QA Automation Engineer US Bureau of Labor Statistics

• 3.9 Suitland, MD Job Details Full-time $121,785
• $158,322 a year 3 hours ago Qualifications Jira DevSecOps Practices Customer communication SAFe Content creation for technical audiences Requirements specification Waterfall Engineering development testing Requirements design Database testing IT quality control Providing information to customers Configuration management Application deployment Mid-level Redmine System maintenance SQL Data integrity and documentation Production systems Change management for system development Data management Decision making System validation Quality issues Version control systems Scripting Software documentation Developing automated testing protocols Waterfall software development Full Job Description Summary IT positions located in the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Office of Technology and Survey Processing (OTSP) provide IT support to all aspects of BLS data development initiatives.

BLS measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making. Learn more about this agency This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants. Duties This is not a software development position. The role focuses on maintaining system reliability and sustaining existing systems rather than building new software capabilities. OTSP QA Automation Engineers are responsible for the following:

Software Delivery:

Leading end-to-end software delivery in an Agile and/or Agile-Waterfall environment. Using CI/CD platforms (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI) to automate builds and deployments and apply DevOps practices to strengthen security and delivery.

Database Configuration Management:

Running SQL scripts in Oracle production environments Following strict configuration and change management processes to ensure system integrity and traceability Using project tracking tools (e.g. JIRA, Agility, Redmine), version control platforms (e.g. GitLab), and database development tools (e.g. Toad, SQL Developer).

System Validation:

Conducting system testing, including web applications, databases, and integrated components, to validate functionality and reliability. Identifying and documenting issues and risks, maintaining technical artifacts, and developing clear requirements and user-friendly guides for both technical and non-technical staff. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a U.S. Citizen. Must be at least 16 years old. Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met. Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level. Qualifications Qualification requirements include meeting minimum proficiency levels for required competencies and demonstrating one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, i.e. GS-12, in the Federal Service. Competencies Attention to Detail

• is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. ( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). 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.

( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). 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. ( Intermediate-level proficiency or higher ). Information Management
• identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems. ( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). 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. ( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). 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. ( Intermediate-level proficiency or higher ). Problem Solving
• identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. ( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). Teamwork
• encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals. ( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). Technical Competence
• uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

( Advanced-level proficiency or higher ). Specialized Experience Specialized experience serves as evidence that an applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities/competencies required for successful performance in the position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as one year of the following: Demonstrated experience supporting end-to-end SDLC operations across Agile-Waterfall, Agile, or DevOps environments. Examples of experience indicators at this level may include supporting any of the following: Agile flexibility (i.e. iterative-based work with Agile practices) and Waterfall controls (e.g. change requests, structured release gating, deployment checklists); or Agile (e.g. Scrum, SAFe); or DevOps automation (e.g. CI pipelines, automated testing, environment deployments) Education Education may not be substituted for experience at this level. Additional information Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the Required Documents section for additional requirements. The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. Refer to these links for more information:

GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty:

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

For more information, click Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy. Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy. The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click for more information on Pay, Leave, and Workforce Flexibilities. The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act.

Note:

The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions. All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71. 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. 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 Review our benefits How you will be evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. The results of your application will be determined by a review of required documentation, responses on the application questionnaire, and responses to the online assessment, including evaluation of 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 Application questionnaire: Applicants are required to complete a questionnaire as part of the application process. To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13052580.

Online assessments:

Applicants are required to complete a USA Hire assessment on job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics). This assessment includes a cut score based on a minimum level of required proficiency in critical competencies. Applicants must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. Those who score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment will not be considered for the position.

Category Rating:

Applicants will be assessed and placed into an appropriate category as described below. Click here for Evaluation details. Click Application of Veterans Preference for more information. Category A

• Meets the minimum qualifications requirements and demonstrates superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position. Category B
• Meets the minimum qualifications requirements and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position. Category C
• Meets the minimum qualifications requirements and demonstrates familiarity in applying critical competencies required by this position.

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, and volunteer experience, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.).

INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE

(S)

ONLY:

If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration.

ICTAP/CTAP

eligible(s) who are Category B or higher will be considered well-qualified. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation. Required Documents The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date.

Resumes:

Required and applicants must provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions and confirm that your resume supports your question responses. Veterans Documents (if applicable) : To be considered as a 5-point (TP) preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Your DD 214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point (CP/CPS, XP) preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214 and the proof of entitlement of this preference, which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. In addition, a Standard Form (SF-15) should be included, but is not required. (For active-duty service members expecting honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Tentative Preference for Active Duty). For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets

• Veterans Preference.

Displaced Employee Placement Documents:

Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted. Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. How to Apply Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Important

• Save your information before the 30-minute system timeout! For help, go to the USAJOBS Help Center. STEP 1
• Create USAJOBS Account on www.

usajobs.gov , including Resume and Saved Documents. For each employment period, include start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week) otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.

NOTE:

In alignment with the Presidential Memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, applicants may only submit a resume limited to two (2) pages. Only the résumé uploaded under the 'Resume" document type in USAJOBS will be reviewed. If the resume submitted exceeds two (2) pages, the application will be deemed ineligible for further consideration. STEP 2

• Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS).

Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button. STEP 3

• Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL).

On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click Apply to this vacancy . Continue through the progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy. STEP 4

• On the Review and Submit step , verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button. STEP 5
• Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm Eastern Time of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, thenUpdate Application.

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 2 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 update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application . This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

NOTE:

It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. For more detailed information on applying for positions with DOL click here to view the U.S. Department of Labor, How to Apply website. Agency contact information Kyle Zagorski Phone 202-693-1000 X17849 Email Address Bureau of Labor Statistics 200 Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20210 US Next steps Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days of the issuance date of the certificate. For instructions on how to check the status of your application, go to USAJOBS Help Guide. To view the announcement status or your application status visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. USAJOBS will no longer send status alert email notifications. You can check your application status in the TAS by logging into USAJOBS and in the Applicant Dashboard, click the hiring agency Talent Acquisition System (TAS). If the TAS does not provide application tracking information, contact the agency's point of contact on the job announcement. To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. When Bureau of Labor Statistics completes its hiring, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional sub-agencies in the Department. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with additional sub-agencies at DOL. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements. Overview Accepting applications Location 3 vacancies in the following location: Metropolitan area surrounding Suitland, MD No matching locations found. Work site options Telework eligible Yes—as determined by the agency policy. Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $121,785

• $158,322 per year Pay scale & grade GS 13 Promotion potential None
• This position is at its Full Promotion Potential. Learn more about pay scale and grade Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job. Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel
• You may be expected to travel for this position. Appointment type Permanent Occupations and job series 2210 Information Technology Management Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union Yes
• The duty location is within the Washington, D.

C. metropolitan area, and included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. Drug test No Security clearance Not Required Position sensitivity and risk High Risk (HR) Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job. Background check type Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure required No Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests. Announcement number

DE-26-CHI-BLS-13052580-KDZ

Control number 883369400