Interdisciplinary Computer Engineer/Computer Scientist Job in Sioux Falls, SD

Vacancy No. USGS-RES-24-12439993-DE-KF Department Geological Survey
Salary $122,198.00 to $158,860.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/24/2024 Close Date 7/8/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Sioux Falls, SD


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

Salary: $122,198 (Step 01) to $158,860 (Step 10); NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

This is an interdisciplinary position and is being advertised concurrently with the following announcements:
Open to current or former Federal employees: USGS-RES-24-12439994-ST-KF

Duties

As a Ground Systems Manager within the Earth Resources Observation Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

- Manage USGS Landsat System development activities: responsible for the development, integration, and transition to operations of the Landsat Ground System, including the Mission Operations Center, Ground Network Element (ground stations), and Data Processing and Archive System; ensure that the Landsat Ground System is developed on time and within budget and the Ground System satisfies the technical requirements and specifications as defined.
- Serve as the primary interface to NASA for Landsat development mission Ground System activities. Lead preparation and execution of Landsat development mission Ground System reviews. Represent USGS for other ground system aspects of the mission as required relating to the spacecraft, instruments, and launch vehicle. Interface with the Landsat Science Team and International Cooperators to ensure the development mission Ground
System meets the needs of the external community.
- Serve as the primary interface for the Technical Support Services Contract (TSSC) for Landsat development mission Ground Systems, which
will execute the bulk of the detailed project work conducted at EROS. TSSC functions under government project direction. Responsible for creating task orders for the TSSC, by gathering input from the various areas of the Landsat project. Responsible for working with the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer's Representative to ensure task orders are approved and technical work is being accomplished on the project. Serve as
Contracting Officer's Representative for development mission contracts as required.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
  • Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
  • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT for COMPUTER ENGINEER: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Computer Engineer, all grade levels. A. Degree: Professional Engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: 1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or 2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first year physics and chemistry) in 5 of the following 7 areas of engineering science of 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. ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF QUALIFYING: In lieu of meeting the specific educational requirements listed above, applicants may substitute four years of 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. This knowledge and understanding must be equivalent to that provided by a full 4-year professional engineering curriculum. ***The adequacy of such background MUST be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Professional Registration - Current registration as a professional engineer 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.
or
2. Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional engineering registration; or (**NOTE: Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college or university that included 60 semester hrs. of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET) may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements specified in paragraph "A" above.)
or
3. Specified Academic Courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in "A" above: i.e., differential and integral calculus and courses in five of the seven areas of engineering science or physics as listed under "A" of the basic requirements above as (a) through (g). The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in "A" above.
or
4. Related Curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided you also have at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR COMPUTER SCIENTIST: Applicants must meet the following to satisfy the basic education requirement for Computer Scientist, all grade levels. Bachelor's or higher degree in computer science OR a bachelor's or higher degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus.

For GS-14:
One year of appropriate professional experience that is in or directly related to the duties of the position to be filled is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service.

Applicants must have demonstrated experience managing satellite ground system development projects including project formulation, project execution, and extensive related technical skills. Candidates should have significant experience in technical project management of satellite land imaging mission ground systems that may include development of project scope, developing plans and schedules, estimating resource requirements, defining milestones and deliverables, cost management including establishment and surveillance of Earned Value (EV) monitoring of projects, schedule development, monitoring activities, formal risk management and evaluating and reporting accomplishments. The candidate should have experience managing projects that performed integration efforts including development and execution of system test activities, integration into operations, and early orbit checkout. Experience should also include formulating strategies for and executing government technical development contracts and development of contract statements of work or statement of objectives.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

  • 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, including volunteer experience.
  • Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Additional information

Other Information:

  • Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
  • Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
  • USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
  • The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
  • DOI 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 www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
  • The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
  • THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Agency Benefits:

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.

--Vacancy Related Questions: As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge skills, abilities and/or competencies: TEAMWORK, TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION, PROGRAM/PROJECT MANAGEMENT, SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION, RESEARCH AND INTERPRET REGULATIONS.

--Basis of Rating: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Best Qualified and Qualified. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessment required for this position. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

--Additional Assessment Required: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position a subject-matter-expert will perform a structured review of your resume to evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position.

--NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified, or your score may be lowered.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12439993

Required Documents

Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

Resume

--Resumes are required. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or other written form, then you must describe your job-related qualifications, including: beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience; hours worked per week; month and year of employment for each job title listed; annual salary; and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here.

Supporting documents

--Upload any supporting documents identified in the Key Requirements section or included below as it applies to your eligibility. Supporting documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments

Transcripts

--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

Veterans' Preference Eligibles

--If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.

--If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.

--If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.

Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles

--If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:

  • copy of the agency notice;
  • your most recent Performance Rating; and
  • your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click 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

--Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.

--Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1)Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2)If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3)As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4)Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5)Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6)Submit required documents. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.

Agency contact information

Kathy Falino
Address
NEW MISSIONS BRANCH
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 600
Reston, VA 20192
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

--If you are rated as one of the most highly qualified candidates, you will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.


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