INTERDISCIPLINARY General Engineer/Physical Scientist (Bilingual-Spanish) Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. 25-GD-00222-12587798-DHR Department Department of Energy - Agency Wide
Salary $49,025.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/28/2024 Close Date 11/1/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Summary

This position is part of the Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy. As a INTERDISCIPLINARY General Engineer/Physical Scientist (Bilingual-Spanish), and part of the Territory and Recovery Assistance Program within GDO, this role will help in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by investing, improving and expanding the electric infrastructure in disadvantaged communities to enhance access to affordable electricity and promote energy justice.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Duties

As an INTERDISCIPLINARY General Engineer/Physical Scientist (Bilingual-Spanish) you will:

  • Address risks associated with energy infrastructure interdependencies, incorporating grid modernization and resilience into technology and infrastructure decision processes in Puerto Rico and other US territories;
  • Support the managing and directing of the Department's support to territories for their development of electricity policies and programs in Puerto Rico and other US territories, including but not limited to, supply chain risk management, system interdependencies, blackstart capabilities, grid architecture, energy storage, and transmission distribution planning;
  • Direct and develop plans for project teams or other groups in accomplishing/producing projects/studies;
  • Analyze and evaluate on a quantitative/qualitative basis the effectiveness of program operations in meeting established goals and objectives;
  • Evaluate and advise on organization, methods, and procedures, contributing significantly to grid modernization efforts in Puerto Rico and other US territories.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
  • If selected, your appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
  • Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.
  • This position is eligible for remote work. If selected, it is required to sign a remote work agreement detailing remote working conditions and expectations for position. Work may only be performed from a location in the U.S.
  • This is a Term appointment Not to Exceed 13 months, may be extended up to 10 years depending on the need of the Department and funding. There is no requirement that the agency extend a term appointment, or that it considers such extension.

Qualifications

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: Bilingual - Spanish and English language fluency is REQUIRED. You will be interviewed in both Spanish and English and you may be required to read/write and/or translate documents from Spanish to English and vice versa. Further consideration will not be given if you fail to demonstrate fluency in both English and Spanish.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-12: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following:
- Researching and interpreting program related laws, regulations, guidelines, and procedures related to engineering or scientific regulations and compliance, AND
- Supporting project execution according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline, and making recommendations on the allocation of resources; AND
- Developing strategies to accomplish broader community awareness and engagement to improve program or process efficiency.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-13: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following:
- Researching and interpreting program related laws, regulations, guidelines, and procedures related to engineering or scientific regulations and compliance, AND
- Leading project management activities for energy-related projects, from initial scoping to project execution; AND
- Applying analytical techniques for assessing the effectiveness or efficiency of engineering or scientific operations or work processes; AND
- Implementing innovative strategies and/or community engagement activities with representatives from different community sectors in Puerto Rico.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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, including volunteer experience.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible". Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

You must meet the Basic Education Requirement listed below and the "Specialized Experience" to qualify for this series as described below.

Basic Requirement for Physical Scientist (1301):

  1. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

    or

  2. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
--

Basic Requirement for General Engineer (801):

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.)

Additional information

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 position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for INTERDISCIPLINARY General Engineer/Physical Scientist (Bilingual-Spanish) positions in the 0801/1301 series. Under the DHA, applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement will be referred for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply under the DHA process.

Appointments made under the DHA are processed as "new" appointments. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b).

Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
  • General Engineering
  • Oral Communication
  • Project Management
  • Stakeholder Management


Career Transition Assistance Programs: If you are eligible for career transition assistance, such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements to be referred for consideration.

Shared Certificates: The Department of Energy shares lists of applicants among its internal Departmental Elements and organizations. You may be referred for consideration to other DOE Hiring Managers throughout the Department for more than one position based on this application. By applying to this announcement, you understand your application materials may be shared with multiple Hiring Mangers throughout DOE. If additional positions are filled from this announcement conditions of employment may differ. You will be notified if you are referred for additional positions.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (11/01/2024) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12587798

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:

  • Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
  • Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
  • Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.

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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on 11/01/2024.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.


To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; 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/.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

Mary Bowman
Address
Grid Deployment Office
Department of Energy
Human Capital Shared Service Center
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit your online application, you will receive a confirmation notification by email that your submission was successful. After the closing of the announcement, if your self-assessment responses place you as an eligible candidate for referral, we will refer your name to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. We will notify you of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

If you are interested in being added to our Schedule A or 30% or more Disabled Veterans repository, please submit your information by using the below links.

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/789178500 - 30 Percent or More Disabled Veteran Repository 2024 for Department of Energy

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/789179000 - Schedule A Repository 2024 for Department of Energy


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