Experience requirements are described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional Engineering Positions located
here,
BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR 0801:
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: (Click
here for detailed explanation of each of these items)
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.)
Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above, except as noted under B.1., may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise.
AND
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower broadband NH-02, equivalent to the next lower grade GS-11 or equivalent in other pay systems. Specialized experience includes conducting planning, analysis, and evaluation of engineering and technical efforts to define the requirements for complete weapons systems and subsystems. Translates these requirements into design criteria, assesses alternative design approaches, and creates system specifications within the field of Systems Safety Engineering. Ensures the development of safe weapons designs and works toward securing design safety certification. NOTE: Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Ideal Candidate Statement (cannot be used for qualification determination): The ideal candidate (1) has proficiency and competency working system safety per MIL-STD-882E for DoD acquisition programs in a program office, as a contractor, or on an integrated project team for weapons systems involving guns, ammunition, and/or energetic materials, and (2) can obtain and maintain a security clearance. A background in mechanical engineering is preferred but not required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Knowledge of multidisciplinary professional engineering concepts, principles, practices, standards, methods, techniques, materials, and equipment to effectively apply engineering theories, principles, and concepts to system design, architecture, and integration
- Knowledge of systems engineering practices and procedures as they pertain to sustainment, modification, logistics, and production management principles, concepts, policies and systems
- Knowledge of standard acquisition regulations, practices, and procedures, as well as the principles of planning and program management
- Ability to analyze data and establish requirements for technical objectives and characteristics
- Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and with technical accuracy, both orally and in writing, as well as work in a professional manner with peers, management, contractors, academia, and other agencies
- Ability to use computer applications in support of planning, designing, analysis, and reporting
- Ability to establish and maintain relationships with key individuals/groups inside and outside immediate work unit using a high degree of tact and diplomacy
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.