ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN

Full Job Description

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The primary purpose of this position is to serve as an electronics technician in support of design and for projects for the engineering section.

This section designs and develops one-of-a-kind electronic and electro-mechanical trainers and computer-embedded simulators.

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Technical and Medical Support Positions.

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: This series covers technical positions supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying: knowledge of the techniques and theories characteristic of electronics, such as a knowledge of basic electricity and electronic theory, algebra, and elementary physics; knowledge of electronic equipment design, development, evaluation, testing, installation, and maintenance; and knowledge of the capabilities, limitations, operations, design, characteristics, and functional use of a variety of types and models of electronic equipment and systems related to, but less than, a full professional knowledge of electronic engineering.

Electronics technicians may have gained experience assisting in work situations including: Maintenance - Developing maintenance standards and procedures for use by others.

Analyzing repair practices and developing procedural instructions for use by others on methods and steps to repair equipment.

Installation - Planning and directing the installation of complex systems and associated facilities, particularly where there are site selection and construction problems, dealings with contractors and public utilities, and the possible need to modify equipment for novel site characteristics.

Fabrication - Designing and analyzing circuits, determining design feasibility, evaluating equipment performance under varying environmental conditions, and collecting performance data.

Designing or modifying designs to achieve performance and cost objectives. Evaluating the adequacy of equipment for such purposes as repair, calibration, and testing.

Testing and Evaluation/Research and Development - Developing or evaluating new or modified electronic systems.

Completing testing, evaluating data, and determining acceptability of equipment modifications, validity, test procedures and data, or legality of operation.

Technicians support professional engineers in performing experiments, research, and developmental activities requiring an in-depth knowledge of technical engineering methods, applications, practices, and principles to work on concepts, prototypes, and experimental projects that are without precedent and support state-of-the-art research.

Sustainment - Developing, performing, evaluating, or modifying calibration and test equipment, systems, and procedures. Reporting, analyzing, and archiving test data.

Performing complex calculations and manipulations of test data to improve performance of systems, instrumentation, measurement standards, techniques, and procedures.

Troubleshooting - Analyzing and diagnosing faults in the operational configuration of electronic systems and equipment.

Interpreting circuit wiring, logic cable diagrams, drawings, specifications, and schematics of complete systems and equipment to understand the function and interconnections of the various assemblies and troubleshoot the system.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-10, or equivalent in other pay systems.

Examples of specialized experience includes extensive experience and skill in applying a wide range of technical electronics concepts, practices, regulations, policies, and precedents; analytical and diagnostic techniques; and techniques for developing new or modified work methods, approaches, or procedures.

Experience of engineering aspects of electronic circuits necessary to design and fabricate complex one-of-a-kind training systems to meet customer's requirements.

Circuits consist of analog and digital, microprocessor and memory components utilized to make up functional building blocks such as waveform generators, amplifiers, mixers, phase delays, triggers, detectors, regulators, isolators, power output drivers, and computer input/output interfaces.

Skill in allowing for constraints in the use and packaging of the electronic circuits. Experience required to exercise judgment in collecting and interpreting data.

NOTE: You must submit a copy of your resume.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in­-grade requirements to be considered eligible.

One year at the GS-10 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

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.

Knowledge of high degree of electronic theory for design and use of electronic engineering methods, techniques, materials, and equipment which involve analog, digital logic, microchip, computer interface, and RF circuits.

2.

Knowledge of mechanical principles necessary to develop or recommend packaging schemes to house electronic circuitry, and design factors for circuits that must operate under unusual physical size, weight, ventilation, temperature, or power availability constraints.

Knowledge of applicable safety, environmental, security, material accountability, and computer usage regulations which affect work assignments. 3.

Skill in using complex and computerized, automated electronic test equipment such as frequency counters, waveform generators, oscilloscopes, and digital logic analyzers during design, breadboarding, prototyping, alignment, or troubleshooting of electronic circuits.

Skill in using cad and isolator software and associated computer equipment to generate electronic circuit schematics, photographic printed circuit board layout designs, and milling/drilling machine files.

Ability to verify proposed circuit designs utilizing circuit simulation software or bread boarding techniques. 4.

Ability to determine electronic circuit requirements by conferring with customer's subject matter experts, and accomplishing site surveys on limited access or remote proposed trainer or actual equipment locations.

Ability to locate source for and determine suitability of components for assigned application using manufacturers literature, trade publications, on-line search resources, or personal contacts with vendor personnel or other users.

5.

Ability to quickly adapt circuit designs, components used, monetary costs, and manpower utilization experienced in previous projects into revised estimates for newly assigned projects, generate a feasibility study report, or quickly develop revised Bill of Materials for ordering.

6.

Ability to troubleshoot electronic circuits or perform modifications on existing trainers in cramped space areas, under limited time constraints, and on some occasions while student operators are present and training operations are continuing.

Major Duties:

Coordinates with and recommends designs to customer, project manager, chief engineer and other technicians on a project to develop complex one-of-a-kind trainers and simulators.

Provides time, material, and monetary estimates for projects to develop trainers or provide depot-level maintenance on trainers.

Performs depot-level maintenance assistance on existing trainers or simulators upon request from user or maintenance activity.

Participates in or provides host support for local agencies, HQ AETC, or 2nd Air Force for training equipment conferences and seminars, i.e. annual trainer development cross-talk conferences.

Maintains professional conduct and practices as set forth in Air Force publications specifically in the areas of human relations.

Keeps abreast of new and emerging state of the art and state of the market technologies.