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Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Operations Research Analyst

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Jun 15, 2021
Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS Headquarters Office of Science & Engineering, Operations and Requirements Analysis Division.

The primary purpose of this position is to provide an expert to direct systems analysis activities for DHS Components and S&T projects and programs. You will perform scientific work that involves designing, developing and adapting mathematical, engineering, statistical, econometric, and other scientific methods and techniques.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Operations Research Analyst GS 0801/1515 15, your typical work assignments may include:
  • Overseeing and directing system and operations analysis for DHS/S&T research and development programs.
  • Advises on current and proposed allocations of resources and priorities of programs and studies.
  • Assess potential policy and organizational implications associated with deployments of new technology systems.
  • Provide significant and innovative recommendation for advancing programs and/or methods.
  • Present technical briefings, write authoritative papers and technical reviews.


Travel Required

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

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

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 successfully pass a background investigation
  • You must be able to obtain a Top Secret/SCI Security Clearance
  • You must submit to a pre-employment drug test
  • Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
  • Shared Certificates Statement: Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
  • Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.


Qualifications

Specialized Experience:
You qualify for the GS-15 grade level (starting salary $144,128) if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal government or equivalent experience in the private or public sector performing duties such as:
  • Developing system engineering methodologies and technical direction to evaluate operational requirements.
  • Utilizing systems engineering and mathematical principles to direct the application of models and simulations for realistic operational scenarios.
  • Assuring validity and reliability of quantitative and qualitative data used or generated in studies.
  • Managing projects for design and development of models and simulations of multi-discipline DHS mission and capabilities
  • Using innovative analytical techniques and research methods to lead and perform analyses and evaluations of RDT&E plans and programs.
Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Time-in-grade
Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note: Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

Basic Requirement, General Engineer:

You must meet one of the items listed below: (A or B)


A. I possess a Bachelor's 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. (You must submit your transcripts to verify your education).

-OR-

B. I have a combination of 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), 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;
-OR-
2) 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;
-OR-
3) 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 under paragraph A (above). The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A (above);
Note: 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 one 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. (You must submit your transcripts to verify your education).

Basic Requirement, Operations Research Analyst:

You must meet one of the items listed below: (A or B)

A.
I possess a degree in operations research from an accredited college or university. (You must submit your transcripts to verify your education).

-OR-

B. Have successfully completed a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (or higher) with at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus. Examples of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queuing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite.

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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html .
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage.

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 "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.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 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.

Selectee may be required to serve a one-year probationary period
Selectee will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.
Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.

Suitability Statement:
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of 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.

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Land Management Eligible: Applicable to Merit Promotion JOAs that are accepting applications from individuals within or outside the agency's workforce. Please include the hiring path for Land and Base Management: Current and former employees of a land management agency who were initially hired at a land management agency under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11058320 based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job:
Acquisition Strategy, General Engineering, Planning and Evaluating, Project Management, Systems Engineering, and Technical Competence

If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the job questionnaire and application, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11058320

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets .

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you will be removed from consideration or your score will be lowered.

Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience. No points will be awarded.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

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 people 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 and to understand the documentation that would be required with your application, click on the links above and contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

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 NOTE: For what to include in the resume, click on the link:
  • Your responses to the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11058320
  • Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases ands accessions.
  • Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. 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. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information
  • Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and/or documentation of service connected disability. If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information .
  • Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)?
  • Submit the following:
    - A copy of your agency notice,
    - A copy of your most recent performance rating\, and
    - A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location

    8. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee?
    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.

    9. Are you applying under special hiring authorities as a military spouse?
    - Provide a copy of your:
    - Marriage certificate, and
    - Your spouse's PCS or A completed SF-15 with supporting documentation.

    10. Are you applying under Schedule A hiring authority for persons with severe disabilities? Provide: Evidence of your intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefit.

    11. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

    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.

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