Systems Engineer – Expert
 
Summary:
Enterprise System Engineer serve to maintain a strong awareness of technical trends in information technology, develop and maintain a strong awareness of on-going IT projects, and business unit requirements; be able to apply the project management model (e.g. Spiral, Waterfall, Agile) selected for a given development effort; and provide analysis, design, development, deployment, and lifecycle support for innovative hardware systems and applications. Work involves being able to develop end-to-end cost analysis for projects; ensure systems being developed comply with the enterprise technical architecture; help project and program teams prepare for CIO Project Management Program control gates; and keep senior management apprised of project or program status.
Assignments may include leading teams consisting of contractor personnel.
 
Duties, Tasks, and Responsibilities

• Analyze and study complex system requirements.
• Analyze functional business applications and design specifications for functional activities.
• Apply business process improvement practices to re-engineer methodologies and principles and business process modernization projects.
• Apply the concept of operations set of disciplines for the planning, analysis, design and construction of information systems across a major sector of the organization.
• Apply, as appropriate, activity and data modeling, transaction flow analysis, internal control and risk analysis and modern business methods and performance measurement techniques.
• Assist in establishing standards for information systems procedures.
• Confer with clients regarding the nature of the information processing or computation needs a computer program is to address.
• Consult with management to ensure agreement on system principles.
• Coordinate and link the computer systems within an organization to increase compatibility and so information can be shared.
• Design software tools and subsystems to support software reuse and domain analyses and manages their implementation.
• Develop analytical and computational techniques and methodology for problem solutions.
• Develop and apply organization-wide information models for use in designing and building integrated, shared software and database management systems.
• Develops block diagrams and logic flow charts. Translate detailed design into computer software. Enhance software to reduce operating time or improve efficiency.
• Ensure the logical and systematic conversion of customer or product requirements into total systems solutions that acknowledge technical, schedule, and cost constraints.
• Estimate software development costs and schedule. Review existing programs and assist in making refinements, reducing operating time, and improve current techniques. Supervise software configuration management.
• Expand or modify system to serve new purposes or improve workflow.
• Manage software development and support using formal specifications, data flow diagrams, other accepted design techniques and Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools.
• Perform functional analysis, timeline analysis, cost estimation, trade studies, requirements allocation and interface definition studies to translate customer requirements into hardware and software specifications.
• Perform strategic systems planning, business information planning, business and analysis. Prepare required documentation, including both program-level and user-level documentation.
• Provide staff and users with assistance solving computer related problems, such as malfunctions and program problems.
• Provide technical direction to programmers to ensure program deadlines are met.
• Provide technical guidance in software engineering techniques and automated support tools.
• Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation of computer programs and systems.
• Tests, debugs, and refines the computer software to produce the required product.
• Use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client/server applications development processes and multimedia and Internet technology.

 
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
 

• Ability to convey technical information to non-technical individuals.
• Ability to develop a project plan and workflow based on a project management model.
• Ability to effectively understand and communicate orally, in writing, and interpersonally to various customers/audiences.
• Ability to identify technology gaps in current capabilities and processes.
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve both technical and non-technical issues.
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve technical and non-technical issues (e.g. equipment, systems, networks, computer operations, cover issues etc)..
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.
• Communications and Media — Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Considerable knowledge of Project Management concepts and principles.
• Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems..
• Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Design — Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Engineering and Technology — Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Knowledge of the Intelligence Community.
• Knowledge of the ’s project management processes, procedures and tools. Operations Analysis — Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Project planning and management skills, including scope of work, time estimation, and resource assignment.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills; ability to create original concepts/theories for various projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills to resolve problems in a professional manner, lead working groups, negotiate and create consensus.
• Systems Analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Technology Design — Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs. Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

 
Minimum Education
 
General equivalency guidelines for education, certifications, and experience are provided below; however, these guidelines do not immediately qualify someone at a particular level. Skill levels for an individual are based upon a combination of education, training, and experience, e.g. someone may have 20 years of professional experience; however they may only be qualified as Full Performance based upon the expertise needed to perform the work within that category.

• General professional years of experience may be substituted for specialized years of experience at a ratio of three (3) years of general experience within an occupation for one (1) year of specialized experience.
• Relevant certifications will be considered equivalent to three (3) months of specialized experience.
• An Associate’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a scientific or technical discipline related to the specific skill will be considered equivalent to eighteen (18) months specialized experience.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a scientific or technical discipline related to the specific skill will be considered equivalent to three (3) years specialized experience (total equivalency is not cumulative when combined with an Associate’s degree).
• A Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a scientific or technical discipline related to the specific skill will be considered equivalent to two (2) years specialized experience (up to a total of five (5) years when combined with a Bachelor’s).
• A Doctorate in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a scientific or technical discipline related to the specific skill will be considered equivalent to two (2) years specialized experience (up to a total of seven (7) years when combined with a Master’s and a Bachelor’s).

 
Minimum Experience
 
Expert:

• Typically someone that is a recognized expert or certified practitioner with a particular computer language, system or technology that can not only deliver capabilities, but can mentor and train others.
• Generally requires eleven (11) years of experience specific to the skill and relevant training or certifications.
• Expertise, training and actual work experience with the specific computer language, systems, and/or technology is significantly more important than the number of years of experience. This is especially true with emerging technologies.