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Ascension is seeking an experienced Software Systems and Technical Support Lead to provide technical leadership for software, systems, and calculation-tool support associated with the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ administration of First Step Act Time Credits.

This position is intended for a professional who can operate effectively at the intersection of software engineering, systems analysis, business requirements, technical operations, testing, configuration management, information security, and federal mission operations. The successful candidate will help ensure that software and calculation capabilities supporting First Step Act Time Credit administration are reliable, accurately reflect approved business rules, and remain aligned with operational, security, privacy, records-management, and technical requirements.

Because First Step Act Time Credit calculations can affect prerelease custody, supervised-release eligibility, institutional operations, litigation exposure, congressional interest, and public confidence, this position requires more than software development experience alone. Ascension is seeking someone who understands how to translate complex business and policy requirements into dependable technical solutions while maintaining disciplined control over requirements, testing, defects, releases, documentation, and system changes.

The ideal candidate is technically strong, analytical, organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable working directly with both technical and nontechnical stakeholders. The individual should be self-driven, able to work with limited supervision, capable of anticipating technical and operational problems, and disciplined in bringing issues through analysis, resolution, testing, documentation, and release.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Software Systems and Technical Support Lead will support BOP software engineering and technical activities associated with First Step Act Time Credit administration, including enhancement of calculation tools, analysis and documentation of business and system requirements, configuration and change management, software testing, defect resolution, technical documentation, and release coordination.

The Lead will serve as an important liaison between BOP operational subject matter experts and information technology stakeholders. The position will help translate approved First Step Act policies, business rules, formulas, exceptions, decision points, and operational requirements into clearly defined technical requirements and system behavior.

The position will also support the technical aspects of security, privacy, records management, Authorization and Assessment/Authorization to Operate activities, control implementation, testing, and continuous-monitoring documentation as applicable to systems within the scope of the effort.

This role is expected to bring structure and traceability to the technical lifecycle—from identification of a requirement through design or configuration, testing, defect resolution, approval, release, documentation, and post-release monitoring.

Day-to-Day / Anticipated Responsibilities

• LEAD software and systems support activities associated with First Step Act Time Credit administration and calculation-tool enhancement.
• ANALYZE business, operational, policy, and technical requirements and translate them into clear system requirements, specifications, user stories, acceptance criteria, and implementation tasks.
• COLLABORATE with BOP operational subject matter experts, Information Technology Services, program officials, security personnel, privacy officials, records officials, and other stakeholders to understand requirements and resolve technical issues.
• DOCUMENT FSA Time Credit calculation logic, formulas, business rules, decision points, exceptions, dependencies, and system-processing requirements.
• MAINTAIN traceability between approved business rules, technical requirements, system changes, testing results, defects, and releases.
• ASSESS existing calculation tools and software capabilities and identify opportunities for correction, enhancement, automation, usability improvement, or technical risk reduction.
• DESIGN or support the design of system enhancements and configuration changes that satisfy approved functional and technical requirements.
• COORDINATE software development, configuration, integration, testing, deployment, and release activities with Government and contractor technical personnel.
• ESTABLISH and maintain disciplined configuration- and change-management practices for software, technical documentation, requirements, and approved system baselines.
• MANAGE technical change requests from initial identification through impact analysis, prioritization, approval, implementation, testing, release, and closure.
• DEVELOP test strategies, test scenarios, test cases, expected results, acceptance criteria, regression tests, and supporting test documentation.
• EXECUTE or coordinate functional, integration, regression, user-acceptance, and other required testing of system enhancements and corrective actions.
• IDENTIFY software defects, configuration issues, data-processing discrepancies, and unintended system behavior.
• ANALYZE defect root causes and coordinate corrective actions through development, retesting, validation, and closure.
• PRIORITIZE defects and technical issues based on operational impact, calculation accuracy, security considerations, user impact, and program risk.
• COORDINATE planned software releases and ensure approved changes are adequately documented, tested, reviewed, and communicated before deployment.
• PREPARE release notes, implementation documentation, technical specifications, configuration records, testing evidence, and other lifecycle documentation.
• SUPPORT Agile or iterative development planning by identifying technical tasks, dependencies, milestones, resources, review points, and release activities.
• PARTICIPATE in sprint planning, backlog refinement, technical reviews, release planning, demonstrations, retrospectives, and related iterative-development activities as applicable.
• SUPPORT security, privacy, accessibility, and records-management requirements affecting software and technical deliverables.
• PREPARE or contribute to A&A/ATO documentation, security-control implementation evidence, testing documentation, privacy and records documentation, and continuous-monitoring artifacts when required.
• MONITOR technical risks, software issues, system performance concerns, dependencies, and corrective actions and escalate material risks promptly.
• INVESTIGATE recurring technical or user-reported problems and determine whether the underlying cause requires a software change, business-rule clarification, training update, process correction, or other corrective action.
• SUPPORT technical responses to issues identified through audits, validation activities, inquiry resolution, or operational reviews.
• MAINTAIN accurate, current, and audit-ready technical documentation throughout the system lifecycle.
• COMMUNICATE complex technical information in clear language suitable for developers, operational personnel, program managers, security personnel, and senior stakeholders.
• CONTRIBUTE technical status, risks, accomplishments, defects, releases, corrective actions, and planned activities to program reporting and governance meetings.
• ENSURE technical work products are complete, accurate, timely, professionally prepared, technically sound, and compliant with approved architecture, security, privacy, accessibility, records, and operational requirements.