State of Maryland

An Information Technology (IT) Staff Specialist is the full performance level of work reviewing, evaluating and preparing technical assessments of information technology issues in support of information technology organizations or in support of a user organization as the primary information technology resource.  Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an IT Staff Specialist Supervisor or other information technology administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The IT Staff Specialist is differentiated from the IT Staff Specialist Supervisor in that the IT Staff Specialist performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision while the IT Staff Specialist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for IT Staff Specialists.

Provides technical staff support in areas such as feasibility studies, budgeting, planning, contract administration and security requiring application of technical information technology knowledge;

Meets with information technology staff, management, users, vendors and other agency and State government staff to discuss and resolve information technology problems and issues;

Performs research and analysis of technical information technology issues;

Prepares position papers and narrative reports documenting findings and proposed solutions of information technology issues;

Reviews journals, catalogues and other technical literature and attends workshops, seminars and trade shows to keep abreast of the latest developments in computer technology;

May develop and modify information technology policies, procedures and standards;

May coordinate long and short range planning for information technology resources;

May prepare plans covering user needs, software systems and hardware;

May provide technical justification for information technology budget requests and may coordinate the information technology budget process;

May prepare technical specifications in requests for proposals for information technology hardware, software and services;

May evaluate proposals from vendors and recommend selection as a member of a technical evaluation committee;

May monitor information technology contract performance, verify that completion and quality criteria have been met and authorize payment of vendor invoices;

May establish and maintain security policies, procedures and standards for access to computer facilities, hardware, software and stored data and implement and manage computerized information technology security systems;

May develop and administer information technology training programs;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the functions and capabilities of computer systems and related peripheral equipment;

Knowledge of the principles and practices of applications systems development and programming;

Knowledge of generally accepted computer programming languages;

Knowledge of the functions and capabilities of operating systems and data communications networks;

Knowledge of the principles and practices of management and public administration; Skill in analyzing and evaluating computer systems;

Skill in planning, organizing and coordinating information technology projects;

Skill in interpreting and applying related rules, laws, regulations and policies;

Skill in applying inductive and deductive reasoning to reach logical solutions to technical issues;

Ability to communicate effectively and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with information technology staff, management, users, vendors and other agency and State government staff.

Experience: Five years of experience designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining applications systems and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages or maintaining and modifying operating systems for computers.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate and thirty credit hours from an accredited college or university in Computer Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Computer Science, or other information technology-related field to include course work in systems analysis and applications programming using generally accepted computer programming languages for four years of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate and one year of experience designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining applications systems and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages or maintaining and modifying operating systems for four years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute experience operating computer systems; or scheduling, controlling input and output or maintaining a tape library to process data on computer systems; or evaluating, implementing and maintaining microcomputer hardware and software; or converting data from project specifications by developing program code using generally accepted computer programming languages on a year-for-year basis for a high school education.

4. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or other information technology related field to include course work in systems analysis and application programming using generally accepted computer programming languages or in operating systems and data communications technology and one year experience designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining applications systems and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages or maintaining or modifying operating systems for computer for the required experience. 

5. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Cyber and Information Systems classifications or Cyber and Information Systems specialty codes in the Information Technology field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professional classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.