Electronics Engineer Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-12727113-DHA-AA Department Government Publishing Office
Salary $142,488.00 to $185,234.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/1/2025 Close Date 5/15/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

GPO employees possess a diverse representation of talent in many administrative fields and trades. We provide other agencies with innovative services for the printing, publishing, storage, and distribution of digital content. If you are an energetic, inventive individual looking for a challenging, yet rewarding career opportunity, GPO may be the place for you.

This position is part of the Government Secure and Intelligent Documents Government Publishing Office Washington, District of Columbia

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

Duties

  • Design electronic components, software, products, or systems for security applications.
  • Analyze customer needs and determine the requirements, capacity, and cost for developing an electronic/integrated circuit system plan.
  • Develop maintenance and testing procedures for electronic components and equipment.
  • Evaluate systems and recommend design modifications or equipment repair.
  • Inspect electronic equipment, instruments, and systems to make sure that they meet safety and security standards and applicable regulations.
  • Plan and develop applications and modifications for electronic properties used in parts and systems in order to improve technical performance.
  • Provide documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell other about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are fabricated, constructed, assembled, modifies, maintains, or used.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required
  • Selectee must pass preemployment requirements prior to appointment
  • Males born after 12/03/59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Selectee may be required to serve a one year probationary period
  • Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Confidential Financial Disclosure report may be required
  • You may qualify for relocation Incentives up to $7500 in accordance with agency policy.

Qualifications

To qualify for the Electronics Engineer, PG -0855-14, you must meet the following requirements:

Basic Education Requirement:
A. 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 -
B. 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), 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) examination, or any other written test required for professional registration, by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, or 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 A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program.
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 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.

In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above, to qualify for this position applicants must also meet the specialized experience below:
To qualify for the Electronics Engineer, PG-0855-14, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the PG-13 grade level or higher in the Federal Service that includes experience:
  • 1) providing guidance and advice on electronic chips and smartcard technologies, developments and trends; interpreting customer specifications to ensure products meet standards; identifying and solving problems related to chip, smartcard and security integrated chip technology performance (e.g., interoperability, speed, memory, and encryption);
  • 2) communicating with industry experts, vendors, and technical staff to manage chip, smartcard and security integrated chip technologies configuration process.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). 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.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement(05/15/2025) to be considered.

Education

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts which cites the name of the institution are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades and GPA, semester, year, and credit for the course. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Employment of Relatives
Section 3110 of Title 5, U.S. Code, prohibits a Federal official from appointing, promoting, or advocating the appointment or promotion of a relative in the agency where the official is serving or exercises jurisdiction. In addition, Section 2302(b)(7) of Title 5, U.S. Code, makes it a "prohibited personnel practice" for a person in authority to "appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for the appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement of a relative." For further information visit: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3110 and https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/2302

Separated Employees:
If you have separated from Federal Government employment, you may obtain a copy of your SF-50 via: National Personnel Records Center, Annex, 1411 Boulder Boulevard, Valmeyer, IL, 62295; or visit the National Archives Website.

Work Life Balance:
The GPO offers Transit subsidy for commuters using public transportation (Metro Bus/Rail, MARC, VRE, etc.).

Background Investigation:

Top Secret:
To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the GPO requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy; this position requires a Top Secret. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully completed a background investigation for a Top Secret clearance. This review could include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs; this security process may take between 6 weeks to 12 months.

GPO will conduct an interim security clearance, pending the completion of the full investigative requirements for the final Top Secret clearance. The interim security clearance will be granted based on the favorable completion of preliminary checks that are accomplished as part of the security clearance process. The Agency may rescind the tentative offer if the candidate is unable to obtain an interim clearance.

Schedule A (Disability Appointment):
Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a "medical professional's" letterhead and signed.

The selectee will work shift 1.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

THIS IS A DIRECT HIRE ANNOUNCEMENT. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Direct Hire Authority, authorized by 5 United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 3304 and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 337, Subpart B. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the Direct Hire process. Your application will be considered based on education, training, and quality of your experience. For more information on Direct-Hire Authority visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/

Your resume will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required; and on the extent to which your application shows that you possess the competencies associated with this position. To determine if you are qualified for the job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation may be made and compared against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. You will receive a numeric rating based on your responses to the questionnaire.

Your rating is based on both your responses to the questionnaire and information stated in your application. Please make sure that your self-ratings are supported by information in your application. The Human Capital Specialist may verify your qualifications and self-ratings during the application and selection process through quality review, interview questions, work samples, demonstrations, reference checks, and other means. Inflated qualifications may result in you being excluded from further consideration for this position.

You will be further evaluated on the following Competencies required for the position.

  1. Electronics Engineering
  2. Technical Competence
  3. Customer Service
We DO NOT require a separate narrative statement responding to the competencies, however your resume must CLEARLY show possession of these competencies.

If you meet the qualifications stated above and you are among the top candidates your application may be referred to the Selecting Official for further review.

Required Documents

  • Content of Resume: Your resume or other written form you choose to describe your job-related experiences are used to verify your qualifications. Therefore, it is important that your resume accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total number of hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position. To assist you in sending in a complete resume, use the checklist at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
  • Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal positions, those eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) 0pt, on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section(s) provided. Only veterans discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions are eligible for veterans' preference.
  • DD-214: If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other equivalent documentation to prove your entitlement and to verify your type of discharge. Failure to provide this information may result in your application not receiving preference.
  • VA Letter and SF-15: If you are claiming Veterans' Preference based on a Compensable Disability, Widow or Spouse Entitlement, or as a Purple Heart recipient, you must submit your DD-214 or other proof of entitlement as described above; and SF-15, and the required proof of disability, i.e., Department of Veterans Affairs letter dated 1991 or later. Failure to provide this documentation may result in your application not receiving preference. (Please see veteran eligibility documentation for more information on veterans preference in federal hiring)
  • Active Duty Service Members: If you are veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veteran Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Agencies are required to accept, process, and grant tentative veterans' preference to those active duty service members who submit a certification (in lieu of a DD-214) along with their job application materials. Agencies must verify the individual meets the definition of 'preference eligible' under 5 U.S.C. 2108 prior to appointment. A '"certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. More information may be found at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-employment-initiative/vet-guide/.
  • For Applicants qualifying on the basis of education: School transcript(s) - official or unofficial. A transcript is required if you are claiming to qualify based on your education. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable; at the minimum the transcript should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses, semester hours, and GPA. If you provide an unofficial transcript at the time of application and you are selected, you will be asked for official versions prior to an official job offer.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes 1) your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire, 2) your resume, and 3) any other documents needed to verify your qualifications or eligibility (see the required documents section).

Please follow the instructions listed below for submitting your complete application package. Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all instructions before you begin.

Resume Requirements:

  • Resumes are limited to eight (8) pages
  • Resumes should focus on the knowledge, skills, abilities; accomplishments and results; and training and education relevant to this position.
  • Resumes must be in the following format (for each position held relevant to this position):
    • Short summary of position duties
    • Accomplishments while in the position
    • Results of those accomplishments
Copying and pasting position descriptions into a resume is not acceptable.

Illegible Information and/or Documents
  • If your supporting documents and resume are illegible or do not provide the necessary information for the Human Capital Specialist and/or Subject Matter Expert to make a qualification determination, you may lose consideration for this position.
Last Document Uploaded
  • If multiple copies of the same document are uploaded/faxed and submitted with your application, GPO will only consider the last copy of the document uploaded/faxed when determining your eligibility and qualifications. For example, if you upload/fax two or more resumes only the last resume uploaded/faxed and submitted will be considered.

Print a copy of the occupational questionnaire so that you may read and review the questions before submitting your online responses. Click here to view the Occupational Questionnaire:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12727113

The completed Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account http://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Alice Adekunle
Address
US Government Publishing Office
732 North Capitol St. NW
Washington, DC 20401
US

Next steps

After each step in the recruitment process, your status will be updated in the online application tracking system and if you have elected to receive email updates, you will be notified through your USAJOBS registered email address. If you have not elected to receive email updates, you can review your current application status in USAJOBS at any time. Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job. This will ensure we can contact you as quickly as possible.

In addition to changing your status online, we will send you email notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or ineligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.

Position Reconsideration Process
Applicants who have applied for employment with the Government Publishing Office who were found to be ineligible for a position, may submit a request for reconsideration upon reasonable demonstration that a reconsideration review is necessary. Request for Reconsideration will not be accepted for failure to submit appropriate required documentation and/or failure to complete required Assessments or respond accurately to Assessment Questions.

Applicants seeking a Request for Reconsideration should reach out to the servicing Human Resources Specialist indicated in the Vacancy Announcement to see you meet the eligibility requirements for reconsideration. If you meet the eligibility requirements for reconsideration, the Human Capital Talent Acquisitions and Transactions Division will review the application based on the reconsideration request to determine if the rating was appropriate and render a final decision to the applicant.

A request to reconsider a rating determination must be received in the servicing Talent Acquisitons Office within 5 business days from the date indicated on the Touch Point Notification, Notice of Results received from USA Staffing, or it will be rejected as an untimely request for reconsideration.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.