General Engineer Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. CB-2024-489 Department Architect of the Capitol
Salary $117,962.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/10/2024 Close Date 10/29/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Join our team as a General Engineer located in the esteemed Architect of the Capitol, U.S. Capitol Building, Office of the Superintendent. Serving as a Senior Project Engineer; you will be responsible for administering, overseeing, and managing the Office’s engineering projects, programs, and systems.

Duties

Tour of Duty: Monday-Friday | 8:00am to 4:30pm

The Senior Project Engineer will provide expert authoritative advice and guidance regarding planning, organizing, controlling, coordinating, reviewing and approving actions relating to the design, layout and construction or renovation of the U.S. Capitol and the Capitol Visitors Center. The work directly affects occupant and visitor safety as well as the timeliness, suitability, and costs of work performed in-house or by contractors.

The Senior Engineer:

  • Serves as engineering consultant and advisor to the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent, U.S. Capitol Building, and other senior staff, Project Managers, and contractors, furnishing interpretations and technical guidance on critical matters pertaining to assigned projects.
  • Assists with work planning and budget processes for the Office of the Superintendent by identifying the scope and nature of necessary major repair and restoration work and coordinating the work with responsible staff groups.
  • Assists in setting annual or long-range work plans and schedules for in-service or contracted work.
  • Performs oversight for various programs such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, and building equipment and systems upgrades.
  • Collaborates with engineers, architects, estimators, and technicians on studies for proposed projects.
  • Reviews studies, scopes of work, and preliminary and final design plans prepared both in-house and by Architectural-Engineering (A-E) firms.
  • Discusses design problems with other AOC staff and suggests solutions for any identified problems.
  • Assures that all corrections and changes are incorporated into the final plans, coordinating with other technical personnel, as necessary.
  • Develops design criteria to be included in scopes of work for use by A-E firms in developing designs.
  • Plans, schedules, manages, and provides oversight for construction work in the U.S. Capitol Building. Provides oversight for major projects involving air conditioning, elevator, electrical, plumbing, pipefitting, sheet metal, masonry, wood crafting, painting and fire protection.
    • Manages the resources needed for these project
  • For projects performed in-house:
    • Oversees shop areas.
    • Plans project work to be accomplished by trade supervisors and their shop crews; makes recommendations and decisions concerning work requirements, methods, scheduling, coordination, and project resources; reviews resource estimates; recommends adjustments to staffing levels or work procedures to accommodate project workload and limitations; recommends and justifies the purchase of new equipment; and gives advice or instruction to employees on construction work.
    • Conducts periodic checks of work in progress, 
  • Serves as Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) and provides engineering and architectural contract oversight for all phases of assigned projects.
  • Advises senior management staff and officials at multiple levels of the AOC on contractor performance in support of projects managed by the Division. Keeps the Contracting Officer (CO) fully informed of any technical or contractual difficulties encountered during performance.
  • Ensures that the required preventive maintenance information and repair procedures manuals for mechanical and electrical systems are available for trades craftsmen.
  • Participates with the Information Technology Division in the development, implementation, and updating of computer software programs to improve the quality of the as-built documentation.
  • The incumbent must follow all relevant safety rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures. Must utilize knowledge of and must comply with all OSHA safety rules and regulations to ensure that work progresses in a safe manner. Provides or receives training, either on the job or through classroom training, to ensure that all safety practices and equipment is fully utilized. Must ensure the use of any required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), etc.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be able to pass a drug test.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
  • You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
  • You must meet the education requirements.

  • A citizen of the United States;
  • A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
  • A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible;
  • A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or
  • You must be able to pass a drug test and background check.
  • Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
  • You must meet the definition of specialized experience. 

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
 
Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

1) Managing engineering projects from the preliminary planning stage through the design and construction phases;

2) Performing project management and monitoring for new construction, renovations and improvements to facilities;  and

3) Providing technical engineering guidance.

Education Requirements: 

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/general-engineering-series-0801/

Education

In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must possess the following:

1. Bachelor's degree in professional engineering: To be creditable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; 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: -- statics, dynamics; -- strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); -- fluid mechanics, hydraulics; -- thermodynamics; -- electrical fields and circuits; -- nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and -- any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

--OR--

2. 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 professional 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: (a) current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico; (b) evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination or the written test required for professional registration; (c) successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences that are fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum; or (d) successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.

Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.

You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6.

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.
 
The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.
 
The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
 
Moving expenses are not authorized.
 
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
 
Probationary Period A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

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.

A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc.

Selected applicant(s) may be eligible to earn a higher annual leave accrual rate credit towards annual leave accrual based on prior non-Federal or uniformed service work experience. The amount of service credit will be based on specialized experience or qualifying experience that is provided on the applicant profile submitted. As such, if you are a new employee to the Federal Government or a rehire, it is important that you provide a work history that lists all directly related positions held, and it must include the dates of employment (month/day/year).

The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program.

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.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. 

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

KSA 1: Technical knowledge of professional engineering concepts, principles, and practices of General, Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Fire Protection or Industrial disciplines.

KSA 2: Project Management - Knowledge of engineering design techniques, construction materials and methods, project management concepts and quality control.

KSA 3: Problem Solving - Skill in managing contractor oversight; i.e., evaluating plans, conditions and cost estimates for technical suitability.

KSA 4: Oral Communication- Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions.  Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or disqualification for further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.

Your resume should list your education, training and work experience including job titles, employment dates, duties and accomplishments.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC’s Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for the position, you will be asked to provide it during the interview or selection process. At that time, you may be asked to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, you may be asked to provide a copy of your diploma, college transcripts, or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires licensure or certification, you will be asked to provide proof at the time of selection.

If Veterans’ preference is claimed, you will be asked to submit proof (DD-214, and, if claiming a 10-point preference, a SF-15 and the proof required by that form).

Failure to provide the required documents will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.

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

You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

If you are a new user to the USAJOBS Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJOBS user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page.
 
NEED HELP?
If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times.

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS “Saved Documents” feature.

If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may call (202) 226-7000 for directions.

Agency contact information

Kimberly Ubil
Phone
202-226-7000
Fax
202-226-9755
Email
Kimberly.Ubil@aoc.gov
Address
Architect of the Capitol
2nd and D Street, S.W.
Washington, District of Columbia 20515
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You will receive a notice generated by the USAJOBS System when you have successfully submitted your application. We will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.  
 
You can check the status of your application by logging into http://www.usajobs.gov. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJOBS Account, editing your profile and changing the ‘Notification Settings’ to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two (2) weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.


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