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Chief Engineer, SYD 81

Department of the Air Force
Space Systems Command
United States Space Force / Space Systems Command / Systems Delta 81

Summary

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Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$143,913 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 4
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/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
SF-FY26-6S-NH-0801-4-SPLASH
Control number
883267300

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Duties

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The United States Space Force (USSF) at the Pentagon, DC is searching for a Chief Engineer for SYD 81 (NH-0801-04, GS-14/15 Equivalent).

Description:
The U.S. Space Force is advancing a high-visibility transformation of its human resources information technology environment. We seek a mission-focused, technically credible NH-IV Chief Engineer to serve as the senior engineering leader for this effort-establishing the systems engineering discipline, technical governance, and integration approach needed to deliver secure, interoperable, data-driven HR capabilities. This is an opportunity to lead the delivery of first-of-its-kind HR capabilities for the nation's newest military service. Leveraging modern commercial software products and cloud-based data solutions, the program is helping modernize the HR experience for Guardians, civilian employees, commanders, and HR professionals while strengthening the Space Force's ability to operate as a data-driven force.


Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate is a highly driven, mission-focused engineer with experience leading complex cloud-based data and software solutions from concept through implementation and operational sustainment. The successful candidate brings technical depth in cloud data management; data lake, data-service, and data-stack development and implementation; enterprise cloud adoption; operational software delivery; and data interface management.

You are a systems thinker who understands that successful modernization is more than deploying software. It requires purposeful integration of people, processes, data, architecture, security, interfaces, and operational outcomes. You can turn mission and user needs into actionable technical requirements, viable architectures, release plans, and measurable performance objectives.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to:
- Review and assess cloud, data, and system architectures and identify practical opportunities to improve performance, integration, scalability, security, and sustainment.
- Establish and lead rigorous systems engineering processes that improve technical decision-making, requirements traceability, risk management, testing, and delivery outcomes.
- Manage complex data interfaces, system dependencies, integration risks, and technical tradeoffs across multiple teams and stakeholders.
- Guide teams through agile delivery while preserving the engineering rigor needed for reliable, secure, and supportable enterprise capabilities.
- Lead and manage testing programs that verify systems meet requirements and are ready for operational use.
- Communicate complex technical concepts, strategies, risks, decisions, and work plans clearly to senior leaders, functional experts, acquisition partners, developers, cybersecurity personnel, and operational users.
- Operate effectively across geographically dispersed, multidisciplinary teams and create alignment among stakeholders with competing priorities.
- Apply sound engineering judgment, a bias for action, and a commitment to delivering technically achievable solutions that advance the Space Force mission.


Knowledge, Skills & 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 DoD, 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 /SCI security clearance.
  • Safeguards classified or sensitive and/or classified information and/or files.
  • This position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Testing Program.
  • 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.
  • May be required to perform travel by military or commercial passenger aircraft in the performance of temporary duty assignments.
  • PCS / relocation funding is authorized and may be made available.
  • Subject to Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY): 15 days a year.
  • May be required to work overtime on an unscheduled or emergency basis.
  • Position requires a professional engineering degree at the bachelor's level from an ABET accredited institution is required. Advanced degrees are preferred.
  • 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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