IT Specialist (SysAdmin/Network) (IS-2210-11/12/13) chez Smithsonian Institution

OPENING DATE: September 23, 2025
CLOSING DATE: October 9, 2025
SERIES/GRADE: IS-2210-11/12/13*
TYPE OF POSITION: Trust Indefinite (Non-Federal)
DIVISION: High Energy Astrophysics
LOCATION:  Burlington, MA
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: This position requires access to export-controlled work. The candidate must be a U.S. person (citizen, permanent resident or be a national of a country eligible to be approved on an export license).

*This is a career ladder opportunity with promotion potential up to grade 13.  Selection for this position to be made at the grade 11 level.  Candidates may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level, up to grade 13, upon the recommendation of the supervisor based on classification requirements, satisfactory performance, and qualifications of the employee. 

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Childcare), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care). 

INTRODUCTION
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is at the forefront, internationally, of the scientific exploration of the universe. SAO combines its resources with those of the Harvard College Observatory to form the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). The CfA is the best-known astrophysics center in the world. Its programs range from ground-based astronomy and astrophysics research to space-based research, the engineering and development of major scientific instrumentation for space launch and use in large ground-based facilities, and research designed to improve science education. The research objectives of SAO are carried out primarily with the support of Government and Smithsonian Institution funds, with additional philanthropic support.  Government funds are in the form of Federal appropriations or the form of contracts and grants from other agencies. In contrast, Institution funds are available to SAO through grants from the Institution's Restricted Funds, Special Purpose Funds, Bureau Activities, Business Activities, and non-Federal contracts and grants. 

SUMMARY
The position serves as Information Technology (IT) Specialist (Systems Administration/Network Services) in the Chandra Operations Control Center (OCC) of the High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.  

The employee will take a lead role in performing all aspects of computer network management on a network of Windows and Linux workstations and servers and serves as a resource of expertise for other staff.  The employee is responsible for network maintenance and security, user accounts and services (such as on-line user documentation and user training), and utilities, scripts and system procedures.

1.    Upgrade, maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot Linux servers running apache, tomcat, svn and related packages, as well as custom software applications.

 

2.    Upgrade, maintain, and troubleshoot VMware / vSAN environment.

 

3.    Monitor and troubleshoot network elements to ensure that problems are discovered and resolved in a timely manner.

 

4.    Design, recommend, and implement system and network security improvements.  Resolve security problems.  Stay current with Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) advisories and vendor-supplied security alerts, and implement security modifications as needed.

 

5.    Evaluate OCC computing needs and network performance.  Plan new services and expanded roles for the network.  Design and implement network improvements such as system backup and recovery strategies, network performance enhancement, and optimization of system resources (disk, CPU, memory).

 

6.    Provide user support.  Serve as point of contact for OCC computer users requiring assistance or instruction in the use of the OCC local area network.  Write utilities and scripts to improve the user experience.

 

7.    Maintain current knowledge of hardware and software products, including those from Cisco and other manufacturers, as well as Windows and Linux products and public domain utilities.

 

8.    Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Basic Requirements:
This standard allows eligibility through meeting either the requirements specified in the section titled Education or the requirements specified in the section titled Experience.

Education:
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
or
3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

Education: All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions

Undergraduate or Graduate Education: Degree in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management or degree that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more of the fields identified above and required the development or adaptation of applications, systems or networks.

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

GS-5 through GS-15 (or equivalent): For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. The employing agency is responsible for identifying the specific level of proficiency required for each competency at each grade level based on the requirements of the position being filled.

Specialized Experience for GS-7 (or equivalent) and Above: Positions at GS-7 (or equivalent) and above require one year of specialized experience at the next lower GS-grade (or equivalent). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Such experience is typically gained in the IT field or through the performance of work where the primary concern is IT. The employing agency is responsible for defining the specialized experience based on the requirements of the position being filled.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required:

 

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

 

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

  

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Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.  

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

 

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.  

To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities). 

 

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo   

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is an equal opportunity employer. Please visit the SAO website at http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/