Summary The incumbent in this position serves as an Information Technology (IT) specialist for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Information and Technology (OIT), Product Delivery Service (PDS) Health Services Portfolio. Health Portfolio supports and is responsible for the mandatory sustainment of the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) and nationally deployed enterprise/web applications and programs. Responsibilities OIT Mission: The mission of the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) is to collaborate with our business partners to create the best experience for all Veterans. OIT Vision: To become a world-class organization that provides a seamless, unified Veteran experience through the delivery of state-of-the-art technology. Major Duties: Utilizes medical information systems expertise to assist national task forces, fact finding groups and committees in determining nation-wide goals, specifications and policy. Troubleshoots complex software/hardware problems. Uses a national ticketing system to address site issues. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Assists in standardizing the processes and procedures for support. Provides input to request for modifications or new development projects in their area of expertise. Manages stressful situations and deal with obstacles within the working environment. Handles multiple tasks while remaining flexible, creative and a team player. Uses knowledge of management and/or clinical applications in support of VistA Applications throughout the agency. Provides subject matter expertise services for assigned projects and independently provides advice and guidance and resolves problem matters. Uses oral and written communication skills and manages projects simultaneously are essential. Handles multiple concurrent projects with proven excellence in researching, organizing, writing, and presenting technical information. Presents findings/recommendations for product/application improvements and on implementation plans to agency officials with both IT and non-IT backgrounds. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the Agency Policy Telework: Adhoc telework may be authorized at management discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Description/PD#: Information Technology Specialist/PD 17270A/14297A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Demands: The work is predominantly sedentary and does not require any special physical effort. Some work may require walking and standing in conjunction with travel and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site. Employee may carry light items such as meeting materials and a portable computer, and may be required to drive a motor vehicle to meetings. Since the VA VistA and Enterprise applications are used at VA facilities throughout the nation, considerable travel to facilities and national meetings is required. Incumbent will be required to work off-hours and weekends to ensure continuity of computer operations. The work requires almost constant use of a video display device. Working Conditions: The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work environment involves everyday risks and discomforts that require normal safety precautions. Most work is performed in an office setting. The work often requires long hours to meet project deadlines and to devise corrective action and solutions to unexpected technical and/or management crises resulting in sometimes highly stressful work situations. The work requires almost constant use of a video display terminal. Travel is required for educational and training programs, national and local meetings, consultations, evaluations, installations, and maintenance of systems software and hardware, which may subject the incumbent to various resultant environmental changes. The incumbent may be expected to access remote databases at VA facilities throughout the nation. In doing so incumbent must take all necessary measures to guarantee the integrity and confidentiality of such information. Appropriate security measures must be taken to guard against disclosures of access codes and sensitive data contained on these systems. Designated Drug Testing Position: Not applicable This is a bargaining unit eligible position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/10/2026. You must meet the Basic Requirements Experience and Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below: Basic Requirements Experience: Experience must be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate. For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the five competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled. 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 Specialized Experience: Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. For the GS-12: You must possess a minimum of one (1) year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: experience assisting with Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) and enterprise application software functionality, sustainment maintenance, patch review and release processes, and trouble ticket troubleshooting for VistA and enterprise applications for medical center customers. Experience includes analyzing existing VistA or enterprise applications to isolate problem areas, solving operational problems, identifying new requirements, and testing programs to ensure systems meet business expectations while requiring oversight by a senior support person. -OR- For the GS-13: You must possess a minimum of one (1) year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: experience providing expertise and technical authority with Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) and enterprise application software functionality, sustainment maintenance, patch review and release processes, and trouble ticket troubleshooting for VistA and enterprise applications for medical center customers. Analyzing existing VistA or enterprise applications to isolate problem areas, solving operational problems, identifying new requirements, and testing programs to ensure systems meet business expectations. Experience with imaging-based medical devices or interfaces between systems such as Health Level Seven (HL7) and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM). Experience with Windows networking and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networking is a plus. 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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/. This is not a remote position. OI&T has multiple worksites at various duty locations, and the individual(s) selected may be assigned to any federal government work site. This announcement will NOT be used for changing duty locations. If selected, and you are a current VA employee, and not on an approved exemption, you will continue to report to your current duty location.If selected you will be required to report to one of the following locations: ALBANY NY ARLINGTON TX ATLANTA GA AUSTIN TX BALTIMORE MD BEDFORD MA BOSTON MA CHICAGO IL CLEVELAND OH DALLAS TX DENVER CO DETROIT MI EATONTOWN NJ HINES IL HOUSTON TX LITTLE ROCK AR LONG BEACH CA LOS ANGELES CA MARTINSBURG WV MIAMI FL MINNEAPOLIS MN NASHVILLE TN OAKLAND CA ORLANDO FL PHILADELPHIA PA PHOENIX AZ PITTSBURGH PA SALT LAKE CITY UT SAN ANTONIO TX SAN FRANCISCO CA SEATTLE WA SHEPHERDSTOWN WV ST. LOUIS MO ST. PETERSBURG FL TAMPA FL WASHINGTON DC
