Experience requirements are described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional Engineering Positions located
here.
BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:
A. 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
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 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.)
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower broadband NH-02, equivalent to the next lower grade GS-11 or equivalent in other pay systems. Specialized experience includes I have or will have within 120 days of closing of this announcement, 1 year of specialized experience at the next lower broadband (NH-02) equivalent to the lower grade (GS-11), or equivalent in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes design and construction that encompasses the maintenance, repair, upgrade and operation of infrastructure facilities, including utility systems, utilizing professional knowledge or mechanical engineering.
Ideal Candidate: Highly organized and detail-oriented individual with a solid understanding of civil engineering principles, asset management best practices. They should be comfortable working with IT systems and analyzing data to improve maintenance and repair processes. They must work well as a team and alone.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
1. Professional knowledge of mechanical engineering concepts, principles, and practices and familiarity with architectural and other engineering disciplines.
2. Knowledge of a broad range of engineering and construction standards, methods, practices, and techniques, materials, and equipment to determine compliance with federal, state, and local codes and regulations; of standard contracting regulations, practices, and procedures as it relates to facilities engineering; knowledge of health, safety, and environmental requirements as outlined in applicable standards, regulations, and/or technical orders; of environmental principles, practices, procedures, laws, regulations, and current legislative issues; of work classifications and the regulatory and statutory restrictions on the expenditures of appropriated and non-appropriated funds.
3. Knowledge of automated data processing concepts, systems capabilities, and economic usage to effectively accomplish assigned functions; and knowledge of program planning and budgeting cycles, financial control and budget systems and management.
4. Knowledge of aesthetic and functional design techniques and skill in preparing project documentation, to include preliminary drawings, sketches, and construction drawings; and technique/ skill in drafting sufficient to convey design concepts and ideas and formulate working drawings.
5. Ability to plan, conduct and record site/facilities surveys and inspection; to analyze, interpret, and apply results, rules, regulations, and procedures in a variety of situations and recommend timely and economical solutions.
6. Ability to plan and organize work and coordinate with other engineering disciplines and architects; and communicate effectively both orally and in writing and maintain good working relationships.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.