Assistant Open Source Investigator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is located in the Railroad Retirement Board's Bureau of Information Services. The incumbent will be responsible for the design, development, modernization, and maintenance of enterprise software systems that support agency-wide business operations and information technology modernization initiatives.
This job announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a bargaining unit position. This position is represented by the Council of AFGE Locals in the Board.
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Duties
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As an Open-Source Developer, you will:

• Design, develop, modify, secure, test, and maintain complex applications using Open-Source technologies, Microsoft stack technologies, microservices architecture, and application programming interfaces (APIs).
• Design, implement, and modernize cloud-native applications in multi-cloud environments.
• Evaluate Open-Source software components and ensure compliance with software licensing agreements, government acquisition requirements, government security requirements, and intellectual property requirements.
• Design, maintain, and optimize databases using Microsoft Structured Query Language Server (SQL Server) or IBM Database 2 (DB2).
• Apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) software development tools and technologies to support capabilities and limits (code completion, test generation, refactoring, doc synthesis).

Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
• Incumbent may be required to work outside of normal duty hours, such as nights, weekends, and holidays, due to operational needs.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications for GS-13 level:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience implementing microservices/ Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and United States Web Design System (USWDS)/Section 508 front ends: refactoring code and participating in design/code reviews.
• Experience deploying containerized apps (Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (Azure/AWS; Docker/Kubernetes)) and building Continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) with automated tests and security checks using Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Experience assessing Open -Source Software (OSS) licensing and maintaining/tuning Structured Query Language Server and IBM DB2 databases (SQL Server/DB2) with comprehensive testing and validation, including integration with mainframe applications.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-14 level:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience leading microservices/ Microservices and Application Programming Interfaces (API) and accessible front-end delivery (United States Web Design System (USWDS), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (federal accessibility requirements) (Section 508)) and providing senior technical guidance.
• Experience architecting multi-cloud containers/Kubernetes and building/operating Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps) continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) aligned to federal security frameworks and automated testing.
• Experience governing Open -Source Software (OSS) licensing/supply chain (e.g., Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)/ Software Composition Analysis (SCA)) and optimizing enterprise databases with robust testing and validation, including integration with mainframe applications.

In addition, all applicants qualifying based on experience must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. Applicants must demonstrate possession of these competencies within the body of the resume; no separate statements addressing them are required.

• 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.

Time-in grade-restrictions: Applicants who are current or former Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).
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.
Only experience and/or education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Education
There is no education substitution for this position.
Additional information
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)
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP):

• ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. You must be determined to be well-qualified for the vacancy to be eligible for special selection priority. After submission of an acceptable application which meets ICTAP eligibility, you will be determined to be well-qualified for a vacancy if your rating places you in the 85th percentile or higher in total possible points.
• ICTAP eligibles must submit proof of eligibility for special selection priority. Please see the Required Documents section below for more information. Click here for more information on ICTAP.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:
Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
Special Hiring Authorities for Certain Military Spouses
Other Special Appointment Authorities
If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act; the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.