Summary The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) serves as the IT hub of the U.S. Department of Labor. We develop, maintain and protect IT solutions and data across our 27 agencies to enable mission outcomes through technology and service. OCIO continually enhances federal IT and digital capability with a focus on cybersecurity and customer experience to serve America's wage earners, job seekers and retirees. Responsibilities This is an Open Continuous announcement. Multiple vacancies are available and may be filled from this announcement at any of the DOL office locations. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis; however, applicants should be aware that specific cut-off dates will be used for issuing referral certificates. For this announcement, the scheduled cut-off dates are: First Cut-Off Date: July 3, 2026 Second Cut-Off Date: July 17, 2026 Final Cut-Off Date: July 31, 2026 Applications may not be altered after submission. The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Relocation Expenses, Recruitment Incentives, Superior Qualifications and Special Needs Pay-Setting Authority may be negotiable. Click here for Additional Information. The position may be located at any of the DOL office locations, if available. The advertised salary range reflects the minimum and maximum pay for all locations. Final salary will be determined based on the selectee's assigned duty station in accordance with applicable locality pay tables. The role supports the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and its Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Innovation. The primary purpose of the position is to play a critical role in advancing the organization's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and delivering innovative solutions to address complex challenges. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Integrate AI capabilities into software applications, platforms, or systems to deliver impactful solutions across the organization. Design and develop AI algorithms and models to solve specific problems identified by leadership by developing Machine Learning models for classification, regression, clustering, or reinforcement learning. Develop and maintain Application Programming Interfaces for seamless integration of AI functionalities to ensure reliability, stability, and correctness. Perform technical troubleshooting on complex issues that span across systems and multiple data sources and require rapid resolution. Train AI models using prepared data and evaluates model performance by selecting appropriate algorithms, tuning hyperparameters, and assessing model accuracy and effectiveness. Lead or participate in cross-functional teams and high-impact projects to understand requirements and translate them into technical specifications and design architecture that delivers high-quality software solutions. Document code, algorithms, and processes for knowledge sharing and future reference and reproducibility. Provide technical guidance, support, and training to junior staff and others external to the team. Major duties for this position at the GS-14 level are similar to the GS-13, however, they are performed under less supervision. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications You must meet the Basic Requirements and the Specialized Experience to qualify for the IT Specialist (AI), as described below. Basic Qualifications: Applicants must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the following competencies listed below: 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. Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems. Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations 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. Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals. Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues. AND Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, in the Federal Service For GS-13 : Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-12 in the Federal Service. For GS-14 : Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-13 in the Federal Service. Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, 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. Applicants must meet ALL of the statements below to be found qualified. Qualifying specialized experience for GS-13 includes: Experience supporting the development and maintenance of data pipelines and integration workflows. Experience assisting with ETL/ELT and data-processing tasks to ensure quality and consistency. Experience supporting AI-related activities such as data preparation, model evaluation, and workflow integration. Experience contributing to cloud-based application components, APIs, or full-stack features with standard data and security controls. Qualifying specialized experience for GS-14 includes: Experience leading the design and improvement of data pipelines and integration workflows. Experience independently planning and enhancing ETL/ELT and distributed-processing activities to ensure enterprise-level quality and reliability. Experience developing, integrating, and guiding AI-enabled capabilities and responsible-technology practices. Experience designing and maintaining cloud-based application components, APIs, and full-stack features with advanced data and security controls. Education Education may not be substituted for experience at this level. Additional Information This position is being filled through the Direct Hire Authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applications does NOT apply. Veterans' preference does not apply. The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information Click here for Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy. Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy. The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click here for Additional Information. The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions. All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71. 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.
