U.S. Citizens and Status Candidates (this includes Merit Promotion, Status Candidates, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VRA, VEOA, 30% or More Disabled, EVHO, Schedule A, Military Spouses, Americorps, Peace Corps, Vista, Interchange Agreement Eligibles, and National Guard).
The Fire Research Division in the Engineering Laboratory performs experimental research on a variety of fire related topics focused on reducing the impacts of unwanted fires on people, property, and the environment. Research is performed in small scale laboratories, the National Fire Research Laboratory, at off-site laboratories, and in the field.
Research areas in the division include:
Advancement of fire fighter safety and effectiveness; develops and applies technology, measurements and standards, and improves the understanding of the behavior, prevention and control of fires to enhance firefighting operations and equipment, fire suppression, fire investigations, and disaster response.
Development of advanced, validated models with quantified accuracy and integrates the knowledge, tools, and models to assess building performance with respect to ignition, fire growth and spread, detection, suppression, toxicity, and egress.
Development, advancement, and deployment of measurement science to reduce the fire hazard of building contents and construction materials. Carries out mission-related measurement science research and services to reduce material ignition probability, fire growth and spread, and environmental impacts; and develop codes and standards for cost-effective, fire-safe building contents and construction materials.
Research to reduce the risk of fire hazards in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) communities. This research includes mission-related measurement science research and services to develop WUI fire risk exposure metrics, predict the spread of fires in WUI communities, assess the fire performance of structures and communities, and mitigate the effects of WUI fires on structures and communities through science-based codes and standards.
Advancement of real-scale structural-fire measurements, generation of technical data to improve fire and building codes, validation of physics-based models, and post-fire investigations.
If selected at the ZT-II level, you will:
Participate as a creative member of an engineering or technology team.
Under the close supervision of a scientist, engineer, or other senior engineering technician staff member, perform pre-defined tasks related to the preparation and fabrication of experimental apparatus and test fixtures, construct building mock-ups (portions or entire buildings composed of wood, concrete, and/or steel), and install various sensors on test specimens, buildings, apparatus, and fixtures.
Assist research staff with basic troubleshooting that includes assisting with the development, enhancement, and corrections of systems, technical equipment, instruments, and/or software.
Under close supervisor and/or principal investigator guidance, carry out smaller parts of experimental testing.
Follow health, safety, and environment guidelines and procedures and perform work that improves the safety of the work environment.
Provide technical support on assigned projects through the application of professional knowledge and skill in the engineering practices, processes, and techniques.
If selected at the ZT-III level: you will:
Participate as a creative member of an engineering or technology team.
Perform tasks related to the preparation and fabrication of experimental apparatus and test fixtures, construct building mock-ups (portions or entire buildings composed of wood, concrete, and/or steel), install various sensors on test specimens, buildings, apparatus, and fixtures.
Perform troubleshooting that includes assisting with the development, enhancement, and corrections of systems, technical equipment, instruments, and/or software.
Carry out experimental testing based upon supervisory-defined objectives, priorities, and deadlines.
Follow health, safety, and environment guidelines and procedures and perform work that improves the safety of the work environment.
Provide technical support on assigned projects through the application of professional knowledge and skill in the engineering practices, processes, and techniques.
We would like the selectee to have experience in one or more of the following areas:
Fabrication with a variety of materials such as wood, steel, and aluminum
Building construction
Prototype manufacturing processes, such as forming and shaping, machining, joining, and finishing
Electronics repairs
Plumbing / piping
Wiring
Gas analyzers
Thermal instruments, such as thermocouples and heat flux gauges
Computer-aided design and drafting software
Familiarity with Labview for collecting data using NI DAQ systems
Python or other programming language for analyzing experimental data
Using hand tools, power tools, or equipment during construction activities
Additionally, the ideal candidate should have the experience and the ability to work in a team environment with staff of similar and differing technical disciplines, as well as the experience and ability to successfully operate independently on assignments.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment
Merit applicants must meet time-in-grade/band requirements, as applicable
Satisfactory completion of a pre-employment medical examination.
Bargaining Unit Position: No
Qualifications
Basic Requirement:
To qualify at the ZT-II Grade Level: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-04 grade level (ZT-I for NIST employees) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience in at least one of the following:
Assisting colleagues in assembling basic experimental apparatuses or test fixtures, supporting the constructing of simple building mock-ups (portions or entire buildings composed of wood, concrete, and/or steel), and/or preparing and installing various sensors on test specimens, buildings, apparatus, or fixtures.
Assisting teammates in basic troubleshooting efforts on technical equipment, instruments, and/or software.
OR
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology; or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as engineering, engineering or industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics. At least 6 of the 24 semester hours must have been in drafting.
OR
A combination of education and experience
To qualify at the ZT-III Grade Level: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-08 grade level (ZT-II for NIST employees) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience in at least two of the following:
Assisting colleagues in assembling experimental apparatuses or test fixtures, constructing building mock-ups (portions or entire buildings composed of wood, concrete, and/or steel), and/or preparing and installing various sensors on test specimens, buildings, apparatus, or fixtures.
Performing troubleshooting efforts on technical equipment, instruments, and/or software.
Working with team to conduct basic experiments and collect data.
OR
Two full years of graduate education
OR
Master's degree
OR
A combination of education and experience
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.
If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
Education
This position allows applicants to qualify with education. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.
Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.
Additional information
This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). The APMS is a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Find out more about the APMS here!
We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY in order to be considered for this position.
All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible in order to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
A probationary period may be required.
This position has physical requirements which include but may not be limited to:
Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over
Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds
Light lifting, under 15 pounds
Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over
Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds
Light carrying, under 15 pounds
Straight pulling 1 hour
Pulling hand over hand 1 hours
Pushing 1 hours
Reaching above shoulder
Use of fingers
Both hands required
Walking <8 hours
Standing <8 hours
Crawling <1 hours
Kneeling <1 hours
Repeated bending <8 hours
Climbing, legs only <1 hours
Climbing, use of legs and arms
Both legs required
Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle
Depth perception
Ability to distinguish basic colors
Ability to distinguish shades of colors
Hearing (aid may be permitted)
This position has environmental factors which include, but may not be limited to:
Outside
Outside and inside
Excessive heat
Excessive cold
Excessive humidity
Excessive dampness or chilling
Dry atmospheric conditions
Excessive noise, intermittent
Dust
Fumes, smoke, or gases
Solvents (degreasing agents)
Grease and oils
Working around machinery with moving parts
Working around moving objects or vehicles
Working on ladders or scaffolding
Working closely with others
We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:
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.
We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documents to assess your qualifications for this position. Please be sure that your resume and supporting documents include detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient and/or legible evidence in your resume or supporting documents may result in a "not qualified" determination. You MUST also selected at least ONE eligibility (i.e., how you wish to be considered) in order to receive consideration for this position.
RATING:
Applications will be assessed on the following competencies:
Building and Construction
Engineering and Technology
Research
Technical Competence
If the minimum qualifications and eligibility requirements are met, your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals, or awards relevant to the duties of the position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses in the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application. To preview the questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12331536
REFERRAL
If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. You will be referred depending upon your eligibility (i.e., Merit candidate, veterans preference, etc). Please review the Evaluation Process on how applicants are review and referred based upon how they wish to be considered for the position.
CTAP or ICTAP eligibility:
If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility
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.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee (separated from Federal service for at least 1 year) and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a four-step process on how to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time the closing date of the announcement unless an applicant cut off has been identified (see the SUMMARY section, as appropriate). If an applicant cut off has been indicated, the announcement will close by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the cut off number has been met.
Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
NEED HELP?
-If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance.
- If having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
- If experiencing a significant hardship which hinders your ability to apply on-line, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during normal business hours to discuss your situation.
Fire Research Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your 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/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
Applications are referred to the selecting official.
A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee (separated from Federal service for at least 1 year) and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a four-step process on how to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time the closing date of the announcement unless an applicant cut off has been identified (see the SUMMARY section, as appropriate). If an applicant cut off has been indicated, the announcement will close by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the cut off number has been met.
Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
NEED HELP?
-If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance.
- If having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
- If experiencing a significant hardship which hinders your ability to apply on-line, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during normal business hours to discuss your situation.
Fire Research Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your 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/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
Applications are referred to the selecting official.
A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
