Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
Location(s): Woodlawn, Maryland
Salary Range: $143913 - $197200 Per Year
Job Summary: IT Specialist (APPSW) COBOL Developer positions are being filled through the Office of Personnel Management's delegated Direct Hire Authority, open to all U.S. citizens. Selections 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. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Many" do not apply.
Major Duties:
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. Duties: Architect, develop, and maintain high-performance business applications using modern COBOL, CICS, JCL, DB2, VSAM, and IDMS on our enterprise server platform. Optimize SQL queries and data management for lightning-fast access and reliability in DB2 databases. Implement and support batch processing jobs, leveraging advanced job scheduling and monitoring tools. Engineer robust data storage and retrieval solutions using VSAM, ensuring integrity and speed. Utilize sophisticated file handling techniques for sequential, indexed, and relative files. Design and maintain data structures that support scalable, enterprise-grade applications. Build and support Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) systems using CICS and TSQ for real-time, high-volume transactions. Troubleshoot and resolve application issues to ensure maximum uptime and performance. Collaborate with business analysts, QA, and fellow developers to deliver innovative solutions. Prepare and maintain technical documentation, including program specifications, flowcharts, and user guides. Participate in code reviews and uphold best practices for quality and security. Support application testing, deployment, and post-implementation activities in a fast-paced environment. Identify and pursue opportunities to leverage AI-driven tools and technologies to improve development efficiency, automate processes, and enhance application capabilities. Stay informed about advancements in AI and related technologies and recommend ways to incorporate them into SSA's business systems where appropriate. Minimum Qualifications: Grade 14 To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-13 level, or equivalent, designing, developing, and maintaining mainframe applications using COBOL, CICS, VSAM, and JCL; supporting data integration and migration with DB2, SQL, and IDMS; and assisting in the architecture or modernization of legacy systems. Experience must also include providing guidance to technical teams, preparing technical documentation, and collaborating with stakeholders to support modernization initiatives. Minimum Qualifications: Grade 15 To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-14 level, or equivalent, designing, developing, and maintaining mainframe applications using COBOL, CICS, VSAM, and JCL; managing data integration and migration with DB2, SQL, and IDMS; and architecting or modernizing legacy systems. Experience must also include leading technical teams, preparing technical documentation, and collaborating with stakeholders to support modernization initiatives. PLEASE NOTE: This specialized experience is REQUIRED and must be explicitly documented/described in your resume, or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Qualification standards and additional information for this position can be found here: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/2200/information-technology-it-management-series-2210-alternative-a/
How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. Announcement cutoff dates: March 12, 2026 March 19, 2026 March 26, 2026 April 2, 2026 April 9, 2026 April 16, 2026 April 23, 2026 April 30, 2026 May 7, 2026 May 14, 2026 May 21, 2026 May 28, 2026 June 4, 2026 June 11, 2026 June 18, 2026 June 25, 2026 July 2, 2026 July 9, 2026 July 16, 2026 July 23, 2026 July 30, 2026 August 6, 2026 August 13, 2026 August 20, 2026 September 1, 2026 You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Careers at SSA at Careers@ssa.gov. Individuals with disabilities may also call us via Federal Relay using the (voice) contact telephone provided. Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
Application Deadline: 2026-09-01