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INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Department of the Navy
Naval Air Systems Command

Summary

You will serve as an Interdisciplinary Engineer/Scientist in the Research & Development Group, Weapons & Energetics Department of NAVAIRWARCENWPNDIV CHINA LAKE.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 06/15/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 15, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—This position is eligible for ad-hoc/situational telework at the discretion of management.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy. Relocation expenses (i.e. PCS) or relocation incentives as described in 5 USC 5753 may be authorized in accordance with applicable travel regulations.
Salary
$104,349 - $161,313 per year
Pay scale & grade
DP 4
Promotion potential
4
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
ST-12977821-26-DMF
Control number
871737600

Duties

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  • You will lead the development of novel modeling and simulation models while simultaneously updating and implementing legacy software to enhance system predictive accuracy.
  • You will architecturally design and implement new capabilities into existing modeling and simulation tools to analyze weapon system performance under varied conditions.
  • You will manage the integration of third-party modeling and simulation software with contractor-provided flight simulations, resolving complex interoperability issues.
  • You will conduct high-level engineering analysis, testing, and debugging of modeling and simulation software to ensure the technical integrity of performance data.
  • You will prepare and deliver authoritative briefs on model designs and test findings to internal team leads, Program Offices, and Command-level leadership.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a US Citizen.
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
  • Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Generally, current federal employees applying for STRL jobs must serve at least one year at the next lower band level. This requirement is called time-in-band. Time-in-band requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • MSP/PPP applicants must currently hold the required security clearance.
  • This is a Cyberspace Workforce position, work role code 621, proficiency level Basic the incumbent is required to obtain and maintain qualifications in DoDM 8140.03 Cyber Workforce Qualification and Department of Navy policies.
  • This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Functional Area and Tier assigned to the position, along with Continuous Learning (CL) points, are required within established timeframes.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or fail the test. You will be subject to random testing.
  • This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Requirements for this position, your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09-11) or pay band (DP-03) in the federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector in order to perform the duties of an Interdisciplinary Engineer/Scientist. Specialized experiences must include duties related to the following: (1) Utilizing object-oriented programming languages such as C++ or Python; (2) Performing basic troubleshooting, identifying software issues, and applying corrective actions under supervision; and (3) Working collaboratively within a team environment, providing status updates, and communicating progress and challenges to a team lead.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series

0801 Series: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf

1320 Series: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/chemistry-series-1320/

1550 Series: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/computer-science-series-1550/

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual: Applicants must possess

0801 Series:
Successful completion of a degree in 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

A 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.)

1320 Series:

Successful completion of a degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.

OR

A combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.


1550 Series:
Successful completion of a bachelor's degree in computer science

OR

Successful completion of a bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

Additional information

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.
Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.
A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

During the application process you will have the ability to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions in the local commuting area. Depending on the hiring organization and the position being filled, job requirements (e.g., security clearance, travel, drug testing, financial disclosure filing, bargaining unit status, etc.) may vary. Other hiring managers filling similar positions may offer relocation expense reimbursement and/or may offer recruitment incentives for new employees, depending on funding availability and in accordance with policy.If you opt-in and are referred on a certificate, your resume will be available to other hiring managers for 180-days from the date the job announcement closes.Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Federal annuitant information:The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants.Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf

PPP applicants will be placed at the FPL, if determined Well Qualified (WQ). To receive priority consideration, the FPL must be the same grade level or equivalent of the retained grade or the grade held immediately prior to separation.
ICTAP Applicants:To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority as an ICTAP candidate, displaced Federal employees must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a rating in the highly qualified category (score 85) or higher. ICTAP candidates must provide copies of all of the following documentation at the time of application:1) agency notice;2) most recent performance appraisal; and3) most recent SF-50 or notification of personnel action that includes position, grade level, and duty location.Applicants who do not provide this documentation will not receive consideration as an ICTAP candidate.For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/
Military Spouse Preference applicants will be placed at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined Best Qualified (BQ). A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skill
A relocation incentive is generally a single payment intended to offset some of the relocation costs experienced by the selectee. A relocation incentive may be authorized.
This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter.A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date).The selectee's inability to successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in:1) the tentative or final job offer being withdrawn during the recruitment process;or2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment.You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position.

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.

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.

When the application process is complete, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this announcement. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and application package, along with your supporting documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies:

PARTNERING
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
PROBLEM SOLVING
ORAL COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS

This recruitment will utilize the following technical assessment tools: Structured Resume Review & Structured Interview

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

All eligibility, qualifications, and time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Naval Air Systems Command

The Navy and Marine Corps team offers innovative, exciting and meaningful work linking military and civilian talents to achieve our mission and safeguard our freedoms. Department of the Navy provides competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and extensive professional development and training. From pipefitters to accountants, scientists to engineers, doctors to nurses-the careers and opportunities to make a difference are endless.

Civilian careers-where purpose and patriotism unite!

Agency contact information

Department of Navy EIC
Email
doneic@us.navy.mil
Address
NAVAIRWARCENWPNDIV CHINA LAKE
1 Administration Circle
China Lake, CA 93555-6100
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Naval Air Systems Command, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Pages/Default.aspx

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