Duties

Summary

A successful candidate will serve as a General Engineer or Physical Scientist in the NNSA Associate Administrator for Management and Budget's office, in the Programming, Analysis, and Evaluation organization.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a General Engineer or Physical Scientist you will:

Assess nuclear weapon laboratory design programs, projects, processes, systems, and functions ensuring safe secure, effective, reliable high-hazard operations, explosives packages, life extension programs, surveillance, assessment, maintenance, refurbishment, dismantlement of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile.

Evaluate priorities and schedules; compare costs and schedule to established baseline; review and track performance and progress of engineering/scientific technical activities against milestones.

Develop complex analytical products such as cost estimates, schedule estimates, risk and uncertainty analyses, portfolio analyses, business case or cost-benefit analyses, or other alternatives analyses using in-depth knowledge of mathematical, statistical, and/or engineering or physical sciences.

Develop databases, models, and/or tools to support cost or schedule estimation, weapon modernization, capital acquisition, equipment procurement, or resource constrained programming decisions. Deploy these models, tools, or databases in areas such as portfolio management and optimization, budgeting, and acquisition decision-making.

Lead analytical teams by overseeing day-to-day activities, coordinating with senior program and site partners, ensuring final products are high-quality and defensible.

Communicate results of complex analytical studies to stakeholders. Review and integrate results of multidisciplinary models or analyses into a succinct message, and present through oral and written methods to senior management, other NNSA organizations, or external stakeholders such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) staff. Represent the organization in the cost estimating community of practice and share knowledge and expertise via briefings and discussions.

Represent the organization with NNSA or DOE senior officials, contractors, reviewing entities, and other federal agencies.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - 10-20% to interact with national laboratory and production site subject matter experts

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
04 - Position is at the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Subject to Random Drug Testing
• Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
• Favorable suitability determination required.
• Financial Disclosure is required.
• Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
• A 1 year probationary period may be required.
• More than one position may be filled from this vacancy announcement.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA Demonstration Project pay band or GS grade in the Federal Service. i.e., NQ/NN/EN-03 or GS-13). Specialized experience for this position is defined as, experience applying professional engineering or physical science concepts, theories, and practices to:

• Develop complex analytical products (e.g. cost estimates, schedule estimates, risk and uncertainty analyses, business case analyses, portfolio analyses, or other similar products supporting budgeting or acquisition decisions), or

• Develop models or tools supporting cost or schedule estimating, weapon modernization, construction or capital acquisition, equipment procurement, resource constrained programming decisions, portfolio management or optimization, budgeting, or acquisition decision-making.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

Mastery of principles, practices, theories and concepts of multiple professional engineering or physical science disciplines (i.e., chemical; civil; construction; electrical; electronic; environmental; fire protection; industrial; mechanical; nuclear; and safety, etc. and/or of multiple physical science disciplines, including, chemistry, physics, health physics, metallurgy, geoscience, etc.). Apply knowledge to weapon modernization, capital acquisition, or other similar processes or projects.

Mastery of advanced analytical practices, concepts, principles, processes, and techniques in order to perform in-depth studies such as cost estimates, schedule estimates, risk and uncertainty analyses, portfolio analyses, business case or cost-benefit analyses, or other similar products supporting budgeting or acquisition decisions.

Skill designing or developing models and tools supporting cost or schedule estimating, weapon modernization, construction or capital acquisition, equipment procurement, resource constrained programming decisions, portfolio management or optimization, budgeting, or acquisition decision-making.

Skill in written & oral communication methods in order to describe results of multidisciplinary studies, translate complex scientific/mathematical approaches into easily understandable concepts, and to engage directly with senior management regarding projects, studies, or policies in order solve problems, present briefings, or conduct reviews.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

801 - Degree: professional engineering. The curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology as a professional engineering curriculum; 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 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 professional 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. There are alternate methods to meeting the engineering educational requirement (e.g., holding current professional engineering registration, having passed the EIT examination, or having completed specified academic courses or a related degree). Please refer to the OPM Qualification Standards at Professional Engineering Positions .

OR

1301 -A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics OR Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Please refer to the OPM Qualification Standards at Physical Science Positions .

EDUCATION: This vacancy specifically states that certain educational requirements must be met, therefore, you must provide documentation supporting any education claims in your application.

Are you using education to qualify? You must provide documentation supporting your education claims. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, see the Department of Education website . **If you are selected, official transcripts may be required.**

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. A written evaluation of any foreign education must be provided with your application in response to this vacancy announcement or be received by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide this evaluation will result in you being found unqualified for the position. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education, see the Department of Education website , and for a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, visit The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .

Please Note: If your foreign education has already been accepted by an accredited U.S. educational institution as part of a degree program with that institution, you do not need to provide an evaluation of foreign education but must submit a copy of the transcripts listing the degree from the U.S. accredited institution that accepted your foreign education.

Additional information

• The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
• More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
• Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
• All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register . If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

EEO Policy: Click HERE.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click HERE.
Veterans Information: Click HERE.
Telework: Click HERE.
Selective Service Registration: Click HERE.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. If you meet the qualifications requirements, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated "ineligible" or "not qualified" .

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Q Access Authorization

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness , National security

Required Documents

Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. If you are unsure, click the link for each document type to read more.

ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.

• Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of the each employer.
• For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
• For paid work experience, please indicate your starting salary for each position and the highest salary you earned (if different).
• Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
• For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
• List all incentive awards on your resume.

Applicants using education to qualify (if allowed): Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Education cannot be substituted for experience in some positions at higher grade levels. Please see the Education section for more information.

**NOTE: All Applicants are required to submit their last 2 performance evaluations.**

***You must provide transcripts with your application in order to receive consideration for this position.***

For Professional, Scientific and Engineering Positions: If qualifying on the basis of an alternate method, i.e., professional license, you must submit official documentation to support your claim with your application package.

Veterans: (DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, Standard Form (SF) 15 as applicable).

Displaced Federal employees who qualify for CTAP: If you are a former Federal employee who was displaced due to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) or surplused by some other means, please submit a copy of the separation letter or RIF notice from your agency. To be selected under CTAP, you must still be found well-qualified for this position. Please see the OPM Guide to Career Transition for more information.

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.