Information Technology Analyst 2 (35 Hour)

The State of CT Connecticut is a leader in the coordination of early childhood programs throughout the country.  The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) coordinates the delivery of early childhood services for the state’s youngest residents; including early care and education, home visiting, developmental support, and program and provider development. We are an agency, making a difference in the lives of the state’s youngest residents. We believe in ensuring all children are safe, healthy, learning and thriving, and we need a hard-working, solutions-oriented professional to join our growing technology team.

We are recruiting for an Information Technology Analyst 2 position to join our growing technology division.  The OEC is looking to build modern, user friendly, customer-centric applications to support our six divisions and the members of the public we serve. Technical growth is crucial to IT culture of the OEC, and in this position, you will be part of a newly formed team with growth potential.

In this software engineering role, you will be a part of the development team and bridge the gap between agency colleagues and partners. An individual in this role:

• Should have a strong background in requirements gathering, test plan creation and execution using modern tools, and experience creating documentation.
• Should be familiar with .Net based Unit test frameworks.
• Will bring a strong desire to develop and an eye for creativity.
• Is the type of person who continuously seeks improvements both in design and within your skill set.
• Has strong communications skills and a desire to develop, learn and instruct end users.
• Will be involved in the entire software life cycle of our projects, application designs, data structures, web services, application security and unit testing.
• Is the type of person who is not afraid to pick up a shovel and dig in.
• Has interpersonal skills that includes excellent verbal and written communication and the ability to work effectively with all levels of technical and non-technical staff and management.
• Has strong organization and documentation skills, client face time experience, and an attitude to learn and grow with the position.

The successful candidate will:

• Partner with internal stakeholders ensuring applications designed are developed fulfill the business’s needs
• Elicit requirements from stakeholders, and work with the development team to create technical specifications, personas, user stories and development tasks
• Consult and/or participate in the requirements, design and coding walkthroughs to ensure the development of quality solutions.
• Design, code, debug, test via unit testing, and integrate software application solutions while ensuring all designs are consistent with agency coding and security standards.
• Prepare and/or generate test data.
• Work with stakeholders to create user acceptance criteria and compile user feedback
• Document programs and procedures.
• Proactively identify problems and presents/develops solutions
• Investigate and resolve problems including providing support for production systems in a timely manner.
• Contribute to ongoing professional development for the entire team.

Additional Duties May Include: 

• Monitoring technology trends, and incorporating new tools and development practices
• Collaborating with external development teams and industry partners
• Reviewing and providing feedback on vendor and third-party design standards/specifications while vetting new integration partners
• Determining how existing applications, systems, databases, interfaces and/or hardware can interact to meet new and emerging enterprise initiatives.

The OEC is a proud supporter of the state's Telework Program and provides flexible work schedule options to its employees.

All applicants must include a name within the "Resume Tab" of their application with their submission.  If you are slected for an interview, it is at that time you will need to provide a Resume, Cover Letter and documentation regarding job performance reviews for the current year and past two (2 years.  The same requirement would apply for positions which require certification/licensure.

Updates of this recruitment will be provided through your JobAps portal account.  Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.  For all other inquiries, please contact Ellen Morris, ellen.morris@ct.gov, 860-713-6670.

In a state agency Information Technology (IT) environment, this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of information technology tasks and project coordination work involving infrastructure systems support, security and application development in an IT environment.

For All Functional Areas: Acts as liaison to hardware and/or software vendors, system developers, programmers and user community; evaluates and recommends products; participates in Request for Proposal (RFP) process; assists in estimating cost for annual budget; identifies and implements opportunities for cost savings; conducts system performance analysis, tuning and storage management; assists staff and customers in use of computer systems and software packages; trains operators, IT staff and end users on new procedures; participates in recovery activities; participates in the evaluation of new, related technologies; analyzes requirements and designs systems; participates in or coordinates project planning sessions with customers, analysts and team members to analyze requirements and provide design recommendations for moderately complex systems; provides technical consultation on moderately complex issues regarding the usage of the infrastructure, integration of applications systems into the infrastructure, etc.; participates in system integration testing of operating system, system utilities, hardware upgrades as well as new software and hardware technologies; works with project team to define and design scope for each project; plans, coordinates and schedules assigned projects; coordinates resources for project; ensures timely completion of all phases of project; evaluates and recommends vendors; performs related duties as required.

Systems Programming: Provides second or third level support for network connectivity, or related network issues for the user community; diagnoses and resolves moderate network problems utilizing traces, hardware diagnostic tools, software aids, network management systems and utilities; coordinates the installation and maintenance of network components; analyzes network activity; analyzes capacity planning and facilities bandwidth requirements and system interdependencies; manage, maintains and contributes to network system documentation; develops back-up procedures for LAN servers; analyzes the recovery and reliability capability of systems and network services and makes recommendations for improvement; recommends hardware and software purchases in support of remote access; configures and certifies wiring; participates in projects which calls for troubleshooting, installing, implementing, administering, and maintaining network systems; assigns file access controls, encryption keys and other security attributes; maintains host and/or front end processor communications software; provides support to customers experiencing problems with hardware, operating systems and related utilities in servers; assists in installation and maintenance of performance monitors, schedulers, program management systems and utilities, report generators and compilers; configures and installs application packages; coordinates and/or performs installation and configures operating systems, new software releases, system upgrades and patches in support of hardware products; coordinates backups and file management with operations staff; proactively tunes operating systems and system components to avoid performance problems; writes utilities for system management, reporting, file clean up and auditing; provides and maintains documentation and manuals necessary at operational level; responsible for standards and design of physical data storage, maintenance, access and security administration; performs functions associated with vulnerability and security risk assessments; perform functions in support of investigative and forensics activity; performs related duties as required.

Software Development: Recommends and creates action plans for system development and/or integration; responsible for standards and design of physical data storage, maintenance, access and security administration; writes utilities for system management, reporting, file clean up and auditing; configures and installs application packages; develops and maintains documentation and manuals necessary at customer level; prepares time and cost estimates and initiates purchase requests for multiple projects; creates test files and performs system testing across multiple packages and systems; writes and programs system specifications; defines work and/or data flow; designs screens, forms and reports; defines data elements; prepares source code; designs and develops tables and relationships; arranges necessary hardware and software availability for assigned projects; may be responsible for design, development and implementation of new system interfaces for applications on multiple platforms from mid-range computers to client server and Internet based environments; analyzes assigned specifications, codes, tests and implements software solution, utilizing appropriate software engineering processes; debugs and/or corrects errors; maintains integrity of software; maintains and enhances existing programs; writes utilities for system management, reporting, file clean up and auditing; designs and develops routine to moderately complex applications; responsible for all phases of systems development life cycle; develops strategies for data acquisitions, archive recovery, security and implementation of routine to moderately complex applications; defines and develops the project scope of multiple projects; constructs operational Database Management System (DBMS) and data stores that enable informational, analytical management inquiry; performs backup and recovery on database management systems; configures database parameters, and prototypes designs; provides basic database support and troubleshooting; responsible for standards and design of physical data storage, maintenance, access and security administration; performs related duties as required.

Database Administration: Recommends and creates action plans for system development and/or integration; provides and maintains documentation and manuals necessary at operational level; provides basic database support and troubleshooting; responsible for standards and design of physical data storage, maintenance, access and security administration; writes utilities for system management, reporting, file clean up and auditing; analyzes requirements and designs systems; recommends and creates action plans for system development and/or integration; provides and maintains documentation and manuals necessary at operational level; proactively tunes operating systems and system components to avoid performance problems; coordinates backups and file management with operations staff; writes utilities for system management, reporting, file clean up and auditing; responsible for standards and design of physical data storage, maintenance, access and security administration; constructs operational DBMS and data stores that enable informational, analytical management inquiry; performs backup and recovery on database management systems, configures database parameters, and prototypes designs; performs related duties as required.

Network Support: Recommends and creates action plans for system development and/or integration; performs functions associated with vulnerability and security risk assessments; performs functions in support of investigative and forensics activity; maintains host and/or front end processor communications software; provides second or third level support for network connectivity, or related network issues for the user community; diagnoses and resolves moderate network problems utilizing traces, hardware diagnostic tools, software aids, network management systems and utilities; coordinates the installation and maintenance of network components; analyzes network activity; analyzes capacity planning and facilities bandwidth requirements and system interdependencies; manages, maintains and contributes to network system documentation; develops back-up procedures for LAN servers; analyzes the recovery and reliability capability of systems and network services and makes recommendations for improvement; recommends hardware and software purchases in support of remote access; configures and certifies wiring; participates in projects which calls for troubleshooting, installing, implementing, administering, and maintaining network systems; assigns file access controls, encryption keys and other security attributes; provides and maintains documentation and manuals necessary at operational level; develops and implements network security procedures; installs, configures and programs hubs, routers, bridges, gateways, servers, multiplexors, modems and other communications equipment; installs, monitors, maintains and upgrades network access to servers and mainframe services; maintains host and/or front end processor communications software; monitor network traffic for malicious activity; performs related duties as required.

IT Security: Assists in developing, testing and maintaining agency disaster recovery plans (DRP) designed to restore IT system operability; assists with development of processes and procedures in support of IT Business Continuity Planning; performs functions in support of platform recoverability assessments and Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to determine and assess the impacts associated with disruptions to business functions; performs functions in support of risk analysis of IT environments by assessing administrative, technical and physical safeguards; assists with IT investigations to include maintaining chain of custody procedures; performs forensics and documenting detailed reports of findings; monitors network activity for malicious activity; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of IT equipment and diagnostic tools; considerable knowledge of principles and techniques of systems analysis, design, development and programming; considerable knowledge of principles of information systems; considerable knowledge of principles and theories of business and planning functions; considerable knowledge of programming languages; considerable knowledge of capabilities of computer technology; knowledge of methods and procedures used to conduct detailed analysis and design of computer systems; knowledge of principles and techniques of software generation and programming; knowledge of practices and issues of systems’ security and disaster recovery; knowledge of computer operating systems; knowledge of project management principles and techniques; knowledge of principles and techniques of business information systems re-engineering; considerable technical problem solving skills; considerable logic and analytical skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable problem solving skills; interpersonal skills; project coordination skills; considerable ability to analyze, troubleshoot and resolve data communications problems; considerable ability to write, test and debug computer programs; considerable ability to use programming development tools; considerable ability to prepare manuals, reports, documentation and other written materials; considerable ability to identify, analyze and resolve complex business and technical problems; ability to analyze and debug complex software programs.

Six (6) years of experience in information technology (IT) operations, programming, systems/software development or another IT related support area.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been performing professional information technology work in one of the following areas:
1. Installation and support of microcomputer hardware, software and operating systems.
2. Analysis, design and development of information systems.
3. Network hardware and software installation and support.
4. Network hardware and/or software problem diagnosis and resolution.
NOTE: For state employees this is interpreted at the level of Information Technology Analyst 1.

1. College training in management information systems, computer science or information technology related area may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling six (6) months of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.


2. A Master's degree in management information systems, computer science or electrical engineering may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

Preference will be given to candidates with the following experience/training:

• Demonstrable experience working on a development team using modern programming methods
• Demonstrable development experience with a high-level abstraction programming language required (.Net C# Preferred)
• Strong SQL experience required
• Strong responsive UI experience using frameworks such as Bootstrap, JQuery, Angular, among others
• Web services and RESTful services are highly desired

Knowledge of distributed systems and RESTful micro-services and knowledge of cloud based infrastructures helpful.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.