Clarification from the agency

This job is open to: U.S. Citizens

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.

When disaster strikes, America looks to FEMA. Now FEMA looks to you. Join our team and use your talent to support Americans in their times of greatest need. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepares the nation for all hazards and manages Federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. We foster innovation, reward performance and creativity, and provide challenges on a routine basis with a well-skilled, knowledgeable, high performance workforce.  Please visit www.fema.gov for additional information.

EMERGENCY ASSIGNMENT: Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites. All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

In this position, you will serve as an Interdisciplinary Architect / Civil Engineer. Typical assignments include: 

• Serving as the Region’s building science subject matter expert, supporting and executing regular coordination with State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial entities for the adoption, update, enforcement, and administration of building codes and providing post-disaster building science subject matter expertise for the Region.
• Representing FEMA at inter-agency meetings; coordinating with Other Federal Agencies/organizations such as State Code Commissions, Building Officials Associations, Industry Groups, and other organizations; overseeing contractor support, providing data and giving presentations as needed to maximize collaboration in maintaining or improving community resilience through current building codes and standards.
• Identifying ways to increase building codes capability and capacity in the Region and among State Local Tribal and Territorial entities through outreach and communication.
• Supporting the implementation of the FEMA Building Code Strategy within the Region and coordinate directly with Regional Programs to prioritize the Region’s activities to advance the adoption and enforcement of disaster-resistant building codes and standards, pre- and post-disaster for FEMA programs and communities in the Region.
• Working with a diverse group of stakeholders to produce multi-hazard mitigation guidance/training that focuses on creating disaster-resilient communities to reduce loss of life and property.

Promotion Potential: Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval. 

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
• Please review "Other Information" section for additional key requirements.

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo, successfully pass, and maintain a background investigation for Moderate Risk as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined, a review of financial issues, such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs (please visit: Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies for additional information). For more information on background investigations for Federal jobs please visit OPM Investigations.

Please ensure you meet the qualification requirements described below.

Qualifications

The qualification requirements listed below must be met within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

You qualify for this position at the GS-12 level (starting salary $96,808) if you possess the following: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11) in the Federal Service.  This experience may have been gained in the federal government, a state or local government, a non-profit organization, the private sector, or as a volunteer; however, your resume must clearly describe at least one year of specialized experience.  Specialized experience for this position includes: 

• General knowledge of Hazard Resistant Codes, Specifications & Standards; AND
• Experience with building codes, standards & their adoption by state, local, tribal, and territorial partners; AND
• Experience working with a diverse group of stakeholders that focuses on creating disaster-resilient communities to reduce loss of life and property.

You qualify for this position at the GS-13 level (starting salary $115,118) if you possess the following: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12) in the Federal Service.  This experience may have been gained in the federal government, a state or local government, a non-profit organization, the private sector, or as a volunteer; however, your resume must clearly describe at least one year of specialized experience.  Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Knowledge of Hazard Resistant Codes, Specifications & Standards & their applicability to federal grant programs; AND
• Experience using, administering or promoting hazard-resistant building codes & standards & their adoption by state, local, tribal, and territorial partners; AND
• Experience working with a diverse group of stakeholders to produce multi-hazard mitigation guidance/training that focuses on creating disaster-resilient communities to reduce loss of life and property.

In addition to the specialized experience described above, you must meet the following education requirement(s) to be considered qualified for the position: (Submission of transcript is required)

A.  Degree: architecture; or related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems.

or

B. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least one of the following:

1. Related Curriculum: Degree in architectural engineering may be accepted as satisfying in full the basic requirements, provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in paragraph A. The curriculum for a degree in either architecture or architectural engineering covers function, esthetics, site, structure, economics, mechanical-electrical, and other engineering problems related to the design and construction of buildings primarily (but not exclusively) intended to house human activities. The courses required for a degree in architecture generally place emphasis upon planning, esthetics, and materials and methods of construction, while the courses for an architectural engineering degree place equal or greater weight on the technical engineering aspects such as structural systems, mechanical systems, and the properties of materials. Because of this difference in emphasis, persons with degrees in architecture may have a preference for work assignments that offer greater opportunities for them to express their artistic and creative abilities. 

2. Experience: An applicant lacking a degree in architecture must have had l year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that the applicant has acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture.

OR

A. 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

B. 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), 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. 
2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) 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. 
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. 

How you will be evaluated

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

Direct Hire authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans' preference, category rating and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) / Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligible: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must meet the well-qualified standards for the position. A well-qualified applicant must satisfy the following criteria: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, including selective factors, education, and experience requirements, the applicant must be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements at the grade level for which they are applying will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.

Interview Requirement.  Interviews may be required for this position.  Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.