IT Specialist (Operating Systems)

Summary

WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY? 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 - Infrastructure Technology Operations - Mainframe Operations 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. Install, configure, and maintain operating systems components; and install updates and temporary fixes to existing programs. Assist in the installation of operating systems update packages; run tests and correct problems; and recognize and refer serious problems to more experienced specialists or vendors. Implement small IRS IT projects or be involved in the product software upgrades helping to identify operating system requirements and limitations while defining user problems and needs. Analyze reports; identify deficiencies in operating systems parameters; and recommend remediation to a more experienced specialist. Build automated backup and recovery procedures.

Qualifications

Federal experience is not required. Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or through Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Experience GS-5 Level: You must have one year of IT-related experience which was at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service. IT related experience for this position includes: Assisting with routine IT support, operations, or administrative activities involving computer hardware, software, systems, applications, or related technology resources. Following established procedures to enter, update, verify, organize, or maintain IT-related information, records, documentation, or system data. Responding to basic customer or user requests and referring more technical issues to higher-level personnel. Using standard tools, applications, or automated systems to perform assigned tasks and support daily IT operations. Assisting with troubleshooting, testing, installation, configuration, or maintenance activities under close supervision. Specialized Experience GS-7 Level: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service. Applying basic IT principles, methods, and practices to support computer systems, software, applications, hardware, networks, or related technology services. Assisting in identifying, documenting, and resolving routine technical issues affecting users, systems, applications, or services. Supporting system, software, or application testing activities and preparing or updating technical documentation and user instructions. Working with customers, users, or team members to gather information, respond to service requests, and provide technical assistance. Monitoring routine system, application, or service operations and reporting issues, deficiencies, or unusual conditions to higher-level staff. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADE 9 LEVEL (GS or Equivalent): You must have Information Technology-related experience demonstrating each of the following five competencies: 1) Attention to Detail, 2) Customer Service, 3) Interpersonal Skills, 4) Reasoning, and 5) Teamwork. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-9 LEVEL: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service? Specialized experience for this position includes: Applying IT principles, concepts, and practices to support, maintain, troubleshoot, configure, or implement computer systems, software, applications, hardware, or related technology services. Performing IT assignments involving technical requirements and established procedures, including system, application, or software testing and configuration activities. Identifying, analyzing, and resolving routine and technical issues affecting users, systems, applications, or services. Preparing technical documentation, reports, procedures, or recommendations related to assigned IT activities. Supporting compliance with established security, privacy, and operational requirements while assisting customers, users, and technical teams. AND 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. For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.

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 ADDTIONAL INFORMATION SECTIONS

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 to receive consideration. 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 09/14/2026. 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/13053094. 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.