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Posted: January 13, 2026 (2 days ago)

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CHEMICAL ENGINEER - DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY

Air Force Elements, U.S. Strategic Command

Department of the Air Force

Fresh

Location

Salary

$62,668 - $158,756

per year

Closes

February 13, 2026More Air Force jobs →

GS-5 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $33,878 - $44,042

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience. Bachelor's degree.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This entry-level chemical engineering position in the U.S.

Air Force involves working on scientific projects that use chemical processes to create useful products or systems, such as analyzing materials or developing technologies for defense needs.

A good fit would be a recent engineering graduate or someone with basic experience in chemical processes who enjoys problem-solving in a team setting and wants to contribute to national security efforts.

The role is based in Dahlgren, Virginia, and uses direct hire to quickly bring on qualified candidates.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field from an accredited institution, with official transcripts required
  • At least one year of specialized experience assisting with engineering work involving chemical processes (or equivalent graduate education or combination)
  • Knowledge of professional engineering principles, including mass, momentum, energy transfer, thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics
  • Strong problem-solving skills to handle complex scientific challenges
  • Effective communication abilities for teamwork and reporting
  • U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain necessary security clearance
  • Proficiency in technology management and leadership potential

Full Job Description

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

The primary purpose of this position is to perform professional engineering/scientific work involving chemical processes to produce useful analytical products / systems.

Experience requirements are described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Individual Occupational Requirements for all Professional Engineering Positions, 0800 and the Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Professional and Scientific Positions.

Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: To view the OPM Professional Engineering Positions, 0800 qualification standard, click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf To view general information on qualifying educational requirements and/or combination of education and specialized experience click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification- standards/#url=GS-PROF NOTE: YOU MUST SUBMIT COPIES OF YOUR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: DR-0893-01 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-05, or equivalent in other pay systems.

Specialized experience is professional engineering experience assisting with engineering and scientific work involving chemical processes utilized by industries and/or scientific technologies to produce products and/or systems.

OR EDUCATION: Successfully completed 1 full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.-OR -Successfully completed a Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement.

Note: You must submit a copy of official transcripts.

OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Less than the full amount of specialized experience required AND have some graduate level education with a major or subject area related to the position to be filled.

Note: You must submit a copy of official transcripts.

DR-0893-02 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower grade DR-01 (GS-11), or equivalent in other pay systems.

Specialized experience is professional engineering experience performing engineering and scientific work involving chemical processes utilized by industries and/or scientific technologies to produce products and/or systems.

NOTE: Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement.

COMPETENCIES: Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Problem Solving, Communication, Technology Management, Teamwork and Leadership IDEAL CANDIDATE: In addition to the specialized experience statements listed above, the ideal candidate would have the following skills and experience: -Highly skilled and experienced professional with a strong background in chemical engineering/science.

-Proven ability to perform complex engineering/scientific work involving chemical processes, including the development of analytical products/systems.

-Expertise in applying mass, momentum, and energy transfer principles alongside thermodynamics and chemical kinetics to optimize and innovate chemical/biochemical conversion processes.

-Proven ability to apply knowledge of petroleum, oil, and gas networks and/or systems and perform modeling to predict system behavior.

-Demonstrated ability to prepare, produce, and deliver timely, relevant, and technically accurate analytical products and recommendations to military customers.

-Experience in exploring, developing, evaluating, and/or operationalizing new methodologies, technologies, or tools to enhance organizational capabilities in petroleum processing and transshipment.

-Solid understanding of the functions and operations of oil and gas system processes and components.

-Ability to analyze information, extrapolate where data is missing, make correct inferences and conclusions, and use sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives.

-Ability to operate and understand a process or fluid dynamics model.

-Knowledge of Department of War military command structure, missions, and programs, national security issues, trends, and topics of interest.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work.

You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

DR-0893-01: Performs professional engineering/scientific work involving chemical processes to produce useful analytical products/ systems; and the use of mass, momentum, and energy transfers with thermodynamics and chemical kinetics for chemical/biochemical conversion processes in a developmental capacity.

With minimal guidance, either individually or as part of a multi-disciplinary team, develops representations, constructs mathematical models, and performs targeting and effects assessment analysis of components, nodes, networks and systems of interest using engineering principles and established methodologies and models.

This will be in support of routine to moderately complex operational problems within the assigned area, and the analysis is oftentimes based on structured and unstructured data sources that can be conflicting or incomplete.

Prepares and/or presents supporting documentation to include responses to routine inquiries, reports, presentations, and/or other related documents to communicate and defend analytical approaches and findings.

Maintains awareness of emerging technologies and professional developments to stay current in the field and for application to work assignments.

With limited oversight from senior personnel, supports the improvement of existing or development of new analytic methods, models, techniques, and tools to improve analytical products through needs identification, requirement documentation, capability evaluation, and feedback generation.

DR-0893-02: Performs professional engineering/scientific work involving chemical processes to produce useful analytical products/ systems; and the use of mass, momentum, and energy transfers with thermodynamics and chemical kinetics for chemical/ biochemical conversion processes.

Performs complex, accurate, and technically rigorous model-based analysis of adversary components, nodes, networks and/or systems based on multiple structured and unstructured intelligence datasets to produce targeting solutions in support of joint planning and operational requirements.

Develops representative network/system characterizations and mathematical models using appropriate methods to fill information shortfalls/ensure optimal depiction of real world.

Identifies critical elements/vulnerabilities, prioritizes targets for engagement to meet specific objectives, and provides qualitative and/or quantitative estimations of effectiveness of recommended engagement options.

Uses critical thinking and creative problem solving to adapt existing methods and tools and/or develop innovative approaches to improve ability to meet requirements/enhance operational utility.

Leads, mentors, and performs complex assignments within a team environment to improve capability of a technology area or address command initiatives.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 1/13/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/14/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: AFMC-08930102-12861324-KAS