General Engineer Job in Springfield, VA

Vacancy No. 25-DEST-HRC0486722R-LP Department U.S. Agency for International Development
Salary $117,962.00 to $181,216.00 Grade 13 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/29/2024 Close Date 12/2/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Springfield, VA


Summary

You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.

This position is located at 7401 Fullerton Road, Springfield, VA 22153, in the Office of Security, International Security Programs Division (SEC/ISP),at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

USAID is using this vacancy announcement to recruit under the following areas of consideration: a) All U.S. Citizens (no prior Federal experience required); and b) Status Candidates (on career or career-conditional appointments), including former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility, those eligible for CTAP; ICTAP, VEOA; special hiring programs under a non-competitive appointment authority; Executive Order 12721, and individuals on interchange agreement with Other Merit Systems.

Duties

  • Serves as the General Engineer working independently or as part of a team on multi-disciplined security equipment, programs, or facilities complexes, including constructional, mechanical, and electrical engineering expertise.
  • Provides professional expertise and communicates verbally and in writing to senior leadership on standards, procedural guidelines, and directives as necessary and provides operational interface.
  • Plans and implements a comprehensive security program for overseas activities that is directed towards the protection of personnel, facilities, and residences.
  • Serves as a technical authority for department-wide RF communications systems, technical and physical security systems.
  • Serves as the lead Engineer/Program Manager working independently or as part of a team on multi-disciplined security equipment, programs, or facilities complexes, including constructional, mechanical, and electrical engineering expertise.
  • Provides technical and administrative direction on planned security engineering projects with assignments in terms of broadly defined missions and functions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • United States Citizenship is required.
  • Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required.
  • If you have no prior Federal experience or are selected under Delegated Examining procedures, you will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • If you select to be considered under Merit Promotion requirements, you must meet the Time-in-Grade requirements before the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
  • These are Testing Designated Positions (TDP's) under the Agency's approved Drug-Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency.
  • This position is subject to a medical monitoring program.

Qualifications

ALL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. Your resume must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from receiving further consideration.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): 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.)

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.

Specialized Experience:
GS-13: In addition to the Education requirement you MUST have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience refers to full-time work, while part-time roles are considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: a) Applying scientific and engineering concepts, principles, theories, underlying physics and methods to resolve issues for complex Physical and Technical Security systems; b) Developing Engineering systems for complex technical construction projects; AND c) Applying fundamental principles of economics to determine sound engineering judgment for long range budgeting and construction project planning for projects.

GS-14: In addition to the Education requirement you MUST have at least one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience refers to full-time work, while part-time roles are considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: a) Experience leading a multi-disciplinary team on construction and or security engineering upgrade projects; b) Provide engineering oversight and coordinating work-related issues with peers, subordinates and briefed management; AND c) Experience as a team leader responsible for design, quality assurance and the execution and implementation of engineering projects.

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 relevant to the position's duties to be filled, including volunteer experience.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates will be referred to the selecting official if they are found well qualified. Well-qualified means an eligible applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that clearly exceed the position's minimum requirements. In addition, a well-qualified employee must meet the qualification and eligibility requirements of the position, including any medical qualifications, suitability, and minimum education and experience requirements, meet all selective factors (where applicable); meet quality ranking factors and are assigned to the Silver Category or higher Category; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position; meet any special qualifying U.S. OPM-approved conditions; AND be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry without additional training.

A well-qualified candidate will not necessarily meet the definition of highly or best qualified when evaluated against other candidates who apply for a particular position. Therefore, selecting officials will document the job-related reason(s) for qualification determinations without selective and quality ranking factors.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. Therefore, transcripts are required.

Review the Basic Requirements of this vacancy announcement for education requirements. Unofficial transcripts are required at the point of submission since these positions do have a minimum education requirement.

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.

Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/universiaccreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

If you have received your education at a foreign college or university, you may use it to meet the education requirements if you can demonstrate that the foreign education is similar to that you would have received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. You must provide such evidence with your application. Find a list of accredited organizations recognized for interpreting foreign education credentials at www.naces.org/members.php.

Additional information

USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in the District of Columbia, we operate in more than 100 countries worldwide, playing an active and critical role in the promotion of U.S. foreign policy interests. When crisis strikes, when rights are repressed, when hunger, disease, and poverty rob people of opportunity, USAID acts on behalf of the American people to help expand the reach of prosperity and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. USAID employees and contractors must commit to maintaining a workplace free of sexual misconduct, including harassment, exploitation, and abuse, and adhere to USAID's Counter-Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct. For information on the effort to counter all forms of human trafficking, including the procurement of commercial sex acts and the use of forced labor, visit http://www.state.gov/g/tip. For more information about USAID, visit http://www.usaid.gov.

If an HR Specialist determines you are among the best-qualified applicants for this position(s), our Office will share your application with multiple hiring managers for consideration. You agree to share your application for similar jobs within USAID by submitting your application to this advertisement.

Moving and relocation expenses are not authorized.

EEO Policy: EEO Policy Statement.
Veterans' Information: Veterans' Preference Advisor.
Telework: https://www.telework.gov/.

It is the Government's policy not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. USAID will use information about an individual's employment experience only to determine their qualifications and assess their relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy:
USAID is committed to equal employment opportunity; therefore, reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodation Division in the Office of Civil Rights at reasonableaccommodations@usaid.gov. Reasonable accommodation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about the Reasonable Accommodation Division, please visit our website at: https://www.usaid.gov/careers/reasonable-accommodations.

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 vacancy may be used to fill multiple vacancies depending on the needs of the Agency.

After the advertisement closes, a subject matter expert will review your application package to ensure you meet the job and eligibility requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter, and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. If your resume does not reinforce your responses to the online assessment questionnaire, it will affect your eligibility for further consideration. You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we will rate you as ineligible.

Under Delegated Examining (All U.S. Citizens) procedures, these categories are Gold (90 points or more), Silver (80-89 points), and Bronze (70-79 points). However, your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or an HR Specialist may lower your score. Candidates placed in the "Gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (Gold), depending on the position and grade level of the job. (You must provide proof of disability rating with a letter from the Veteran's Administration showing disability percentage rating).

Under Merit Promotion (Status Candidates) procedures, we will refer all candidates we rank as Highly Qualified to the hiring manager. They may invite the referred applicants for an interview.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies:

  • Design
  • Engineering and Technology
  • General Engineering
  • Oral Communication
  • Project Management
  • Writing

Required Documents

  • Resume with relevant experience; a cover letter is optional. On your resume, you should list your work experience and, if applicable, your education. For each job, you should include the start and end dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and the hours you worked each week. For any period of Federal service, you must list the occupational series and grade level(s). USAID will use your resume to check your answers on the assessment tool(s).
  • Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50). If you are a current Federal employee and choose to have your application considered under Merit Promotion procedures, you must submit the most recent copy of your SF-50; your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code "1" (Career) or "2" (Career-Conditional), and type of position occupied. The best copies
  • If requesting consideration under any Veterans' hiring eligibility (veterans' preference and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act), include Veterans' documentation such as a DD2-14, VA Letter and SF-15.
  • If seeking eligibility based on any other special hiring authority (e.g., disabled veteran, Schedule A, Peace Corps, special hiring programs) include supporting documentation.
  • CTAP/ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, an SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area. You MUST also submit documentation to reflect your current (or last) performance rating of record of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent, along with your application/resume package.
  • If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript(unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and the quarter and semester hours earned. You may use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.

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 complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below to apply for this position. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12626664

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement's closing date to receive consideration.

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 must 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.

The system will take you to the online application you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and apply.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://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

USAID HR Help Desk
Address
Office of Security
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20523
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You will receive a notification if you are referred to a hiring manager for further consideration. Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond individually to application status inquiries. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status."


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


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