This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/561882200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
The Engineering Technician (Electronics) position is located at Whipple Observatory (FLWO), Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). The FLWO is a geographically isolated, technically specialized, and highly interactive scientific research environment with 24 hour operation; located on Mt. Hopkins within the Coronado National Forest in Amado, AZ, elevation of ~8600 feet. The FLWO hosts three, meter-class, telescopes and a number of specialized smaller telescopes.
Learn more about this agency03/05/2020 to 06/19/2020
$64,694 - $84,100 per year
GS 11
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
Occasional travel - Travel may be required to attend meetings, conferences, etc.
No
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
11
No
No
20-31
561882200
This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals. Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #20-32.
1. Operates, tests, and maintains the electrical and electro-mechanical systems of the FLWO’s meter-class and smaller telescopes, their scientific instruments, and related infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to, electro-mechanical systems related to telescope dome enclosures and drives, instrument auto-fill LN2 dewar systems, microwave dishes, network equipment, instrument data collection systems, and moderate and high dispersion spectrographs; and encompasses the following responsibilities:
a. Monitors telescope observers’ reports, and inspects and tests systems to ensure they are operating normally so as to minimize data loss and/or downtime.
b. Troubleshoots failures in electronic equipment, telescope mechanical systems and computers, and repairs or replaces failed components as needed. Examples include electronics that are comprised of digital and analog circuits from low noise amplifiers to high power servo amplifiers, motion control devices, stepper motors, and servomotor systems.
c. Manages dewars to ensure they maintain vacuum and remain at operating cryogenic temperatures at all times. Ensures the availability of sufficient LN2 on site, and fills smaller instrument dewars from larger tanks.
d. Organizes and maintains an up-to-date system of documentation for instrument and telescope systems and related maintenance procedures. Documents new procedures as they are implemented.
e. Maintains, cleans, and mounts delicate optical components such as filters, CCD cameras, and spectrographs. This may require disassembly and assembly of complex, delicate instrument components.
2. Procures and/or builds and maintains the test and support equipment used in the maintenance and operation of instruments and telescopes.
3. Manages an electronics shop at the telescope site. Ensures that all Smithsonian Institution/FLWO safety practices and procedures are followed. Identifies requirements, procures, and maintains an inventory of required tooling and spare parts in order to diagnose and correct instrument/telescope performance anomalies quickly so as to prevent and/or minimize lost observing time.
4. Conducts regularly scheduled instrument changeovers at FLWO telescopes and participates in the annual removal and re-installation of mirrors for re-aluminization. Changeovers require using lifting and moving equipment to remove and replace heavy instruments containing delicate optical systems, and evaluating post-changeover instrument performance to ensure that all systems are operating without faults or data losses. Participates in post-aluminization collimation of the telescope(s).
5. Provides instructions and training to visiting astronomers and students on the use of FLWO telescopes and instruments. Regularly interacts with scientists to obtain their assessment of the quality of the scientific data collected with the telescopes and corrects any conditions that may have led to data of unacceptable quality.
Must have a valid State driver's license. You may be required to provide a copy of your driver's license if contacted for an interview.
Physical Conditions: Incumbent must be physically able to lift equipment or parts weighing up to 40 pounds independently, and to assist others in moving moderately heavy objects greater than 40 pounds.
Working Conditions: Duties at the Ridge telescopes and on other areas of the mountain are recurring. The environment can be extreme, and range from dry heat to bitter cold. Travel to the Ridge or higher over a mountain road can be hazardous, and involve exposure to snow and rain, lightning, and flash floods.
Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-9 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience that includes microcontrollers, DC and AC motors and motor control systems, programmable logic controllers, and electronic detectors such as CCD's.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). 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.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
This position does not have an education qualification requirement.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:
Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:
Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above.
Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above.
Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree.
This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.
Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher.
Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.Important Note:
The review of your resume will determine your final rating and should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
Your application package should include the following documents:
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.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page.
Please Note:
At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed.
Additional Information:
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/561882200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO) is the largest field installation of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) outside Cambridge, MA. Since October 1968, the FLWO has been used as the site for experiments requiring extremely dark skies, dry climate, and good "optical seeing".