Research Materials Engineer - DIRECT HIRE

To meet the basic qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Mandatory Education Requirement for the series, AND (2) provide a copy of your transcripts or other applicable documentation for verification and (3) meet the specialized experience for each grade you are applying to. Please review the following information before proceeding with the application process: 

(1) All applicants must meet the education requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an engineering position:

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 the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); or (2) that included differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced that first year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials; (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials; 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 or training: college level education, training and/or technical experience that has 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).
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.
3. Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences which included the courses as specified in Paragraph A above.
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 had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.  There should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering type experience. This must be clearly described in your resume.

For additional information, please refer to the OPM qualifications standard for GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf.

(2) Upload the appropriate document(s) to your application for verification purposes.

(3) Specialized Experience:

To determine which grade(s) you may be eligible for, review the following grade specific details.  You will be asked a few questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume.  

Note: Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply to the GS-12 grade if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of the closing date of this announcement. If selected, the final transcript must be received before your start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 

For the GS-12: 

On Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, which included:

• Experience conceiving, formulating, conducting, and disseminating research studies.

Or on Education, you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

You can also have a combination of graduate level education, beyond the second full year, and sufficient specialized experience as described above. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

For the GS-13: You must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level, which included:

• Experience with asphalt and flexible pavement materials conceiving, formulating, conducting, and disseminating research studies to a broad audience, including senior management officials.

For the GS-14: You must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-13 grade level, which included:

• Experience managing a transportation infrastructure research program; AND
• Experience with asphalt and flexible pavement materials conceiving, formulating, conducting, and disseminating research studies to a broad audience, including senior management officials.

Note: Although you must first meet the mandatory education requirement for this series, you cannot qualify for the GS-13 and GS-14 grades based solely on education, you must meet the specialized experience, which is cited above for each grade.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Civil Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems.
2. Materials Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the composition, structures, and properties of materials, their use, behavior and performance under environmental influences, and the identification, processing, and manufacture of optimal materials for various applications.
3. Research - Knowledge of the scientific principles, methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study, design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
4. Problem Solving - Identifies and analyzes problems, weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
5. Creativity and Innovation - Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes.

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.