Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Director of Systems Engineering and Standards is responsible for supporting DHS acquisition programs to improve the efficiency of transforming customer needs and requirements into operational capabilities by applying a well-defined and consistent approach from concept definition to deployment. In this capacity, the Director, Systems Engineering: Establishes and implements policies and programs to support systems engineering and standards development and coordination efforts. Is responsible for the line management and leadership of Systems Engineering and Standards, stewardship of assigned resources, and execution of the office resources, including the cost, schedule, technical performance and deliverables of associated programs. Provides functional guidance and support to the S&T program execution divisions and line management. Identifies, develops, and deploys appropriate systems engineering methodologies and tools. Evaluates and measures the effectiveness of appropriate methodologies and tools for the Systems Engineering mission space. Works across all DHS components and entities to support systems engineering developmental efforts. Integrates Systems Engineering into the development and acquisition cycle via early and continuous evaluation of system requirements, planning, and execution. Coordinates with other Federal agencies, adopts appropriate and sound systems engineering practices, and implements effective systems engineering programs. Coordinates Systems Engineering resources; ensures adequate Systems Engineering resources for the anticipated requirements; and verifies attainment of technical performance specifications, operational effectiveness, and suitability.

Assists DHS Components' program managers and DHS S&T program managers in evaluating the operational environment to discover and capitalize on opportunities for improving operational capabilities through technology insertion and process improvement.

Facilitates continuous process improvements in Systems Engineering and Standards activities, processes, and support functions.
Assesses potential for technology insertion and process improvement to enhance capabilities.

Leads and supports the development and implementation of Systems Engineering & Process Management processes (System Engineering Master Plans) and deliverables adherence to DHS RDT&E acquisition processes and programs.

The incumbent supports the development of requirements analysis, concept of operations, operational requirements, alternatives analysis, cost-performance trade-off analysis, Requests-for-Proposal (RFP), systems engineering master plans, risk management plans, configuration management and quality control plans, interface control documents, life­cycle cost analysis, and integrated logistics support plans.

Reviews DHS components' research, development, and acquisition programs to ensure that the Standards programs are structured to provide accurate, timely, and essential information to decision makers for programs in all acquisition categories throughout the system lifecycle. Work with multiple customer groups to ensure that standards are implemented appropriately. Develops policy and technical guidance to improve the quality of components' Standards programs.

Represents S&T and the Department on intra- and inter-agency workgroups, panels and committees that formulate Standards infrastructure and resource policy for one or more major research or technology areas such as radiological- nuclear, chemical, biological, non-nuclear explosives, communications, nuclear explosives, communications interoperability, infrastructure, maritime, border security, etc. Prepares input for Congressional hearings and other legislative interactions, providing authoritative advice and counsel on Standards issues.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
00

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
• You must be able to obatain/maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.
• You may be required to undergo periodic drug testing.
• You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
• Selectee will be required to complete form OGE-278, Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Form.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualification(s) and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Technical Qualification(s) listed below. We recommend that your résumé and ECQ responses emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.

The application process used to recruit for this position is the Traditional-Method, Therefore, provide separate narrative responses, not to exceed two (2) pages for each of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and no more than two (2) page for each of the Technical Qualifications (TQs).

**If you are a current or reinstatement eligible Career SES member or a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and your ECQs have been previously certified by OPM's Qualifications Review Board, you are not required to address the ECQs. However, you MUST provide separate narrative responses addressing all mandatory TQs. Current and reinstatement eligible SES members, please include with your application a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) documenting your career appointment to the SES. SESCDP graduates, please include a copy of your OPM certificate. **

Executive Core Qualifications - Mandatory

You will be evaluated on the following Executive Core Qualifications:

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
Leadership Competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, and Vision

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, and Team Building

ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high- quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, and Technical Credibility

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, and Technology Management

ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, and Influencing/Negotiating

These competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Written Communication, Continual Learning, and Public Service Motivation.

A sample executive resume and ECQ narratives can be viewed on this OPM link (resume indexed on pages 30-39 and ECQ narratives indexed on pages 9-22) http://www.opm.gov/ses/reference/GuidetoSESQuals_2012.pdf

Detailed information on the Executive Core Qualifications is available at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/qualify.asp

Technical Qualifications - Mandatory

You will be evaluated on the following Technical Qualifications:

TQ-1: Demonstrated experience in applying systems engineering practices and knowledge, including enterprise architecture, to improve the outcomes of acquisitions conducted within an enterprise based acquisition lifecycle framework. This may include adopting appropriate and sound systems engineering practices, implementing effective systems engineering programs, and supporting research and development programs.

TQ-2: Demonstrated experience representing an agency or entity on intra- and inter-agency workgroups, panels and committees that formulate Standards policy for one or more major research or technology area such as cyber security, robotics and autonomy, radiological-nuclear, chemical, biological, non-nuclear explosives, nuclear explosives, communications, interoperability, infrastructure, maritime, border security, public safety, etc?

FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS EACH MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Education

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:
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. 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 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.
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.
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.
Transcripts must be submitted to be considered for this position. Transcripts must have degree conferred and date degree conferred in order to be valid for this position.

EDUCATION:
Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Employee Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. ( https://www.opm.gov/news/releases/2016/08/newly-established-leave-policy-gives-disabled-veterans-more-time-to-address-medical-issues-1/)

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for TOP SECRET/SCI clearance as a condition of placement in this Special Sensitive position. This review includes 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.

Veteran's Preference - Veteran's Preference does NOT apply to the SES positions.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U. S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12654 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments and experience. Your resume, ECQ and TQ narrative statements will be evaluated by an SES rating and ranking panel, and afterwards highly qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official. The DHS Executive Resources Board (ERB) will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority where final interviews and reference checks may occur. Unless you have already been certified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by an OPM/QRB before appointment can occur.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

Your Resume should not exceed five (5) pages. Exceeding the specified page limits may result in lost consideration.

Your responses to the Executive Core Qualifications - Written narratives addressing each ECQ generally not to exceed 2 pages per ECQ for a total of no more than 10 pages. NOTE: If you are graduate from an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program or are a current or former Career Senior Executive Service member, you do not need to respond to the ECQs.

Your responses to the Mandatory Technical Qualifications - Written narratives addressing the Mandatory Technical Qualification(s) (MTQ) not to exceed two (2) page for each MTQ.

Are you a current or a former career Senior Executive Service (SES) member? You must provide a recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your current status or reinstatement eligibility.

Are you a current or a former Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility? You must submit a copy of your last Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your position, title, series, grade, and eligibility.

Are you a graduate from an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program? - Candidates who have successfully completed an Office of Personnel Management approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification. Your status must be clearly stated in your resume.

A complete online Occupational Questionnaire.

Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? You must submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee)
- Agency
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment

FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BY THE CLOSING DATE WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

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.