General Engineer - Direct Hire Authority Job in Arlington, VA

Vacancy No. HRSC/OBO-2025-0003 Department Department of State - Agency Wide
Salary $117,962.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/16/2024 Close Date 10/29/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Arlington, VA


Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Program Development Coordination and Support, Office of Cost Management (OBO/PDCS/COST) and may be assigned to any of the Office’s organizational elements. The mission of OBO is to provide safe, secure, and functional facilities through the implementation of Excellence in Diplomatic Facilities.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This serves as public notice for the use of OPM's Direct Hire Authority. Applicants who meet the qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

Duties

  • Provide a range of cost management technical services and analyses, including preparation of cost estimates for construction projects, cost planning, and detailed cost estimating through planning and execution phases.
  • Analyze project and program requirements to develop conceptual and/or preliminary drawings and budget estimates.
  • Review contract deliverable cost engineering products including cost estimates and risk assessments produced by independent third party contract architectural/engineering (A/E) cost engineers.
  • Conduct risk analyses for OBO construction cost estimates, including the development of project risk registers, identification of risk mitigation strategies, and calculation of appropriate contingency estimates.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Statement of Employment & Financial Interest required prior to appointment.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. 

Applicants MUST show that they possess a professional knowledge of general engineering as evidenced by ONE of the following Basic Requirements:

A. Bachelor’s or Higher Degree: The program must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the 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 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:

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. 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) 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 or higher 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.)

Notes:

1) Applicants who meets the Basic Requirements 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;

2) Professional engineering experience required for grades GS-7 and above is defined as non-routine engineering work that required and was characterized by professional knowledge of engineering, professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems, and positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability;

3) To be considered, applicants MUST submit transcripts and copies of professional registration and/or licensure to verify Basic Requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

IN ADDITION to the Basic Requirements listed above, you MUST also have 1 year of specialized experience that is related to the work of the position, is equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service, and demonstrates the following:

  • Experience developing and reviewing cost estimates for building construction projects and renovations.
  • Experience preparing cost and/or technical reports and briefings to facilitate management personnel in the decision making process.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
  • If eligible, telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. 
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. 

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.

Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply. For this announcement, all applicants will be assessed to determine if they meet the qualifications for this position, specifically the education, specialized experience, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary to perform the work of the position.  All applications that meet the required qualifications will be referred to the selecting official in the order in which the applications were received.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following KSAs and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

  • Skill in applying principles, methods, and/or tools for developing cost estimates.
  • Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
  • Skill in conducting analysis of results to provide recommendations or solutions.
  • Ability to communicate effectively.
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology.
  • Ability to communicate in writing.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for selection priority. Candidates are considered well qualified if their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) exceed the minimum qualifications described in the announcement.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1.  Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions. 

2. Transcripts, if applicable and you are qualifying based on educationSee the Qualification and Education sections of this announcement for more information. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.

3. Other Qualification Documentation (e.g. certificates, certifications, etc.), if applicable.  See the Qualification section of this announcement for more information. 

4.  Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans’ preference does not apply to this vacancy. Any supporting documentation received from veterans will be retained to document veteran’s status for appointment purposes, if selected.

  • To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
  • To claim 10-point preference, submit all required documentation outlined on the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.).  If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference.
  • To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim.
  • To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
  • For all preference claims:
    • DD-214 Member 4 copies are preferred and must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals.
  • For more veterans’ preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

5.  ICTAP/CTAP documentation, if applicable. Visit our agency’s ICTAP and CTAP sites for required documentation.

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

Prepare your application in USAJOBS

To start your application, click Apply and we’ll walk you through the process to attach a resume and any required documents.

During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We’ll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won’t lose any changes.  You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process.

STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.

STEP 2: Submit your resume.  Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.

STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions.

STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.

To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency’s Civil Service selection process site.

Technical assistance with your on-line application is available through the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or by calling (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET

Alternate Application Procedures

If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.

Agency contact information

Daniel Seebaugh
Address
U.S. Department of State
1999 Dyess Ave.
Charleston Reg. Ctr., E119B
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online application package is received, you will be notified through USAJOBS of receipt of your application and referral or non-referral to the hiring official for further consideration. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. If a tentative job offer is made, the Department of State will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation.

You will be notified up to three times during the hiring process:

  1. Upon receipt of your application.
  2. After the List of Applicants is issued.
  3. After final selection is made.


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