State of Maryland

A State Retirement Agency (SRA) Software Engineer Trainee is the entry level of work responsible for developing, testing, implementing, and maintaining applications and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages and supporting technologies. Employees may learn to utilize programming languages to develop web applications, application programming interfaces (APIs) and data persistence in support of a variety of agency efforts. Software Engineers interact with other software and database engineers. They may also be required to collaborate with stakeholders and contributors on project activities. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from an SRA Software Engineer Manager.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology, which 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 this classification specification.

The SRA Software Engineer Trainee, SRA Software Engineer I and SRA Software Engineer II are differentiated based on the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees and the autonomy and complexity of assignments. The SRA Software Engineer Trainee performs the duties under close supervision. The SRA Software Engineer I performs the duties under close supervision at times, and under general supervision at other times, depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The SRA Software Engineer II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to design, code, test and document software applications;

Learns to balance usability, security, maintainability, extensibility, availability, scalability, and portability of software applications;

Learns to develop understanding and proficiency with intelligent document processing technologies utilized by the agency;

Learns to stay up to date on innovations in software development best practice and technologies to incorporate into new and existing efforts;

Learns to prepare detailed specifications;

Learns to develop conceptual designs and prototypes;

Learns to implement authorization and authentication in new software applications;

Learns to develop strategies for protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) leveraging best practice and technologies.

Learns to perform cost benefit and feasibility analyses;

Learns to participate in development of IT policies, security controls, disaster recovery, and standard operating procedures;

Learns to perform other related duties.

Knowledge of line-of-business programs, their respective missions, and the role of information technology;

Knowledge of System Development Life Cycle;

Knowledge of computer operating systems, computer networks, hosted and cloud-based solutions;

Knowledge of change management and separation of duties;

Knowledge of relational databases;

Skill in using software development supporting technologies;

Skill in developing in agency core programming languages;

Skill in applying authorization and authentication;

Skill in building and maintaining custom solutions;

Ability to analyze organizational needs, architect business solutions, and monitor/administer systems/software to optimize performance;

Ability to use acquired institutional knowledge to achieve organizational efficiencies;

Ability to troubleshoot application software;

Ability to develop software in an agile environment;

Ability to implement client-server software.

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: None.

Employees in this classification may be subject to call-in 24 hours a day and, therefore, may be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number where the employee can be reached. Employees may be furnished with an Agency-issued cell phone.

Applicants for this classification handle sensitive data. This will require a full scope background investigation prior to appointment. A criminal conviction may be grounds for rejection of the applicant.

Employees may occasionally be required to travel to field locations (i.e., disaster recovery site) and must have access to an automobile in the event a state vehicle cannot be provided. Standard mileage allowance will be paid for use of a privately owned vehicle.

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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential). As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series. In order to be noncompetitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.