Job Listing
IT Specialist (APPSW) "Software Engineer", GS-2210-15 FPL GS-15 (Direct Hire) (Open Continuous)
Federal Student Aid · Posted 10 days ago
Hybrid San Francisco, CA $148K – $197K Apply by Jul 30, 2026 Information Technology Management INTJINTPISTJISTP Engineering
Apply for this job → About the Role
This position is in the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Federal Student Aid (FSA), Technology Directorate (TD). The Technology Directorate provides information technology services for all FSA systems, promoting the effective and secure use of technology to achieve FSA's strategic objectives through sound planning, investments, integrated technology architectures and standards, effective systems development, production support, and cybersecurity services.
What You'll Do
- →This is an open continuous announcement with cutoff dates.
- →Applications will be referred based on receipt of application and established cutoff dates as follows: 1st cutoff date: 07/10/2026 2nd cutoff date: 07/20/2026 Last cutoff date: 07/30/2026 We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.
- →As a IT Specialist (APPSW), GS-2210-15, you will be responsible for: Leading the technical direction for FSA engineering by applying deep knowledge of modern software engineering practices to ensure systems are robust, reliable, and user-friendly, while keeping the team focused on outcomes that directly improve the experience for millions of students and families.
- →Evaluating, adopting, and championing new development tools, technologies, and methods that improve both productivity and software quality across the FSA lifecycle, while elevating the work of contractors and setting a higher standard for product excellence across the organization.
- →Fostering a culture that combines technical excellence with a relentless focus on mission outcomes, while providing coaching, feedback, and growth opportunities for both government staff and contractors, raising the bar for engineering practice and delivery across the federal government.
- →Taking ownership of improving not just the product but also the internal processes that surround it, while proactively identifying and fixing inefficient or outdated processes that slow down delivery, serving as a catalyst for change by removing obstacles, building alignment across stakeholders, and modeling a bias toward action.
- →Applying deep experience in building and managing products that serve millions of users at scale, with high stakes for accuracy, security, and reliability, while ensuring FSA systems meet the demands of peak traffic periods, protect sensitive personal and financial data, and deliver seamless experiences for students, families, and institutions.
Requirements
- ✓Condition of Employment: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or trial 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 OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- ✓You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
- ✓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.
- ✓We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.
- ✓Applicants may qualify by meeting or exceeding the minimum proficiency level established for each of the required competencies, in addition to meeting the specialized experience requirement as demonstrated through the assessment of skills.
- ✓You must possess IT-related experience (paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (e.g., IT certification), as appropriate) demonstrating each of the nine competencies listed below.
- ✓Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
- ✓Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- ✓Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
- ✓Interpersonal Skills- Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations.
- ✓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.
Benefits
- ★As an ED employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment.
- ★As part of our commitment to maintain a work life balance, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service.
- ★Other flexibilities that may be available to you include alternative work schedules.
- ★You may be eligible to receive a recruitment incentive for this position.
- ★To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S.
- ★Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon.
- ★You may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive for this position.
- ★To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S.
- ★Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon.
- ★You may be eligible to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program as a recruitment incentive for this position.
Personality Fit
Job ID: 1e32ce3e-9d0a-42b8-9e5b-c7e41daa4491
Posted via USAJobs