Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.
Applicants must meet the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the 0800 Series as described below:
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.)
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The experience need not have been in the federal government.
To qualify at the GS-05:
Applicants must meet the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the 0800 Series as described above.
To qualify at the GS-7:
In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0800 series, applicants must have one (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes:
Applying practical knowledge of electrical engineering concepts, principles, and methodology while performing routine engineering projects.
OR
One (1) year of graduate-level education
or Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A)
SEE NOTE UNDER "EDUCATION"
OR
A combination of education and experience to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To qualify at the GS-9:
In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the 0800 series, applicants must have one (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes:
Applying practical knowledge of electrical engineering concepts, principles, and methodology to perform routine engineering projects related to power systems operations, transmission planning, and/or power systems reliability.
OR
Two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related.
OR
A combination of education and experience as described above to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To qualify at the GS-11:
In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the 0800 series, applicants must have one (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes:
- Using computer modeling strategies; and.
- Researching system trends and patterns and applying findings to current or future engineering and/or operating practices and issues.
OR
EDUCATION: Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree
or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if related.
OR
A combination of education and experience as described above to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To qualify at the GS-12:
In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the 0800 series, applicants must have one (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes:
- Resolving electrical power systems and equipment failures, conditions and problems; and
- Preparing and reviewing operational planning studies and reports on power system additions and modifications.
"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.
Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. Your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred.