Clarification from the agency

Please be advised that federal retired annuitant candidates may only be considered as a temporary employee if the role can be filled in that capacity.

The tour of duty for this position is 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. This position is emergency essential. Depending on the type of emergency, the employee may be required to report to work during emergency situations.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Project Management

• Plan various complex project management functions with project teams and make decisions affecting areas of responsibility that are precedent setting.
• Serve as a technical specialist and a key source of information for assigned areas of accountability.
• Prepare and update schedules for project delivery efforts, implementing a system for review, control and reporting.
• Review project schedules to ensure reasonable and timely implementation.
• Assist in coordinating staff and officials of affected jurisdictions to keep them informed on project operations.
• Provide information for dissemination to Congress and other Capitol complex building occupants informed of the status of the various projects as required.

Consultant/Contractor Oversight

• Provide technical design and management guidance to professional Architect/Engineers (A/E) firms.
• Provide consultation on applicable codes, standards and criteria.
• Serve as the Contracting Officers Representative (COTR) for review of compliance with A/E contract specifications.
• Evaluate contractor efforts and assess technical progress in relation to the established schedule and resources.
• Review and evaluate shop drawings and progress schedules for conformance to technical specifications.
• Guide and evaluate contractor efforts in relation to the established schedule and resources allotted.
• Review plans, specifications and cost estimates for technical adequacy.
• Direct necessary changes, resolve controversial problems, ensure conformance to plans and specifications and furnish other assistance as required where deficiencies are noted.
• Monitor A/E contractors for effectiveness in meeting contractual, functional and technical requirements.

Technical Advice and Guidance

• Provide guidance, technical advice and consultation on project administration.
• Conduct studies to develop criteria for situations encountered during field inspections.
• Facilitate the resolution of project related issues and concerns that arise at the Jurisdiction Superintendent level.
• Provide leadership of the project scope, schedule and budget concerns.

Requirements and Specifications

• Develop or review overall specifications and costs for construction projects. 
• Provide or receive training, either on-the-job or through classroom training, to ensure that all safety practices and equipment are fully utilized. 

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• Your resume and responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• You must meet the education requirements.

To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below:

• 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
• A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.

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 General Schedule Qualification Standards.

To qualify for a General Engineer your resume and supporting documentation must support:

Basic Requirements:

A.  Bachelor’s Degree in professional 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 Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
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.
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.

      AND

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, candidates must meet specialized experience. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The experience need not have been in the federal government.

Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-12) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as having experience:

• Directing and/or leading the development and managing the design and construction of a number of multi-million-dollar new construction and/or renovation projects;
• Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of operations and/or recommending improvements to management;
• Negotiating contracts and/or design changes with organization, client, consultants and/or contractors; and
• Managing construction and/or renovation projects from planning to execution.

Your application must show that you have sufficient experience and training to perform the duties of the position as described in the vacancy announcement.

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 job elements for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relate to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following job elements and competencies:

• Broad knowledge of Engineering/Architectural concepts, principles, and practices
• Project Management
• Contract Management
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

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 non-selection or disqualification from 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).

• Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.

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.

Next steps