General Engineer

• Use sound technical judgment and initiative to resolve the challenges of changing conditions and other problems relative to the assigned projects and programs.
• Use physics or mechanical, nuclear, electrical, chemical, civil, or industrial engineering theories, principles, and practices.
• Analyze situations, identify problems, probe causes, and recommends courses of action or solutions.
• Work closely with a team, perform assessments, clearly and concisely document assessment results, and present findings orally and in writing to the approval authority.
• Coordinate with related engineering and physical science fields adequate to effectively discuss technical points and to recommend acceptable engineering solutions to problems.
• Perform and interpret calculations, analyses, and computations for unknown factors or relationships primarily in the matters of factual nature of involving well understood mechanisms.

You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. See the Education section for the Basic Requirement.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for these positions are defined as:

GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 4 of the following:

• Utilizing basic engineering techniques, procedures, and methods to provide support in the planning, development or implementation for components of assigned programs/projects;
• Carrying out, interpreting, and explaining basic computations and calculations to evaluate program or project performance;
• Preparing parts of reports or written evaluations to explain and convey findings related to engineering programs, projects, or processes;
• Assisting in identifying and resolving engineering issues which could have an impact on the program/project.

OR

Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree; your education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. For this position, this is defined as a degree in engineering, or a similarly related major.

OR

Combination of education and experience as described above. Less than one year of specialized experience may be combined with graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., credit hours beyond the first two years of full-time study may be credited).

GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 4 of the following:

• Applying engineering practices to research, analyze, interpret, and evaluate results of programs, projects, or processes;
• Planning and conducting engineering studies to evaluate and recommend ways to improve program or process efficiency;
• Performing and interpreting calculations, analyses, and computations to develop recommendations for coordinating projects or programs in an efficient and cost-effective manner;
• Drafting reports or written evaluations to explain and convey findings related to engineering programs, projects, or processes.

GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 4 of the following:

• Applying advanced engineering practices to research, analyze, interpret, and evaluate results of programs, projects, or processes;
• Planning and conducting complex engineering studies that included determining the relevancy and use of aesthetic, factual, economic/financial, engineering, or scientific information, in order to evaluate and recommend ways to improve program or process efficiency;
• Performing and interpreting calculations, analyses, and computations that involved unknown factors or relationships to develop recommendations for coordinating projects or programs in an efficient and cost-effective manner;
• Reviewing engineering reports or written evaluations to ensure quality and accuracy.

GS-14: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-13). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 4 of the following:

• Analyzing the application of experimental engineering theories and/or new applications and developments for research and development;
• Devising, customizing, overseeing, and/or evaluating specialized engineering systems, processes, and applications related to the energy industry;
• Developing requirements, long term goals, objectives, and schedules for the accomplishment of applied research and development, and deployment of technologies;
• Preparing, presenting, and evaluating engineering plans, designs, reports, presentations, and briefings to convey the status of research projects or programs.

GS-15: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-14). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 4 of the following:

• Developing and documenting engineering research plans that involved applying experimental theories or new applications or developments;
• Managing and successfully executing significant projects impacting an important segment of the company or agency's mission;
• Providing expert engineering advice to senior colleagues or company or agency officials responsible for broad program operations in order to advance programs or methods;
• Evaluating complex technical issues and research results associated with the integration of technologies to recommend future program research needs.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 through GS-15 levels.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-0801 series can be found at the following website: OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-0801 series.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

This public notice will be used to fill multiple positions as needed, therefore referral lists may be issued daily. Applications must be submitted and qualification requirements met by 11:59 p.m. ET each day in order to be referred on any certificates issued the following day.

BASIC REQUIREMENT

Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

If substituting education for specialized experience you must submit proof of your qualifying education. Failure to provide college transcripts may result in a rating of 'Ineligible'.

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.