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 is Mechanical Installation design experience and Instrumentation Modification experience including T-2 Mod Processes and Airworthiness. Along with professional knowledge of advanced mechanical and aerospace engineering design concepts, principles and techniques, as they relate to instrumentation systems, transducers and laboratory test and calibration of instruments and procedures.
NOTE: Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement.
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:
- Extensive professional knowledge of advanced mechanical and aerospace engineering design concepts, principles, and techniques, especially as they relate to instrumentation systems, transducers, and laboratory test and calibration instruments and procedures. Professional knowledge of aerodynamics, structures, heat transfer, vibration, materials, fabrication processes, and computer-aided engineering/manufacturing.
- Expert knowledge of the AFTC airworthiness and temporary modification processes necessary to prepare the weapon systems for test, and of the associated AFTC modification organizations, including their specific capabilities, responsibilities, authorities, and limitations. Knowledge of aircraft construction, flight instruments, aircraft electrical and aeronautical systems, along with knowledge of flight test operations, products, services, needs, and goals as they pertain to aircraft modification processes and programs.
- Professional knowledge of program management principles and techniques, such as work breakdown structures, critical path analysis, and earned value analysis, and the ability to apply these techniques to plan and organize work, provide accurate cost and schedule estimates, track progress, and take corrective actions.
- Strong ability to coordinate between various technical and support service disciplines, and to coordinate with peers, management, and other agencies. This includes an ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of personnel, both orally and in writing, the ability to use modern computer software applications in support of communications and presentations, and the ability to maintain good working relationships and function well in an integrated development team environment.
- Strong ability to research, analyze, interpret, and apply rules, regulations, and procedures to a variety of situations, and to recommend timely and economical solutions.
- Strong ability to provide supervision, training, and technical leadership to subordinate personnel.
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.