Assistant United States Attorney (Civil)
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Posted: January 16, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Department of Defense
Entry salary: $88,520 | Full performance (GS-14): up to $135,987
Career ladder: Start at GS-13 and advance to GS-14 with experience.
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-12. Expert-level knowledge in field.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This job involves analyzing how structures hold up against explosions, weapons, and other threats to help protect military sites and infrastructure.
The role requires using engineering knowledge to evaluate risks, recommend fixes, and develop new technologies for blast protection.
It's a great fit for experienced civil engineers with a background in structural analysis and working on defense-related projects in team settings.
This position may be filled using Direct Hire Authority: Z5CAV/Direct-Hire Authority (Certain DoD Personnel) PL 118-31, Sec 125OB (i)(2), 12/22/2023.This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated August 12,2024.
You may qualify at the GS 13/14 , if you fulfill the following qualifications: A.
GS-13: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector as listed below: Applying civil engineering concepts, principles, and theories to evaluate structural dynamics and provide technical advice and recommendations Conducting technical evaluations of structures to identify and protect vulnerabilities to damage or compromise and recommends corrective actions Demonstrating the ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment providing engineering expertise to complex projects, collaborating with other scientific fields.
B.
GS-14: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector as listed below: Demonstrating application of civil engineering concepts, principles, and advanced theories to lead evaluations of structural dynamics civil infrastructure dependencies and delivers expert advice and policy-level recommendations Leading and managing technical evaluations of structures or civil engineering infrastructure to protect against vulnerabilities, damage, or compromise Managing complex projects in a multidiscipline environment integrating expertise from multiple scientific and engineering fields, to drive the development of novel, tools, and techniques.
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.
In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0801, series as listed below: 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; (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) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
Major Duties:
As a Civil Engineer (Structural) at the GS-0801-13/14 some of your typical work assignments may include: Serves as SME on structural and civil engineering in order to analyze the vulnerability, weapon damage, collateral damage, and cascading effects from large explosives and military targeting.
Plans and develops antiterrorism/force protection blast mitigation technologies.
Use and/or develop laboratory experiments, computer modeling and simulation, theoretical investigations, and application development/testing to validate analysis.
Research activities in structural dynamics, equipment response, shock and vibration, progressive collapse, theoretical and experimental mechanics, and response of systems to nuclear and conventional weapons effects.
Plans, conducts, and chairs meetings to address technical gaps in division's ability to evaluate structural dynamics and civilian infrastructure dependencies and/or determine operational impacts and risks.
Seeks outside experts in structural dynamics and civilian infrastructure dependencies to enhance knowledge and reduce uncertainties in analyses.
Provides engineering advice to the Division Chief or higher DTRA management
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