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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST (PLCYPLYN/ENTARCH)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Alexandria, Virginia
Closing date
Nov 5, 2020
Duties

Summary

Come work for the USPTO, we have been ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal government! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been serving the economic interests of America for more than 200 years. We are responsible for granting US intellectual property rights for patents and trademarks. The USPTO is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and has over 12,000 employees. For more information about the USPTO, please visit the USPTO Jobs Website .

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary and Director on the application of information technology (IT) to support and improve the United States Patent and Trademark Office's business processes. The CIO directs the development, implementation, maintenance, enhancement and operation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's automated information systems and the development of supporting strategic and operational IT plans, operates the United States Patent and Trademark Office's computer facilities, equipment and telecommunications network, and develops, maintains, and disseminates patent and trademark information to the public.

This position is located in the Office of Application Engineering and Development (AED) that is responsible for the full life cycle management of the USPTO's automated information systems, consistent with the USPTO's strategic IT plans and supporting technical architecture. AED designs, develops the systems and validates that the business areas' functional and performance requirements are met prior to delivery to Operations for production testing and deployment.

As the Information Technology Specialist (PLYCYPLN/ENTARCH) you will:
  • Work with development teams as a senior software engineer applying the principles of software engineering to the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that make computers or anything containing software work.
  • Provide expert level technical policy and planning guidance, and technical direction and oversight to OCIO teams executing the agency's information technology (IT) software engineering, operations and maintenance mission.
  • Work with developers and other team leaders, senior IT specialists, architects, data modelers, supervisor, contractors, and customers to define project/task technical requirements and to evaluate and identify alternative solutions.
  • Provide direction, guidance and oversight of OCIO wide technical and strategic plans; design and engineering plans; and systems and network integration plans, for ongoing architecture, design, software development, development environments, deployment and operations and maintenance.
  • Perform detailed design (decomposition of the Architectural design to a much finer level of detail) and documents software that adheres to USPTO policy and standards
  • Create architectural designs and data model at a portfolio and project level with approval from the architects and data modelers, respectively
  • Review and updates development standards; performs investigations for production problems; assist in performing code and design reviews for other developers and contractors; and applies industry best practices and standards
  • Resolve problems in diverse software and network engineering disciplines and makes decisions on controversial technical issues cutting across organizational lines; coordinates with other agency technical directors, Department senior technical and functional leadership and stakeholders to insure a common understanding, resolution, and implementation of technical programs and issues


Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
  • You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
  • Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Suitable for Federal employment.

.

Qualifications

You must meet the following United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position. OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) Management Series can be found HERE . You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.

Specialized Experience: is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-14.

Specialized experience for this position includes :

Experience serving as an advisor in the planning, design, implementation, and assessment of the structural framework of information technology to align with the goals and mission of an organization or agency

Experience serving as a developer coding in Java and JavaScript and/or TypeScript.

Experience developing Agile (i.e. Scrum, eXtreme programming, Lean, and/or Kanban);

Experience serving as a Software Developer/Engineer and as a solution/application architect designing, developing, testing and deploying IT software

Attention to Detail-Is thorough, precise and consistent when accomplishing a task with concern for all the areas involved. Achieves quality in all tasks performed.

Customer Service-Establishes collaborative working arrangements with business partners 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 anticipate and identify their needs to determine the most effective high-quality service or solution. Demonstrates a "can do" attitude in servicing the customer and communicates effectively when they "can't do" and "why."

Communication-Communicates in a clear and convincing manner with officials, managers/supervisors, both verbally and in writing in order to advise and gain acceptance with recommendations that may not always be readily accepted. Independently addresses and resolves issues that may be construed as sensitive or controversial.

Problem Solving-Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes sound recommendations. Delivers solutions and decisions that have a positive, far-reaching, and comprehensive organizational impact.

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 experience.

Education

EDUCATION CANNOT BE SUBSTITUED FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THIS LEVEL.

Additional information

Applicants applying for this position must be a United States Citizen.

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

This is a NON-Bargaining Unit position.

This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "HIGH RISK".

If selected for you this position you will be required to complete the Fair Credit Act Memo.

Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website .

Probationary Period- If selected, you may be required to complete an initial one-year probationary period.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.

Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.

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 "well qualified" 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: OPM CTAP/ICTAP . CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.

All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email ( oeeod@uspto.gov ) or phone (571-272-8292).

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.

Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold).

The scored self assessment questions in the job announcement will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

KSA 1 -Knowledge of enterprise architecture concepts, methods, practices, project management methods and concepts sufficient to lead the evaluation of the agency/organizations missions (e.g. goals, plans, programs, and business processes) to develop an enterprise IT architecture

KSA 2 -Knowledge of Network systems management methods, including end-to-end performance monitoring; network architecture and topology, and management sufficient to plan, design, engineer, develop, manage, and enhance network systems that respond to the agency/organizations business requirements.

KSA 3 -Knowledge of IT theories, principles, concepts, standards, and practices in order to develop new policies and procedures that coincide with the agency's mission.

KSA 4 -Ability to communicate IT policies, concepts, methods and serve on interagency work groups to establish initiatives that develop guidelines for implementing broad DOC/USPTO, and government-wide directives.

For more information on category rating, please go to: DOC Bulletins

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

A complete application consists of:
1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the KSAs in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume.

Supporting Documents:
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements for this position may be contacted within 7 business days of the closing date of this announcement to submit follow-up supporting documentation if applicable. Applicants claiming veterans' preference entitlement or CTAP/ICTAP eligibility who fail to submit supplemental documentation within 5 business days of receiving the request will not lose consideration for this position, however they will not be entitled to special or priority consideration.

Supporting documents that may be requested of applicants after the closing date of this announcement are

1. Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214 containing your discharge disposition, dates of service, and rank. If you are a preference eligible claiming a service connected disability of 10 percent or more, you will be asked to submit documentation (i.e. a letter dated 1991 or later from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces) certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation. Veterans must include dates of military service within the automated application process, and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more information, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans .

2. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) documentation: Applicants will be asked to submit:
(1) A copy of your specific RIF notice, written notice of your expected separation or other documentation of priority consideration status;
(2) A copy of your latest SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
(3) A copy of your last performance appraisal including your rating; and
(4) Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

You can choose ONE of the following methods to submit Supporting Documents:
1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Department of Commerce application site which you access through the USAJobs site.
OR
2) You can fax your documents to 571-258-4254 using the system generated fax cover sheet.

Your application and all required documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this job announcement.

NOTE: The preceding documentation requirements are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants--if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your rating. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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