General Engineer Job

Vacancy No. DNFSB-25-EXE-12791615AMM Department Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Salary $67,529.00 to $194,963.00 Grade 2 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/2/2025 Close Date 9/26/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DCLos Alamos, NMAiken, SCOak Ridge, TN


Summary

This position is within the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB), Office of the Technical Director. As an independent agency in the Executive Branch, the DNFSB overseas nuclear safety across the Department of Energy's (DOE) nuclear weapons complex.

These positions are open to all engineering disciplines but specifically interested in the following specialties: Fire Protection, Criticality Safety, Software Quality Assurance, Capital Project Safety Design, and Seismic/Earthquake.

Duties

The duties listed below are categorized per DN Level:

DN-II

  • As assigned, reviews and analyzes facility and system design, operations, practices, and events related to nuclear safety within DOE's nuclear weapons complex and provides a written summary to the Technical Director or designated technical staff member.
  • Conducts special studies, analyses, or reviews within area of expertise, as requested by the Technical Director or designated technical staff member. Conducts reviews of work products of consultants, DOE contractors, and others.
  • Performs peer reviews of work products of colleagues, consultants, contractors, and others.
  • Provides supportable feedback (including a well-reasoned basis for changes) to ensure professional work results.
  • Stays abreast of individual specialty area(s). Participates in the preparation of issue papers and information reports.
DN-III
  • As directed and under regular supervision, identifies and recommends potential topics to review that support the agency's strategic plan and mission and have the potential to affect public health and safety. In this capacity, reviews and analyzes facility and system design, operations, practices, and events related to nuclear safety within DOE's nuclear weapons complex and provides a written summary to the Technical Director or designated technical staff member.
  • As directed and under regular supervision, participates in special studies or analyses to address important agency mission activities.
  • Interacts with all levels of the DNFSB's technical and support personnel to resolve problems and implement the DNFSB's oversight programs.
  • Regularly provides technical advice and guidance within specialized area(s) of expertise to other members of the technical staff, the Technical Director, and DNFSB Members.
  • Stays abreast of individual specialty area(s). Participates in the preparation of or authors staff reports and DNFSB technical reports.
DN-IV
  • Conducts and leads multi-disciplined technical teams at headquarters and at DOE sites to review and assess the adequacy of DOE policies, programs and activities relating to the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of DOE's defense nuclear facilities.
  • Serves as an expert in area(s) of responsibility. Provides technical advice and guidance to DNFSB members, executive leadership, and technical staff on technical issues.
  • As directed, assesses emerging issues, trends, and/or innovations to continually improve within their area(s) of responsibility.
  • Leads and/or participates in interactions with DOE and contractor leaders at headquarters or at DOE sites and facilities, leaders of scientific groups and committees, leaders at other federal agencies.
  • Assists in identifying and developing appropriate DNFSB actions, including formal DNFSB recommendations. Identifies and proposes potential DOE facilities, activities, and programs for review and evaluation that are of major importance to the DNFSB and nation. Determines DOE's level of compliance with approved DNFSB recommendations.
DN-V
  • Conducts and leads multi-disciplined technical teams at headquarters and at DOE sites to review and assess the adequacy of DOE policies, programs and activities relating to the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of DOE's defense nuclear facilities.
  • Serves as a leading agency expert in area(s) of responsibility. Provides superior technical advice and guidance to DNFSB members, executive leadership, and technical staff on complex technical issues.
  • Informs the cognizant Associate Technical Director of emerging safety or access issues that warrant timely engagement with DOE leadership.
  • Leads interactions with high-level DOE and contractor leaders at headquarters or at DOE sites and facilities, leaders of scientific groups and committees, and leaders at other federal agencies.
  • Assists in identifying and developing appropriate DNFSB actions, including formal DNFSB recommendations. Identifies and proposes potential DOE facilities, activities, and programs for review and evaluation that are of major importance to the DNFSB and nation. Determines DOE's level of compliance with approved DNFSB recommendations.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
  • Must pass a drug screening.
  • Direct Deposit of pay is required.
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

Qualifications

In order to be qualified for this position, you must meet the basic requirement as noted below:

Basic Requirement:
(NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts. Failure to submit transcripts will result in an ineligible rating.)

A. A bachelor's or higher degree in Engineering. Acceptable disciplines include:
  • Engineering Fields: Civil, Structural, Fire Protection, Reliability, Systems, Industrial, Mechanical, Nuclear, Electrical, Chemical, and other related engineering majors.
  • Mathematics and Science Fields: Seismology, Materials Science, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, and other related majors.
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. (You must submit licensure or registration for confirmation under this provision.)
  2. Written Test -- You must submit 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, and Puerto Rico under this provision.
  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.)
Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Applicants must carefully review the information in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for important information and instructions pertaining to the multi-hurdle assessment process for this position.

Education

If qualifying based on EDUCATION you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Telework Suitability:
The duties of this position are suitable for telework.

Stipulations of Employment:
Selection may be required to serve a 2-year trial period.

This assignment may be made permanent without further competition.

This position is subject to a negative drug test prior to entrance on duty, and random drug testing while you occupy the position.

If selected, you will be required to file, prior to entrance on duty, a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450).

Applicants will be subject to a background check prior to employment and must obtain and maintain a Q clearance after onboarding with the DNFSB.

Work Schedule:
This position allows for a flexible work schedule.

Miscellaneous:
DNFSB uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days.

If selection is made below the full performance level, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed.

Relocation expenses may be covered and are dependent on management approval.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Applicants who "self-certify" that they meet the minimum qualification standards, and other eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement may be referred to the selecting official who may conduct their own assessment for further consideration and interviews.

The selectee's eligibility will be verified prior to extending a tentative job offer. After making a tentative job offer, all pre-employment and stability requirements will be conducted prior to final job offer. Selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service.

Veteran's Preference:
Veterans' Preference does not apply to Direct-Hire recruitment procedures. Applicants eligible for veteran preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g. DD Form 214, SF-15 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions. For more information on veterans' preference (see https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-employment-initiative/vet-guide/).

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted, only the most current resume will be reviewed for qualifications. Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
2. College transcript(s): This position has a basic education requirement that must be met and verified with a review of college transcripts in order to be found minimally qualified.
3. Other Supporting Documents:

  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
  • Current/Former Career/Career-Conditional Eligible: Your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis
  • Cover letter, optional
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices. Note: A PDF Portfolio contains multiple files assembled into an integrated PDF unit. The files in a PDF Portfolio can be in a wide range of file types created in different applications. To ensure the document is not a PDF Portfolio document, open the document and if there are multiple different documents with a variety of extensions, it is a PDF Portfolio document and will not be processed.

It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit here.

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 complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.

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

  • To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • You may preview the Assessment Questionnaire at: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12791615
If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement. Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Mountain Time, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, you may request an alternate application method from the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon EST on the closing date of the announcement.

Agency contact information

Amanda McArdle
Address
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
625 Indiana Ave NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20004
US

Next steps

This announcement will remain open until the closing date indicated or when all positions are filled.

For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.

Additional Locations

  • Amarillo, TX
  • Richland, WA


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


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