Duties

Summary

The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Facility Manager, Buildings and Grounds Supreme Court. The engineer will serve as technical expert to the Facility Manager and Deputy Facility Manager for all issues related to facilities management, building mechanical and electrical systems, operations and maintenance, utilities management, quality assurance and maintenance contract compliance. Position offers non-competitive promotion potential to the GS-13.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

THE VACANCY IS OPEN TO CURRENT ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL EMPLOYEES ONLY

MAJOR DUTIES include:

General Engineering/Operations and Maintenance Coordination

• Develops and recommends plans for preventive maintenance, scheduled and unscheduled work and facility sustainment efforts. Determines and addresses short- and long-term needs and unusual problems or concerns affecting facility maintenance and operation. Confers with Supreme Court of the United States (SCUS) and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) representatives to determine their facilities requirements and the status of ongoing or near-term maintenance activities.
• Develops complete project specification data to fulfill program / project requirements. Reviews more complicated plans and specifications prepared by others to guarantee workability given the unique work constraints in the Supreme Court and Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary (TMFJB) building. Notes weaknesses or likely failures and their probable causes. Develops and recommends programs or procedural changes to improve performance. Recommends modifications to correct deficiencies. Determines suitability and adaptability of program aspects.
• Conducts long range planning and evaluates work operations to determine best work sequencing to minimize schedule conflicts. Inspects operations, analyzes work records and evaluates quality in each area of operations to determine causes of unfavorable trends. Recommends corrective action to the Deputy or Assistant Facility Manager. Evaluates and considers all relevant factors in planning facilities maintenance and repair operations.
• Coordinates with the AOC Office of Safety and Code Compliance to implement safety protocols to promote workplace safety. Works with the Marshal's staff, client representatives and Supreme Court Building and Grounds (SCBG) Safety Specialist to ameliorate any unsafe conditions noted.

Project Management

• Serves in facilities operations and project management, with an emphasis on facility maintenance, modernization, sustainment and restoration projects involving existing facilities and infrastructure. Provides overall, life-cycle project management with responsibility to provide expertise, coordination, direction and oversight of multiple projects simultaneously at the SCUS. Projects may include renovation, rehabilitation and alteration of buildings and infrastructure systems.
• Performs: (1) life-cycle project management; (2) coordination and execution of project planning and programming; (3) conceptual design development; (4) contract document development; (5) contract administration (Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) functions); (6) equipment installation; (7) commissioning; and, (8) post occupancy evaluations. Responsible for the development of studies and design documents as defined in the AOC Project Mangers Manual. Ensures state-of-the-art design of renovations, alterations or upgrades of existing facilities in accordance with established criteria, codes and design standards.

Consultant/Contractor Oversight

• Assists in technical design and management guidance to project professional Architect/Engineers (A/E) firms, service contractors and construction/maintenance contractors. Ensures compatibility between functional space, technical requirements and budgeted project cost parameters. Reports on project status using relevant data bases and project summary sheets. Assists consultation on applicable codes, standards and criteria. Serves as the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) for review of compliance with contract specifications.
• As a COTR, guides and evaluates contractor efforts and assesses technical progress concerning established schedule and resources. As a COTR, works with construction management staff, as appropriate, to review and evaluate shop drawings and progress schedules for conformance to technical specifications. Reports progress and/or problems. Exercises technical authority to direct necessary changes, resolve controversial problems and ensure conformance to plans and specifications.

Technical Advice and Guidance

• Provides guidance, technical advice and consultation on project administration. Contributes to the resolution of technical difficulties that are amenable to changes in approach, criteria or requirements.
• Utilizes professional expertise to develop and review: (1) technical specifications; (2) construction documents; (3) internal government cost estimates; (4) construction cost estimates; and, (5) statements of work for construction projects and professional design services.
• Observes and monitors maintenance operations and contract work to identify unforeseen problems. Coordinates with design consultants, project managers, contractors and Jurisdiction officials and recommends modifications as appropriate to resolve. Facilitates the resolution of project related issues and concerns.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13 - Position has non-competitive promotion potential to the GS-13.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• You must possess a Bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college.

.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Candidates for the GS-12 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as having 4 or more of the following: (1) Utilizing engineering knowledge to develop functioning parameters and preventive maintenance strategies for facility sustainment efforts; (2) Performing project management and monitoring for new construction, renovations and improvements to facilities; (3) Evaluating studies, plans, design specifications and progress reports for architectural, engineering and construction processes and projects; (4) Communicating detailed and technical engineering information, guidelines, standards, statutes, codes and regulations to clients; and (5) Serving as Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) or equivalent to ensure accurate and adequate oversight of contractor performance.

Education

Basic Requirements:

1. Degree in professional engineering

To be creditable, 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 (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and

-- any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

--OR--

2. 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.

The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

(a) current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico;

(b) evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination or the written test required for professional registration;

(c) successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences that are fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum; or

(d) successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field.

Transcripts will be required if selected.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education :

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.

Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.

You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected.

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.

The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Moving expenses are not authorized.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

-- Knowledge of general engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering profession.

-- Skill in project management to deliver high quality projects on time and within budget.

-- Ability to function as Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR).

-- Knowledge of facility-related operating functions to identify critical issues and determine how they may be resolved to meet facility and customer support requirements.

-- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing including technical topics with stakeholders at all levels within AOC and supported clients.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

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
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's job application process is designed to ensure that we only ask you for the information that is absolutely needed to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit online the following: a) your resume and 2) answer the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant supplemental information. No additional documentation or attachment is required at the time of application.

We ask that you prepare and submit a resume that best describes fully your background experience, skills, abilities, education, training and other relevant credentials. The resume should include dates of employment.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by the staff of the Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for a position, you will be asked to provide it during the selection process or upon selection. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, we may ask you to provide documents such as college transcripts, copy of diploma or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires a license or certification, we will ask candidate(s) to provide proof at the time of selection.

If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of Veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, the SF-15 plus proof required by that form).

If you fail to provide the required documents, we will withdraw a tentative job offer made and/or remove you from 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.