THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Western District of Texas is accepting applications for the position of Computer Systems Administrator (CSA), National Information Technology Operations and Applications Development (NITOAD), located in San Antonio, Texas. The NITOAD branch supports the federal defender program’s staffed offices in 204 locations throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. The federal defender program operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, to provide defense services in federal criminal cases and related matters by appointment from the court to individuals unable to afford counsel.

Requirements. To qualify for the CSA position, a person must be a high school graduate or the equivalent and have at least three years of general experience, which provided a working knowledge of automated systems; and two years of specialized experience, and comprehensive knowledge of computer systems administration principles, practices, methods, and techniques. The candidate must be highly motivated, detail-oriented, and possess strong organization skills. Must have demonstrated proficiency in mastering and applying new technical skills and concepts, the ability to quickly diagnose and respond to system difficulties, strong client-service orientation, and excellent communication skills. Notwithstanding any educational substitution, experience in the following areas is required:

Experience supporting Microsoft Windows Server (2016, 2019, Hyper-V) including virtual-machines and physical server class hardware.
Experience performing hardware maintenance, installation and configuration, firmware updates, and troubleshooting.
Microsoft Windows 10/11 desktop, laptop and tablet computer support and administration, to include remote and in-person support.
Experience with SAN/NAS storage and backup appliances.
Mobile device management and support.
Active Directory user, computer, and group management.
Local area network switch and firewall configuration and administration.
Communicate technical issues, to both a nontechnical and technical audience, with excellent customer service skills.
Specialized knowledge, skill and experience in these areas is preferred:

Support Microsoft 365 products such as Office Apps and Services, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.
Hyper-V virtualization administration including installation, configuration, replication, and troubleshooting.
The ability to lift 50 pounds and occasional travel, including overnight travel, is required. Occasional after-hour support in response to user support, outages, or local building maintenance is required. Experience with a public defender, law office, or court functions policies and procedures are preferred. The selected candidate must complete a ten-year background investigation with periodic updates every five years thereafter. Employment will be considered provisional pending the initial ten-year background investigation. Continued employment will depend upon favorable determinations from the background investigation. All applicants must be a U.S. citizen or must be a lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder) and seeking U.S. citizenship.

Duties. The CSA administers the day-to-day operation and support of all IT-based systems over a Local Area Network (LAN). The CSA installs and tests software, performs preventive maintenance, and monitors system logs for errors. The CSA also assists with training end-users and provides technical support, including one-on-one support to resolve hardware, software, or other system problems. The CSA assists both remote and onsite personnel. The CSA also performs the following tasks:

Maintains backup infrastructure and disaster recovery solutions to include environmental monitoring. This includes utilizing enterprise tools to manage, monitor, and secure local server environments.
Provides full range of IT support in compliance with Judiciary standards and policies.
Responds promptly and professionally to user support needs, inquiries, and requests.
Performs desktop hardware installation and support.
Manages and maintains third-party applications in conjunction with vendor support.
Responsible for incident tracking and resolution of service desk tickets.
Acts as point of contact for technical issues, and serves as an escalation point for problems requiring national IT support.
Works closely with the local Office Management to assist in meetings, training sessions and audio-visual setups.
Implements new technologies and works to improve existing technology operations.
Responsible for onboarding new employees and provisioning required equipment for onsite or remote workers.
Leads and organizes office projects that require IT assistance.
Adheres to all Judiciary operational standards and procedures which include procedures for equipment inventory, disposal, and support renewals.
Develops and maintains project documentation such as: Infrastructure diagrams, installation documentation, upgrade assessments, and knowledge base articles.
Salary and Benefits. The starting salary will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant within a range of $60,823 (JSP-9, Step 1) to $104,887 (JSP-13, Step 1) per annum. The salary of the successful applicant will be commensurate with the person’s qualifications and experience. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does offer federal government employee benefits, including health and life insurance programs, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).

How to Apply. Qualified persons may apply by sending a letter of interest addressed to Federal Public Defender Maureen Scott Franco (mentioning announcement number 24-19), a résumé, and three professional references. Experience should be described in detail. Send all required documents in a single PDF document named with applicant’s “last name, first name-Announcement 24-19 NITOAD CSA”. Electronic submissions sent directly to the Defender will not be considered. For applicants with disabilities, this organization provides reasonable accommodations, which are decided on a case-by-case basis. To request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, contact personnel administrator Victoria B. Longoria at (210) 981-2081. Position announced September 13, 2024, subject to the availability of funds; open until filled.

The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer.