Summary This is the position of IT Specialist (Systems Administration) for the Facilities Systems Team (FST) of the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC). The CXC is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) under contract to NASA, and is organized and managed within SAO’s High Energy Astrophysics Division. The FST is part of the CXC’s Operations Control Center (OCC), which carries out mission operations for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of NASA’s Great Observatories. Responsibilities The purpose of the position is to support FST and GOT, participate in planning for the OCC operations and to act as Security/Safety Officer. Duties may include but are not limited to: System Operations. Manage all aspects of the operation and maintenance of the OCC LANs, including network components such as routers, switches and subordinate devices. Ensure operation of critical resources 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Oversee normal system operations and data backup. Oversee analysis of anomalies ensure timely response and correction. Develop and implement configuration management systems. Assess needs for hardware and software reserves and ensure adequate supplies. Manage purchases, repairs, licenses, service contracts and inventory. Plan and schedule equipment checking. Train OCC system support staff in maintenance procedures relating to networking hardware and software configuration and protocols. Serve as a point of contact for OCC computer users requiring assistance or instruction in use of the OCC LAN. Provide system support and database management for the OCC archive; support archive backup and data safekeeping. Coordinate with systems staff of the High Energy Astrophysics Division and of the SAO Computer Facility, as well as of outside networks, to ensure proper interoperability. System Planning. Assist long-range planning to ensure that the OCC’s IT capabilities remain viable for the extended Chandra mission and are compatible with changes that may be imposed by external interfacing systems. Assess all aspects of network and system functionality and performance. Working largely independently, determine current and future OCC computer needs by conducting studies in areas such as LAN performance, system backup and recovery strategy and LAN security. Evaluate needs for system software. Make recommendations to the FST Manager for appropriate development of OCC computer resources. Carry out trade studies and recommend equipment and software. Interface with manufacturers of hardware and software as a point of contact for maintenance of the OCC LAN; obtain up-to-date information on available products and public domain utilities. Develop implementation plans. Assist in the management hardware and software upgrades; allocate and schedule resources and track and report progress. Ground Operations. Serve as the real time point of contact to provide services in operating and resolving problems that may arise with the command and control systems for the Chandra Operations Control Center (Chandra-OCC). Set up and configure the control center system to support multiple training, verification, and test configurations required to prepare for Chandra flight operations during the operations development phase of the program. Monitor the state of the OCC Data System including functions dealing with the internal interfaces and telemetry processing. Implement internal configuration changes, evaluate the impact of the changes, and translate FOT operational requirements into system or tool reconfiguration requirements. Perform systems administration and configuration control and establish interfaces with all OCC external resources required to support verification, testing, and flight operations. Support OCC system operations and develop required operations procedures for training and testing to support Chandra launch, and continued orbital operations for the duration of the program. Develop and maintain console operator procedural documentation that reflects the current implementation of the OCC Data System and FOT/console operator procedures. Train staff in new techniques and procedures as they develop. Deputy Security/Safety Officer Serve as the Deputy OCC Security Officer regarding matters of information technology and physical security matters with NASA and CXC. Serve as the OCC Safety Officer regarding safety matters with officials of SI, SAO, Harvard, Piedmont, and the City of Burlington, Massachusetts Physical Plant Management. In conjunction with the OCC’s Facility manager, Piedmont, and equipment vendors, manage the physical plant systems (air conditioning, heat, auxiliary generator, and electrical power systems) that serve the OCC’s operations and office environments. Other duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment Pre and Post appointment background check May be required to serve a one-year probationary period Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer required for salary payment First consideration may be made 14 days after the opening date Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the job opportunity announcement closing date. For qualification standards please view: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/IORs/gs2200/2210-altA.asp Qualifications For all positions individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below. 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; knows about available products and services; 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. and Candidates for grade 14 must possess minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the grade 13 in the normal line of progression for this occupation which should demonstrate 24/7 situational awareness for Linux IT systems; expert experience monitoring all IT systems for health and network connectivity and availability, to include experience with IT monitoring tools and applications; experience providing network and system administration in support of initial triage and incident response to identified outages; and experience providing web development, web/portal administration, and web services standards and development. Candidates must possess hands-on experience with CentOS and/or Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers and workstations, Cisco (or similar) networking equipment including layer 3 switches, with a fundamental understanding of switched IP networks. Candidates should have experience setting up and configuring NetApp, AlienVault, creating VMware virtual servers as well as backups and disaster recovery. Experience with VMware and vSAN is a required. Candidates must have the ability to express themselves both orally and in writing and the ability to work effectively as a team member in an operations environment. Candidates must have skill in leading the organization of a large complex system of computers into a functional network; skill in leading network and system design and working with numerous and varied complex external interfaces; skill in developing and maintaining procedures; skill in interfacing with external groups as a lead. Skill working in a mixed environment with Windows and Linux is key. Experience with both ground and flight operations of a spacecraft is required, as is skill in troubleshooting satellite communications issues, especially in the ground link. Education Additional Information The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but may pay a recruitment bonus. The Smithsonian embraces diversity and equal employment opportunity For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination requirements and its impact on your application, click on Smithsonian Institution’s Frequently Asked Questions The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in our workplace. The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds supports and enhances our daily work life and contributes to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. For more information on the Smithsonian EEO program please see www.si.edu/oeema.