Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Physical Scientist

Department of Energy

Department of Energy - Agency Wide

Office of Science-SLAC Site Office (SSO)

Summary

This position is part of the Office of Science - SLAC Site Office, Department of Energy. As a Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Physical Scientist, you will be responsible for the Federal oversight of the coordination, design, construction and close-out phases of all assigned projects in compliance with DOE Order 413.3B, Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

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

The SLAC Site Office (SSO) is the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) line management organization within the Office of Science (SC) which manages and administers the DOE performance based contact with Stanford University to manage and operate the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC). The SSO reports directly to the Office of Science (SC). SLAC is a DOE national laboratory, which performs and supports world-class research in photon science, high-energy physics, and particle astrophysics. The duty station for this position is Menlo Park, CA.

We are truly honored that DOE has been named America's #1 Best Employer for Veterans in 2023 by Forbes-not only among Government agencies, but among employers across the U.S. We are so proud of this ranking which reflects our commitment to the employment of veterans. As so many veterans at DOE renew their service to our Nation, we are deeply committed to their success and advancement. Veterans shape the future of energy

As a General Engineer/Physical Scientist, you will:

Serve as the Federal Project Director (FPD) responsible for leading the coordination, design, construction, and close-out phases of capital asset construction, Major Item of Equipment (MIE), and minor projects.
Evaluate complex scientific and engineering challenges to resolve technical uncertainties, manage design or operational risks, and address conflicting project goals.
Assess the viability of emerging or improved technologies, industry trends, and technical standards to modernize engineering programs and project execution.
Prepare critical project lifecycle and business documents, including program budgets, procurement packages, project execution plans, and Statements of Work (SOWs).
Act as the primary technical authority to advise senior management and project contractors, while representing the agency to present project progress, objectives, and technical findings at professional reviews and meetings.

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.
This position has been designated as PUBLIC TRUST. A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or others with an existing investigation may not be required to undergo another check.
Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.

Qualifications

You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. See the Education section for the Basic Requirement.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following:

Coordinating projects (such as facility construction, utility or infrastructure upgrades, or major technical equipment installations) from the planning and design phases through execution and close-out.
Reviewing project lifecycle and business documents, such as project execution plans, cost-benefit analyses, technical budget estimates, and detailed Statements of Work (SOWs) or technical specifications for contracted services.
Serving as a key technical point of contact to collaborate with, influence, and negotiate among multidisciplinary teams, contractors, or external partners to resolve technical disputes and align project milestones.

GS-14: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-13). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following:

Leading projects (such as facility construction, utility or infrastructure upgrades, or major technical equipment installations) from the planning and design phases through execution and close-out.
Reviewing project lifecycle and business documents, such as project execution plans, cost-benefit analyses, technical budget estimates, and detailed Statements of Work (SOWs) or technical specifications for contracted services.
Preparing technical briefings, progress reports, or business cases to senior management, clients, or regulatory bodies to justify project directions, secure funding, or resolve technical disagreements.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 or GS-14 levels.

"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. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. 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.

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 0801 SERIES:

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.)

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 1301 SERIES

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

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.

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. 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.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov
Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.
EEO Policy: https://www.energy.gov/justice/eeo-complaint-process
Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Staffing Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://www.energy.gov/hc/articles/reasonable-accommodation-and-personal-assistance-service-procedure
Veterans Information: https://www.energy.gov/careers/veterans-military-spouses
Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.

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.

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 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):

Contracting/Procurement
Influencing/Negotiating
Project Management
Risk Management
Technical Competence

CTAP/ICTAP Eligible Applicants: To receive selection priority, you must submit the following documentation with your application:

Proof of Eligibility: A copy of your agency-issued Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice, a copy of your separation SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) noting transition/displaced status, or other official agency documentation confirming your eligible status.
Proof of Performance Rating: A copy of your most recent performance appraisal/rating of record, which must include:
- Your final rating (must be at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent); and
- The rating scale/guide (explaining what each level/numeric score means), unless the rating scale is clearly defined on the appraisal document itself.

Note: While a formal performance appraisal is highly recommended and requested to expedite your evaluation, if your agency-issued RIF separation notice or other official separation documentation explicitly states that your performance was at least "Fully Successful" (or equivalent) and notes your rating of record, it may be accepted in lieu of a formal performance appraisal. Failure to provide any documentation proving a rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent will result in the loss of your priority 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 (07/23/2026) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13012011

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:

Read all instructions before you begin.
Click "Apply Online."
Complete the application and attach all required documents.
Submit by 11:59 PM ET on the 07/23/2026.

Resume Tips:

Max 2 pages and 5MB file size.
PDF is recommended to preserve formatting; we also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, ODT, or Word (DOC/DOCX). No PDF portfolios.
Use clear fonts like Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto, or Noto Sans.
Set 0.5-inch margins.
Use 14-point font for titles, 10-point for main text.

Managing Your Application:

Update: Edit your application in USAJOBS before the closing date.
Status: Log into USAJOBS to view your application status. Learn more here: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Support:

USAJOBS Help: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ for login.gov or USAJOBS assistance.
Application Issues: If you have difficulty applying online, contact the Agency Contact listed in this announcement during business hours. Take screenshots of any system errors.

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/.

Agency contact information

Leonard Elkins

Email: leonard.elkins@hc.doe.gov

Address: Office of Science - SLAC Site Office
Department of Energy
Human Capital Shared Service Center
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585
US

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/GetJob/ViewDetails/859568600 - 30 Percent or More Disabled Veteran Repository 2026 for Department of Energy Headquarters and their associated field offices.
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/859568900 - Schedule A Repository 2026 for Department of Energy Headquarters and their associated field offices.

Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Physical Scientist Job in Menlo Park, CA