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Chief Engineer, Operating Location El Paso

Department of the Air Force
Space Systems Command
United States Space Force / Space Systems Command / OL El Paso

Summary

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Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/07/2026 to 05/14/2026
Salary
$107,466 - $164,301 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
El Paso County, TX
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
SF-FY26-6S-NH-0801-4-SPLASH
Control number
868456400

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Duties

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The United States Space Force (USSF) in El Paso, TX is searching for a Chief Engineer for Operating Location El Paso (NH-0801-04, GS-14/15 equivalent).

Description:
Mission: Space System Command (SSC) develops, acquires, equips and sustains lethal and resilient space capabilities to enhance joint lethality to protect the nation and its allied partners. Operating Location El Paso is strategically centered to capitalize on El Paso's vast manufacturing capability, logistics infrastructure, proximity to White Sands Missile Range and Space Port America, and academic resources and research efforts.
The Chief Engineer will lead a team of engineers working closely with academic institutions and non-traditional businesses to close Space capability gaps. As the Chief Engineer, you will help transition these efforts through the "Valley of Death" in order to operationalize the capability into the government and/or commercial industry. Work with SSC organizations and leadership to identify challenges to feed into research efforts and help synergize/focus government/academic/industry efforts to collaborate and solve challenges.


Ideal Candidate:
Masters degree in engineering required with a PhD preferred, experience as an engineer, worked closely with academia, experience with prototyping, transitioned technology from a prototype to commercial or government operational use, previous supervisor preferred, expericence with engaging senior leaders and executives

Key Skills and Abilities:
1. Knowledge of a wide range of advanced multidisciplinary professional engineering concepts, principles, practices, standards, methods, and techniques to apply experimental theories and new developments to problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods, and to plan and execute specialized programs of marked difficulty, responsibility, and significance.
2. Knowledge of the mission, roles, functions, organizational structure, and operation of the DoW, Space Force, and organizations that govern, interface with, and/or influence systems acquisition, development, and/or sustainment; and knowledge of planning, programming, and budgeting cycles, financial systems, and restrictions on expenditure of funds.
3. Knowledge of and skill in evaluating state-of-the-art and advancements in theory, application, technology, and policy affecting systems being developed, and in planning, organizing, and directing the functions and staff in critical aspects of development, production, and/or support of systems, subsystems, or equipment.
4. Knowledge of safety, security, personnel management, and EEO regulations, practices, and procedures.
5. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships, building consensus and coalitions, negotiating, and resolving conflicts with a variety of individuals and organizations as well as communicating effectively, both orally and in writing.
6. Ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions of an organization, and mentor, motivate, and appraise the staff through subordinate supervisors as well as analyze, plan, and adjust work operations of one or more organizational segments to meet program requirements and objectives within available resources.


Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S Citizen.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance.
  • Safeguards classified or sensitive budget-related information and/or files.
  • May be required to work overtime on an unscheduled or emergency basis.
  • Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed “Unscheduled Telework”.
  • This position will close after 5 business days or 75 applications, whichever comes first.
  • Employee may be required to perform travel by military or commercial passenger aircraft in the performance of temporary duty assignments.
  • PCS / Relocation funding is not authorized.
  • Subject to Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY): Approximately 20 days per year.
  • This position is part of the Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP).
  • This position has been designated for drug testing. Incumbent is subject to random urinalysis testing as a condition of employment.
  • Employee must within 30-days of assuming this position and by 31 October annually thereafter, file an OGE-450, “Confidential Financial Disclosure Report.
  • A professional engineering degree at the bachelor's level from an ABET accredited institution is highly desired.
  • The employee must meet the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) requirements applicable to the duties of the position.

Qualifications

The 0801 series has an individual occupational requirement that must be met and can be viewed here. In addition to the above requirements you can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 4th section titled Professional and Scientific Positions.

Additional information

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:

Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.

Space Systems Command

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) will be used to form a pool of qualified applicants who will be considered for direct hire vacancies as they become available.

To learn more about the United States Space Force Mission click here

Agency contact information

US Space Force Enterprise Talent Management
Email
HQ.USSF.TalentAcquisition@spaceforce.mil
Address
USSF - Space Systems Command
1670 Space Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US

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