General Engineer

Summary This position is located in the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Office of Spectrum Management (OSM). OSM is responsible for managing and analyzing the radio frequency (RF) spectrum used by federal government departments and agencies and advising the President on spectrum-related matters. Learn more about this agency Duties This position serves as a critical technical resource for enabling national and international spectrum strategies, protecting mission-critical federal systems, and supporting global U.S. leadership in wireless technology innovation. This includes applying RF engineering principles to ensure spectrum-dependent systems are planned, coordinated, and operated efficiently, without harmful interference. These principles may include the analysis of communications, radar, and radionavigation systems; computational simulation and modeling of RF systems and electromagnetic compatibility and interference scenarios; and the development, testing, and evaluation of RF sensors, radionavigation systems, and defense systems. It provides a unique career path for engineers at the intersection of policy, science, and advanced telecommunications systems. As a General Engineer, you will: Serve as an RF engineering expert for OSM and advisor for the technical assessment and analysis of federal views for domestic and international spectrum regulatory and policy development by providing technical leadership, advice, and assistance on complex, controversial, or precedent-setting matters with high-level officials. Lead technical analyses to support the development and assessment of domestic and international spectrum policy and regulations including for spectrum repurposing activities, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rulemakings, and NTIA Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Radio Frequency Management (Redbook). Assist in the establishment of overarching methodologies and processes for conducting RF analyses and measurements across OSM. Conduct or assess high-level analyses of RF propagation, link budgets, modulation schemes, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for terrestrial, airborne, and space-based systems. Conduct or assess technical impact evaluations of new and proposed systems on shared and adjacent bands, ensuring protection of critical federal systems (e.g., communications, radar, satellite, aviation). Work closely with other Federal agencies and the private sector to identify opportunities for cooperation on domestic and international initiatives related to identifying new and managing existing spectrum resources. Apply knowledge of the statutory and regulatory frameworks that serve as the basis for spectrum management policy domestically and internationally, especially the NTIA Redbook and ITU Radio Regulations. Serve as a subject matter expert to the Technical Panel assessing requests by the Federal agencies to access the Spectrum Relocation Fund. Represent NTIA and the U.S. government on interagency or intergovernmental working groups, committees, or conferences relating to technical and policy issues domestically and internationally. Serve as a principal speaker or panel member in a wide variety of workshops, seminars, and conferences. This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill otherGeneral Engineer GS-0801-15 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience. Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. This position requires a SECRET CLEARANCE: Any required investigations and clearances must be completed before the selectee can be placed in the position. You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. A probationary period may be required. Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/). If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Bargaining Unit Position: No Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will not be paid License required: No Drug Test Required: Yes - This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing thereafter. Recruitment Incentive may be offered (New Federal employees only) Relocation Incentive may be offered (Current Federal employees only) Qualifications Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must meet the following: A. Degree: 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. -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: 1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, 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 a 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. 2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 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. 3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, including the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. 4. 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: You must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 (or equivalent pay band) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: Managing or leading a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Multi-Disciplinary team within an agency or organization; Representing an agency or organization to a variety of stakeholders, i.e., senior leaders, international counterparts, multi-lateral organizations, or other similar fora; and Serving in a senior engineer or technical role as a subject matter expert in electromagnetic, including radio frequency (RF), spectrum. Education There is a positive education requirement for this position. This position requires proof of higher education. See Qualifications Above. Additionally, if you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. NOTE: Special Instructions for Foreign Education: 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 in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of coursework and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing, along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. Additional information The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that do not fall under competitive examining procedures; however, they may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Military Spouse Non-Competitive Hiring Authority ICTAP and CTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition Military Spouse The spouse of a member of the armed forces seeking eligibility under the non-competitive hiring authority of certain military spouse MUST submit various required documentation by the closing date of the announcement in accordance with one of the three below eligibilities: 1.) Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty, 2.) Spouse of service member who incurred a 100% disability, or 3.) Un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while performing active duty. Please review the "Required Documents" Section for specific documents pertaining to each of the above eligibilities that MUST be included with your application, if you are applying as a Military Spouse. 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. Expand Hide  additional information 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. 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. 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. 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.