Electrical Engineer (Electrical Safety Engineer)
Company
Department of Commerce - National Institute of Standards and Technology
Location
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Type
Full Time
Job Description
Summary
Gaithersburg Safety, Health and Environment Division is hiring an Electrical Safety Engineer to independently identify hazards and establish safety guidelines based on OSHA and NFPA codes and to protect personnel and property via consultations, walk throughs, and reviews.
This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
The Electrical Safety Engineer independently identifies hazards and establishes safety guidelines based on OSHA and NFPA codes (70, 70B, 70E, and 791) to protect personnel and property through consultations, walkthroughs, and technical reviews. The Electrical Safety Engineer will:
Utilize technical skills associated with professional engineer licensure to conduct critical engineering duties.
Review and approve energized work permits, arc flash calculations, equipment acceptance testing, and design and construction submittals.
Manage the NIST Electrical Safety Program and other agency-wide initiatives by interpreting codes, analyzing compliance, and developing and conducting staff training and guidance as needed.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
U.S. citizenship
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment
Satisfactory completion of a pre-employment medical examination
Bargaining Unit Position: No
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
A. Degree in Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must:
Lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; OR
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:
(1) statics, dynamics;
(2) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships);
(3) fluid mechanics, hydraulics;
(4) thermodynamics;
(5) electrical fields and circuits;
(6) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and
(7) 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)
AND
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to the basic requirements listed above, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level (ZP-III at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as:
- Experience evaluating electrical safety hazards in various types of occupancies such as business, laboratory, education, and factory/industrial.
- Experience with electrical design submittals
- Electrical safety program experience in scientific and construction environments
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.
The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.
If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
Education
This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required before a final offer of employment.
Use of foreign education for qualifications. An accredited organization must evaluate education completed outside of the U.S. to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with course-by-course listing) is required with your application.
Additional information
This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS), a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Learn more about the APMS here!
We may share your application package with other selecting officials. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY to be considered for this position.
All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
A probationary period may be required.
This position has physical requirements which include but may not be limited to:
Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds
Reaching above shoulder
Walking, 1 hour
Standing, 1 hour
Ability to distinguish basic colors
Hearing (aid may be permitted)
This position has environmental factors which include, but may not be limited to:
Outside and inside
Electrical energy
NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities. For more information, please visit our Careers website.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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Date Posted
05/13/2026
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