Federal

IT Specialist (Appsw)

Defense Contract Management Agency ยท Department of Defense
๐Ÿ“ Linthicum Heights, Maryland NH-3 $103,526 - $158,322/yr
Posted: Feb 9, 2026 Deadline: Feb 20, 2026 (Closes in 5 days days left)

About This Position

See below for important information regarding this job. Additional vacancies may be filled from this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for an IT Specialist (APPSW), your resume and supporting documentation must support: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in, or related to, this position. To qualify for the NH-03 level, specialized experience must be at the NH-02 or GS-11 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military or private sector. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Creditable specialized experience includes: Extensive experience performing independent audits, and in-depth reviews of software development products. Providing administrative and technical oversight of contractor operations and procedures relative to Software Acquisition. Performing as Lead and SME, serving as a software representative for assigned contractors with responsibility for technical surveillance of contractor software systems, controls and processes. For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four 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. 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.

Major Duties

Oversees contract surveillance of software requirements, computer program requirements, design, coding, software testing and embedded real time software systems for assigned software systems being procured.
Provides technical feedback to the Program Management Office and contractor, as to whether the contractor has used the appropriate and complete approach and appropriate naming conventions standards required by contract.
Performs analysis of technical review of the contractor's software product, at the computer software configuration item (CSCI)/software configuration unit (CSU) level, during software development to determine traceability to contract requirements.
Provides periodic overall analysis of the contractor's performance as to whether the software product under development is technically sound to both the Program Management Office (PMO) and buying activity.
Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work, checks on work in progress and reviews completed work to see that the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines and quality have been met.
Trains or arranges for the training of team members in methods and techniques of team building and works in teams to accomplish tasks or projects
Ensures that the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision and values are communicated to the team and integrated into the teams strategies, goals, objectives, work plans and work products and services.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

How You Will Be Evaluated

The assessments for this job will measure the following Competencies: Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility and/or score. Once the application process is complete, a manual review of your resume and supporting documentation will occur to determine if you are eligible and among the best qualified as determined by the predetermined cutoff score. Your score is based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire. If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Assessment. This additional online assessment is required and must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

Additional Information

This position does not meet criteria for appointment of Reemployed Annuitants. The DoD criteria for hiring Reemployed Annuitants can be found at: DoDI 1400.25-V300. Tour of Duty: 1st Shift FLSA: Exempt Bargaining Unit: No If selected for an interview, you may be required to provide your last three performance appraisals to the panel. Selectee may be required to serve a trial/probationary period. Recruitment/Relocation/Retention Incentive may be authorized at Management's discretion. Financial Disclosure Required Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (AT&L) NON-CAP: Position requires DoD Acquisition Engineering & Technical Management, Practitioner certification within required timeframes. Selectee must also achieve 80 hours of Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every 2-years. Click here for more details and Resources. Personnel are required to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) eligibility

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12880509. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/20/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. 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 covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 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 at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Required Documents

Required documents for submission vary based on the authority you are using to apply (e.g., applying as a veteran, a current permanent Federal employee, a reinstatement, etc). Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further. The following documents are REQUIRED: 1. Your resume: IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. To ensure full credit for time worked regarding qualifications determinations your resume must include your work schedule. You are strongly encouraged to ensure your resume contains the number of hours worked per week and the specific dates of employment (i.e.,"40 hrs per week; 1/15/2020 - 1/14/2022" or "30 hrs per week; 1/15/2020 - Present"). 2. Veteran's Documents: If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty. Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible (PPP DoD MRNG): In order to receive this preference, you must choose the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician eligibility, and fill out and submit the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist and copies of the appropriate documentation. 3. Current Federal Employees: You must provide a SF-50 (most current Gen Adj or WGI actions are best), or other equivalent official "Notification of Personnel Action" (Note: Request for Personnel Action (SF-52) is NOT acceptable.) Your SF-50 must reflect Tenure (Block 24) and Position Occupied (Block 34). Please review the link for ICTAP, ALL PPP ELIGIBILITIES AND OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility: Supporting Document.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the IT Specialist (Appsw) position at Defense Contract Management Agency?
The salary range for this position is $103,526 - $158,322/yr. This is a NH-3 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the IT Specialist (Appsw) job located?
This position is located in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
To qualify for an IT Specialist (APPSW), your resume and supporting documentation must support: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in, or related to, this position. To qualify for the NH-03 level, specialized experie...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Feb 20, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance is required.
What does NH-3 mean?
NH-3 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.