Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Program Specialist Job in Lakewood, CO

Vacancy No. 25-12650144-DE Department Western Area Power Administration
Salary $114,970.00 to $149,465.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/23/2024 Close Date 12/30/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Lakewood, CO


Summary

This position is part of the Western Area Power Administration. As a Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Program Specialist, you will manage the WAPA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program, its contracts, training, pilot certification, and administrative operations.

**This is not a remote position. The selectee will be required to be physically present at one of the duty location(s) identified.**

Duties

As a Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Program Specialist, you will:

  • Serve as a UAS Program Specialist, remote pilot in command, evaluator, instructor, certifier, and/or visual observer.
  • Oversee the WAPA Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Program with operations that gather, detect, and monitor complex electrical, Transmission & Distribution (T&D) infrastructure, difficult terrain, wilderness, water topography, dimensions, thermal, metal strain, vegetation data, equipment, and safety issues, for WAPA maintenance, program operations, and performance purposes.
  • Oversee UAS inspections, operating location assessments, crew member mission and safety briefings, flight planning, equipment checks, ensuring accordance with 14 CFR Part 107, state and local regulations, and operators manual.
  • Lead UAS Program subject matter expert operations reviews, ensuring completion of required deliverables, corrective action tracking, implementation of and adherence to program requirements, policies, and procedures.
  • Establish WAPA UAS program and contract safety and security goals, and progress towards building a regulatory compliant, integrated, UAS safety management system, and ensuring effective, safe, secure, cost-efficient operations.
  • Lead UAS training and education strategy development, planning, coordination, and implementation.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • Must possess certification (FAA Remote Pilot 107 certification) and be able and willing to operate UAS platforms in urban, rural, industrial, operational, complex, and remote locations that include accessing and/or traversing unimproved, rugged, and extreme condition environments (e.g., hot/cold temperatures, dry/humid environments) via local and/or temporary duty travel.
  • Current Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 Remote Airman Certificate. WAPA will consider other federal agency remote pilot education, training, and certifications for the purposes of meeting this technical qualification.
  • Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR)
  • A valid U.S. state driver's license.
  • FAA Class 3 Medical Certificate.
  • Inclement Weather Exposure
  • Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

GS-13: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the duties listed below:

  • Identify and/or resolve technical operations, pilot, aircraft, equipment, qualifications, training, suitability, or safety issues;
  • Utilize aviation administration methodologies to respond to accidents, incidents, and/or oversee investigations;
  • Coordinate and/or conduct remote pilot training courses;
  • Utilize acquisition or contracting rules, regulations, and/or procedures to oversee contracted operations.

"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.

OPM Qualification General Policies Websitewww.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=app

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

For this position, education cannot be substituted for experience.




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 .
  • If selection is made at a lower grade, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed.
  • Upon reporting, and annually thereafter, the selectee may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification. These certifications may be subject to public disclosure.
  • The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
  • This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
  • This position may be eligible for Remote (Restricted) work after serving 90 days in the position. If interested, the selected employee will work with their supervisor regarding their eligibility. Remote (Restricted) requests are approved on a case-by-case basis. Remote (Restricted) work requires an employee's Official Remote Worksite to be located within 50 (road) miles of an approved WAPA Office Worksite, as identified in the announcement. Under this arrangement, the employee is not required to report to a WAPA Office Worksite every pay period but will be required to do so with some regularity.
If you are unable to apply online, please contact the Mid-Atlantic Services Branch at NORFOLKMAIL@OPM.GOV for more information.

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.

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.

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three pre-defined quality categories under Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Program Management, Public Safety and Security, Technical Competence, and Technology Management

Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher. https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/veterans-preference/#content

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as scoring in the Well Qualified category (or higher).

Political appointment: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (12/30/2024) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12650144 .

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).
  • 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.
  • Veterans' Preference documentation,if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
  • 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.
  • Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
    • Position title;
    • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
    • Agency; and
    • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

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.

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:

  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. 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/.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

MID-ATLANTIC SERVICE BRANCH
Address
Western Area Power Administration
12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.

You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS.You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.

You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.


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


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