Clarification from the agency

Your application will be considered if you are a: • Internal GSA/Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) employee • GSA surplus or displaced employees in the local commuting area who qualify for the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) • You must be serving on a career or career-conditional appointment, or under a noncompetitive Special Appointing Authority which provides for conversion to a permanent position in the Competitive Service.

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will perform the following duties:

• Review industry standards, test methods, and technology to ensure they are used in Federal Product Descriptions (FPD's) or agency technical contract support documents. Apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess and improve program effectiveness for complex management processes, projects, and systems.
• Develop new specifications and standards and modify existing specifications and standards for assigned items. Review proposed and existing military specifications and standards used in Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) procurement.
• Present findings and recommendations for preparing activities. Develops and maintains FPD's, Commercial Item Descriptions (CID's), Item Purchase Descriptions (IPD's), Federal specifications and other agency technical contract support documents.
• Act as an agency representative to industry for assigned commodity areas (i.e., serves on technical industry standards committees; clarify and interpret specifications and standards, etc.). Represent the organization in high level conferences and meetings in explaining and interpreting policies and requirements to others, and in negotiating important issues with other groups.
• Identify and recommend items for either elimination or addition to the GSA supply system based upon projected economies and standardization studies. Evaluate and make recommendations concerning the disposition of supplier requests for deviations from technical contractual obligations.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
• Meet time-in-grade within 30 days of the closing date, if applicable
• Register with the Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

• the exact dates you held each job (from month/year to month/year)
• number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

The GS-13 salary range starts at $106,437 per year. Locality will be determined based on duty location.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGINEERS: A Degree in professional engineering OR a combination of college-level education, training, and/or technical experience. For specifics on qualifying education and/or experience - use the following link: Basic Requirements for Engineer Positions.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:  

In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience serving as a mechanical engineer responsible for complex multi-disciplinary engineering projects from initial concept through final completion. Qualifying experience must demonstrate the ability to:

• Developing technical contract support documentation (such as Product Descriptions (PDs), Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs), and/or Item Purchase Descriptions (IPDs)) to support the acquisition of engineering commodities;
• Providing engineering guidance to stakeholders in accordance with applicable laws, policies, regulations, and established mechanical engineering principles and practices; and
• Preparing engineering reports to resolve product-related and/or compliance issues.

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcript(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcements to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

A panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review the resumes of qualified candidates and assign a score for each of the five required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) based on the experience documented in the resume and narrative responses.

1. Knowledge of mechanical engineering and related knowledge of applicable technological principles and needs particular to customer usage for assigned commodities.
2. Skill in developing and reviewing engineering designs, specifications, and technical reports ensuring accuracy, compliance with standards, and clarity for diverse audiences.
3. Ability to communicate complex technical information effectively both orally and in writing to diverse audiences, including technical experts, non-technical stakeholders, and senior management.
4. Knowledge of mechanical engineering, procurement regulations, contract management principles, and relevant laws and policies, enabling informed decision-making and effective problem-solving.
5. Ability to develop and implement new methods to overcome problems for which there are no established guidelines.

Demonstration of these KSAs must be supported by your resume. Applicants should also make note of each KSA, as you will be asked to address them later in the application process.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), your resume must clearly demonstrate experience in at least 3 of the 5 required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) to receive priority consideration.

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

Your resume should not exceed 2 pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. Your resume must contain the following information:

• Name, address, telephone number, email address;
• Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
• Relevant work experience—should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.
• Education, certifications or licensures—If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure to include the required information and any required documents like transcripts.

Your resume should contain enough information to make a valid determination that you fully meet experience requirements for each grade level you are applying to. If you do not provide enough information for us to determine your qualifications, you may be rated ineligible.

If you are CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.

College transcripts: If you are using some or all of your college education to meet qualification requirements for this position, you must submit a copy of your college transcript(s). Transcripts MUST show: name of the institution, student's name, course work/degree(s) completed/conferred and dates. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

For education completed outside the United States, also submit a valid foreign credential evaluation that substantiates possession of the required education.

Next steps

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