NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Mechanical Engineer, ZP-0830-03 (GS-11/12/13/14 equivalent) to join our team!
This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
Summary
NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Mechanical Engineer, ZP-0830-03 (GS-11/12/13/14 equivalent) to join our team!
This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
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).
PB III Duties:
As a Mechanical Engineer, you will plan, conduct, and document research to develop and test standards, technologies, and methods that address life cycle engineering challenges with a focus on manufacturing system integration and interoperability of information to further manufacturers' participation in a circular economy. This work will include supporting the definition of test scenarios that can be used to integrate and evaluate multiple manufacturing objectives and span the product life cycle. You will interact with stakeholders from academia, industry, and government in conducting research and preparing reports on findings. Research results will be presented at technical meetings including standards activities and submitted to peer-reviewed publications.
PB IV Duties:
As a Mechanical Engineer, you will provide technical leadership to a team conducting complex research of significant scope to address pressing industrial problems related to the digitalization of manufacturing, which may include engagement in a circular economy. You will work closely with internal and external partners to identify research topics and project plans. Topics may include manufacturing metrics and interface definitions, validation, and demonstrations. You will be responsible for defining and tracking project tasks and milestones, mentoring project staff on assignments, and reporting on project status and results. You will also be responsible for reviewing results of other colleagues and peers including reviewing papers and presentation material and presenting at international conferences and standards meetings.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment
Bargaining Unit Position: No
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; 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 professional 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:
- Professional registration -- Current registration as a professional engineer 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.
- Written Test-- Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college of university that included 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements in paragraph A.
Because of the diversity in kind and quality of BET programs, graduates of other BET programs are required to complete at least 1 year of additional education or highly technical work experience of such nature as to provide reasonable assurance of the possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for professional engineering competence. The adequacy of this background must be demonstrated by passing the EIT examination.
- Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.
- Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a 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.)
NOTE: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise, or unless he/she qualifies under the provisions of B.2 related to the EIT examination or BET degree.
TO QUALIFY AT THE ZP-III LEVEL:
In addition to the above basic requirements: to qualify at the ZP-III, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of the specialized experience at the GS-9 level (ZP-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience in manufacturing practices and operational models for improving performance across multiple objectives in manufacturing operations and/or their supply chains. This should be indicated by experience in research or development activities in one or more of the following the areas: of:
- Lifecycle engineering
- Manufacturing digital twins
- Reducing manufacturing environmental impacts
- Sustainable manufacturing or circular economy
OR
Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree.
OR
A combination of education and experience.
TO QUALIFY AT THE ZP-IV LEVEL:
In addition to the above basic requirements: to qualify at the ZP-IV: applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 (ZP-III) level at NIST. Specialized experience is defined as experience in leading collaborative and interdisciplinary research demonstrated by experience leading research or development activities in one or more of the following areas:
- Lifecycle engineering
- Manufacturing digital twins
- Reducing manufacturing environmental impacts
- Sustainable manufacturing or circular economy
The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.
This position has an education requirement. 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!
A probationary period may be required.
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.
All applicants that meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are not rated and ranked and veteran's preference does not apply.
CTAP and ICTAP Eligibility: To be eligible for CTAP or ICTAP consideration, you must submit the required documents to establish eligibility (see required documents) and meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be contacted to provide a response to assessment questions related to the position. To be considered CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you must receive a well-qualified score of at least 85 of out 100 on your assessment responses. Additional information may be found at: CTAP/ICTAP.
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.
In addition to your resume, 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.
Failure to submit required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
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. We'll automatically save progress made as you go, so any changes won't be lost.
- 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.
Systems Integration Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To check the status of this vacancy, log into USAJOBS account and select the 'Application Status' link. 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.
In addition to your resume, 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.
Failure to submit required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
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. We'll automatically save progress made as you go, so any changes won't be lost.
- 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.
Systems Integration Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To check the status of this vacancy, log into USAJOBS account and select the 'Application Status' link. 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.