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General Engineer

Department of Energy
Department of Energy - Agency Wide
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Department of Energy is seeking motivated and highly-qualified candidates for exciting positions available in multiple locations throughout the United States.

The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.

To learn more about the Department of Energy, please visit the website at www.energy.gov



Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
01/30/2021 to 05/28/2021
Salary
$64,649 to - $172,500 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 15
Locations
few vacancies in the following locations:
Anchorage, AK
few vacancies
Berkeley, CA
few vacancies
Los Angeles, CA
few vacancies
Menlo Park, CA
few vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required, however, dependent upon the program office some positions may require a higher percentage of travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or relocation incentives may be authorized at the organization's discretion.
Appointment type
Multiple - Multiple Appointment Types
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15 - Vacancies filled under this public notice may have varying levels of promotion potential and supervisory level, if any.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
TN-21-DOE-0801-OCDH
Control number
590500600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.

Duties

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This series covers positions managing, supervising, leading, and/or performing professional engineering and scientific work.

As a General Engineer, at minimum you will:

  • Use sound technical judgment and initiative to resolve the challenges of changing conditions and other problems relative to the assigned projects and programs.
  • Use physics or mechanical, nuclear, electrical, chemical, civil, or industrial engineering theories, principles, and practices
  • Analyze situations, identify problems, probe causes, and recommends courses of action or solutions.
  • Work closely with a team, perform assessments, clearly and concisely document assessment results, and present findings orally and in writing to the approval authority.
  • Coordinate with related engineering and physical science fields adequate to effectively discuss technical points and to recommend acceptable engineering solutions to problems.
  • Perform and interpret calculations, analyses, and computations for unknown factors or relationships primarily in the matters of factual nature of involving well understood mechanisms

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.
  • Telework may or may not be eligible depending on the position requirements
  • May be required to complete a Financial Disclosure Statement

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

These positions are to be filled under the OPM Government-Wide Direct Hire Authority Certain STEM Positions for grades GS 11-15. This serves as a public notice for the use of the Direct Hire Authority in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3327 and 3330 and 5 CFR 330.  Under this recruitment procedure, applications will be accepted for each location/ installation identified in this Public Notice. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

Positions are located agency-wide and may be filled as permanent, term, or temporary with a full-time or part-time work schedule. Pay will vary by geographic location.

Appointments made with this authority may be processed as a new appointment into the Civil Service.

The vacancies filled through these appointments have varying levels of background investigative requirements, up to a Top Secret - DOE "Q" clearance.

Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected under this authority are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802.

A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check.

All positions are subject to satisfactory security and suitability determinations.

Positions may be designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) and subject to testing for illegal drug use. A negative drug test must be obtained prior to being appointed into these positions and will be subject to random testing thereafter.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

You must meet the Basic Requirement listed in the "Education Requirements" section and the "Specialized Experience" to qualify for this series as described below. 

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

The specialized experience listed are the minimum requirements for the series, each particular vacancy may have additional experience necessary to meet the applicable grade level.

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for these positions are defined as:

GS-11: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service.  Experience includes providing support in the planning, development and implementation for components within the assigned programs/projects; assisting with the performance of assessments, and design reviews to evaluate contractor performance; prepares written evaluations to identify inadequacies or weaknesses; and assisting in identifying and resolving issues which could have an impact on the program/project.

OR

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

GS-12: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Experience includes applying engineering practices to ensure the project systems meet performance objectives; planning, and conducting projects/studies to evaluate and recommend ways to improve the efficiency of operations; providing recommendations to ensure projects/programs are coordinated in an efficient and cost-effective manner; and participating in the resolution of issues affecting assigned project.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 level.

GS-13: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Experience includes conducting engineering research and studies to determine and recommend appropriate solutions to issues, interpret designs, and evaluate adequacy; conducting projects and /or studies within established financial and time constraints; developing and utilizing data collection techniques to assess project and program effectiveness; and interpreting and evaluating engineering drawings, specifications, and technical data packages.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-13 level.

GS-14: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Experience includes analyzing the application of experimental theories and/or new applications and developments for research and development; developing strategies and tactics for future activities and to meet technology development goals; developing requirements, long term goals, objectives, and schedules for the accomplishment of applied research and development, and deployment of technologies; and preparing briefings , presentations, newsletters, and other communications to convey the status of research, project, or program.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-14 level.

GS-15: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. Experience includes developing and documenting research plans including associated budget plans in a timely manner; monitoring projects and providing high-level guidance to help resolve any project-related issues, including project modifications; developing and negotiating major agreements with other government agencies in the assigned new business areas; clarifying and making authoritative recommendations leading to decision making and resolution of critical issues; and evaluating complex technical issues and research results associated with the integration of technologies and recommend future program research needs.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-15 level.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs).  Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

  1. Knowledge of project management principles, methods and practices to effectively carry out engineering assignments.
  2. Broad professional knowledge of two or more engineering disciplines, and skill in applying a wide range of professional engineering theories, concepts, principles, standards, and methods sufficient to determine and/or execute actions for a wide range of engineering assignments involving combinations of complex features.
  3. Knowledge of the laws, regulations, policies and practices of the organization and programs/projects to which assigned sufficient to ensure that project complies with organization goals and objectives and overall DoE framework.
  4. Skill in oral and written communication to develop and present engineering and project information to diverse audiences.
  5. Knowledge of the laws, regulations, policies and practices of the organization and programs/projects to which assigned sufficient to ensure that project complies with organization goals and objectives and overall DoE framework. Skill in oral and written communication to develop and present engineering and project information to diverse audiences.
  6. Knowledge of project management principles, methods and practices to effectively carry out engineering assignments.

"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 Standards for the GS-0801 series can be found at the following website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/general-engineering-series-0801/

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. 

This public notice may be used to fill multiple positions as needed; therefore, applicants must meet the qualifications at the time the applications are reviewed.

Education

Basic Requirement

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

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.)

This position has a positive education requirement. Therefore, you MUST provide documentation supporting any education claims in your application. This documentation can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. For specific education requirements, please see the Education Requirements.

If selected, official transcripts may be requested. 

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

  • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
  • This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.
  • More than one selection may be made under this hiring authority.
  • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
  • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • Positions may be filled at varying levels of leadership, ie Team Lead, Manager, Supervisor.
  • Supervisory positions may require a 1-year probationary period, if not yet completed.
  • New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify
  • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
  • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

EEO Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement

Reasonable Accommodation Policy:  https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement

Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Veterans_Information  
Telework:  www.telework.gov
Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/

How you will be evaluated

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

Under this Direct-Hire authority, applicants are required to meet minimum qualification requirements at the grade level(s) of interest. Veteran's Preference, Schedule A, Category Rating, and other methods of consideration DO NOT APPLY under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

Appointments made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Civil Service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the Civil Service. Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected for this position may be required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. Selected applicant may also be required to serve a mandatory one (1) year supervisory probationary period, if not already completed.

 
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.


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