Desryn
Computer Engineer

If you are interested in working with the IRS in the Enterprise Architecture 
section, I would be looking for someone with an engineering degree and an engineering 
background, with industry experience in a variety of areas.

I would say in legacy, but not necessarily. Definitely in the modern systems, in 
the client server technology, in Internet technology, in Web technology. And 
messaging -- that's very important.

Enterprise Architecture is the division that looks across the entire IRS to all 
the engineering architecture and ensures that they all fit together.

Products and services are standardized as much as possible, so we reduce licensing 
costs. And the projects work together to form a seamless information systems.

My work day is not predictable. I can come in with a list of 10 things to do, and 
end up getting just one done, because I come in, and I have to fight fires.

For example, you may have a project that needs to get into production in time for 
tax season. And there is a problem. You know, we cannot postpone tax season.

I know people may want us to, but we can't. So, we have to get it working. We have 
to make surethe design -- engineering design is good, when it goes in, it will work.

We've got old systems and we've got new systems. If you're into old systems, we've 
got that. You're into new systems, we've got that. You're into the Internet, we've 
got that. We've got them all here.

What I find is that there is more collaboration, there is more teamwork. In private 
industry, your job was your job, and your responsibility. What I found when I came 
here at the IRS was that your job -- yes, it's yours, and you have the final 
responsibility -- but the spirit of collaboration was there, the teamwork was there, 
and the people were great in helping you to get where you needed to go.

So, yes, the work-life balance is good, because you get more collaboration, more 
teamwork, so you get things done. It's a very challenging environment. If you've got 
engineering skills that you would like to utilize, do not think you will not be able 
to use them here. You will use them and use them very well and effectively here.