information, SSN, encrypted/digitally signed documents, or other inappropriate content. Resumes containing prohibited information will be deemed ineligible. Embedded links as they will not be opened or considered when determining qualifications. Personal information such as age, sex, religion, race, or disability. Specialized experience copied from the announcement or position description, as this is not a demonstration of your experience. NOTE: If you update and resubmit your application, only the most recent resume received will be considered to determine qualifications. 2. Education (if applicable) - Refer to Qualification and Education sections above for requirements Submit a copy of your transcript(s) or equivalent for positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position based on education or training. An official transcript(s) will be required if you are selected. High School Diploma (or equivalent) - If you are 16 or 17 years of age, you MUST submit documentation of graduation from high school (or equivalent); OR completion of a formal vocational training program; OR statement from school authorities agreeing with your decision to pursue employment rather than continuing your education. 3. Registration/License (if applicable) - Current, active registration/license 4. Veterans' Preference (if applicable) MUST submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. If you are serving under active duty, provide certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of certification. The certification must indicate your dates of service, rank and that you will be separated under honorable conditions. 10-point preference eligible - Submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the form if you are a 10-point preference eligible. For more information on claiming veterans' preference view here. 5. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) (if applicable) Submit the required documentation as outlined under CTAP/ICTAP 6. Current and Former Federal Employees Documentation (if applicable) Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent personnel action form which shows your grade and competitive service status.

Additional information

Suitability Requirements: Prior IRS Employment - Former employees will be subject to a screening of their prior conduct with the Service. The Taxpayer First Act of 2019, 26 U.S. Code 7804, prohibits the IRS from rehiring certain former employees who were removed from service. Tax Check - Must undergo a review of income tax verification. To check the status of your tax record go to: (https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript). If you are not in compliance, you will be determined unsuitable for employment with IRS. Fingerprint/Criminal History Check - This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information regarding your rights refer to Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov). Additional Information: Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA). Qualified applicants will be submitted on a first in first out basis at the discretion of the selecting officials until the vacancy requirement is satisfied. In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location. Additional jobs may be filled from this announcement or any other source to fill these vacancies. Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours may be available. Salary: General Schedule (GS) Locality Pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. This vacancy contains positions at varying security levels which will be determine upon selection. Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA): (AK3237) 949 E 36TH AVE, Anchorage, Alaska (AK0029) 101 12TH AVENUE, Fairbanks, Alaska (HI8469) 1003 BISHOP ST SUITE 600, SUITE 1000, Honolulu, Hawaii (HI0011) 300 ALA MOANA BLVD, Honolulu, Hawaii (PR4066) CARR. 28 KM 2.0 BAYAMON, PR, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (PR4064) 200 AVENIDA RAFAEL CORDERO, Caguas, Puerto Rico (PR3930) 7 TABONUCO STREET, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (PR4001) 48 CARR 165, SUITE 2000, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (PR4065) 103 ORTEGON AVENUE CORNER OREGON ST, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (PR4047) 35 AVENIDA HIRAM D. CABASSA SUITE 2A, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (PR4070) PLAZA DEL CARIBE 2050 PONCE BYPASS, Ponce, Puerto Rico (PR4062) 652 AVENIDA MUNOZ RIVERA, San Juan, Puerto Rico (VI0007) VETERANS DRIVE, Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands includes COLA. See COLA Rates 2026. This announcement will establish an inventory of applicants. This inventory will be used to fill vacancies in the locations listed and additional vacancies as they become available for the next 6 months contingent upon funding and space requirements.