Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Acquisition Directorate, Boat Acquisition Program Office (CG-9325), Washington, DC.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

You will serve as a Systems Engineer at the Boat Acquisition Program Office (CG-9325), providing advice and guidance to acquisition program managers regarding systems engineering processes and requirements.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

• Defining and refining performance requirements in compliance of DHS policies, directives, procedures, and best business practices.
• Serving as an advisor to the program management office on the standard systems engineering requirements of acquisition systems; and ensure that methods allowing for early detection of possible engineering failures of proposed acquisition systems are integrated into the design process.
• Preparing systems engineering reports and related program documentation that address technical acquisition system characteristics, requirements and limitations.
• Ensuring that system engineering documents are in compliance with DHS acquisition polices, goals and objectives in consideration of technical performance criteria, reliability, supportability, producibility and cost effectiveness.
• Providing technical systems engineering assistance, policy interpretation, and guidance to implementing organizations and acquisition officials in DHS components and program offices.
• Serving as an advisor to program managers and their staffs with respect to the application of SE best practices
• Reviewing and providing advice on contract statements of work to ensure SE is adequately addressed.
• Attending meetings, discussions, conferences to brief program officials; and provide direct liaison to DHS activities and components on SE initiatives.
• Providing consultation, training and coaching to acquisition management employees on SE activities and operations.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel of 1 to 5 nights per night may be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Unofficial transcripts are required at the time of application.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-0801: Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1)be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) 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: statics, dynamics; strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); fluid mechanics, hydraulics; thermodynamics; electrical fields and circuits; nature and properties of materials and 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 knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and 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 -Current registration as a professional engineer by any State. 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.

Written Test -Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners.

Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college of university that included 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the ABET may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements. Because of the diversity in kind and quality of BET programs, graduates of other BET programs are required to complete at least 1 year of additional education or highly technical work experience of such nature as to provide reasonable assurance of the possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for professional engineering competence. The adequacy of this background must be demonstrated by passing the EIT examination.

Specified academic courses -Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum.

Related curriculum -Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a 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.

In addition to above basic requirements:

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: AT THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: Working as an advanced trainee in operations research or engineering on projects to measure and assess the effectiveness of innovative technology systems. Experience doing Professional research in operation research, or engineering fields on innovative technology and development projects.

OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree (coursework directly related to the position being filled);

OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level).

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: AT THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: Working in operations research or engineering on projects to measure and assess the effectiveness of innovative technology systems. Experience doing Professional research in operation research, or engineering fields on innovative technology and development projects.

OR

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: AT THE GS-12 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: Analyzing preventative and corrective maintenance data trends and make sound engineering decisions; Managing the life-cycle of shore facilities ranging from property acquisition, design, construction, and eventually demolition; performing facility condition assessment surveys to determine program planning and budgetary requirements; and participating in conceptual design review conferences to discuss execution plans; Planning specific objectives, milestones, and phases for complex engineering projects.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Education

This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here

Additional information

Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 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, 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 at click here

Recruitment incentives may be authorized.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans , Peace Corps / VISTA volunteers , and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 202-795-6272. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation

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 résumé and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be referred for consideration. The following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities are needed to perform this job:

Knowledge of engineering principles and concepts, and applying a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods to resolve problems and evaluate alternatives.

Knowledge of engineering principles, theories, practices, regulations, and procedures covering a broad range of engineering disciplines.

Knowledge of the product, system, or acquisition lifecycle including the execution of design, construction, and sustainment processes.

Skill in communicating orally and in writing.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

1. Your resume
2. If you are claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), submit a copy of your agency notice, most recent performance rating and most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level and duty location. If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. To be considered eligible, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. Please see ICTAP eligibility.
3. OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current 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. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

All documentation as outlined above must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you are unable to submit your documents electronically, you may fax or mail the documents. A fax cover sheet will be provided to you from the system, with fax number and instructions to transmit the requested documents. The required documents will also be accepted by mail and must be received by the closing date of the announcement. The mailing address is COMMANDANT (CG-123HQ), ATTN OFFICE OF CIVILIAN HUMAN RESOURCES (JOBS), US COAST GUARD, 2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7912, WASHINGTON, DC 20593-7912.

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.