IT Specialist (Pega Developer) Direct Hire

This IT Specialist (Pega Developer) Direct Hire position is with Social Security Administration (Other Agencies and Independent Organizations) in Phoenix, AZ. Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA), open to all U.S. citizens. Selection(s) made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service and may be required to serve a new probationary period. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Three" do not apply. Key duties: • This announcement serves as public notice. Applications submitted be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available. • Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6-month eligibility period has elapsed. • Applications may be gathered from additional recruitment sources. These will be added to the pool created by this announcement. • Positions filled with applications from this pool will be placed into positions where cybersecurity duties occupy the majority of the work performed. • Incumbent serves as an Information Technology (IT) Specialist and performs a wide range of duties which involves the design, documentation, modification, testing, installation, and maintenance of new or existing applications software. • Supports OIG’s mission in the development and implementation of standards via the software development lifecycle. • Designs, develops, and maintains Pega applications across the application and integration layers, supporting new implementations, enhancements, and major upgrades. • Works with business analysts, architects, and stakeholders to translate complex business requirements into well-structured Pega technical components using Case Management, Data Modeling, and Rule authoring. • Develops and implements complex system integrations using REST/SOAP connectors, SQL, Kafka, and other supported technologies to enable secure and efficient communication between Pega and external systems. • Utilizes Pega AI and decisioning tools as part of solution development, including implementing and tuning analytics or automated decision components where required. • Optimizes Pega applications for performance, scalability, and reliability, including conducting root cause analysis and resolving production issues. • Provides authoritative advice to executive level managers in OIG about the area of expertise. • Troubleshoots complex technical hardware and software problems and formulates solutions to ensure OIG applications continue working effectively/efficiently. • Serves as an agency-wide resource person in providing technical support and advice concerning OIG’s programmatic and administrative systems development. Qualifications: Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered. Please visit the new resume guidance for more information. READ ALL SECTIONS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS INFORMATION IS CRUCIAL TO SUBMITTING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION. Applicants must qualify for the series and grade of the posted position. 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. Your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, abilities, and proficiency of any required competencies to perform the specific position for which you are applying. To qualify for the 2210 IT Specialist series, the applicant must demonstrate the following competencies: 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; know about available products and services; and 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. Minimum Qualifications: Grade 13 To qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience must include all of the following: 1) Experience independently designing, developing, enhancing, and maintaining Pega applications in an enterprise environment, following Pega guardrails, standards, and best practices. 2) Experience translating complex business requirements into Pega case workflows, data models, rules, and integrations using SQL and Pega AI/decisioning tools. 3) Experience optimizing application performance, troubleshooting and resolving complex technical issues, ensuring compliance with federal security and data governance requirements, and maintaining technical documentation. 4) Experience supporting modernization and Agile System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) activities; providing technical guidance, conducting peer reviews, and communicating technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Qualification standards and additional information for this position can be found here: Competency-Based Qualification Standard for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210 View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.