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Posted: February 13, 2026 (0 days ago)

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General Engineer

Missile Defense Agency

Department of Defense

Fresh

Location

Salary

$142,452 - $197,200

per year

Closes

February 18, 2026

GS-13 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $88,520 - $115,079

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).

Job Description

Summary

This role involves working as a quality assurance representative for the Missile Defense Agency, ensuring that defense contractors meet strict mission-critical standards in building and testing high-reliability aerospace parts.

The job focuses on overseeing manufacturing, integration, and auditing processes to support national defense projects.

It's a great fit for experienced engineers with a background in mechanical or electrical systems for defense or aerospace who enjoy hands-on quality control and problem-solving in a high-stakes environment.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent combination of education and experience meeting OPM's Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0801 series
  • One year of specialized experience at the NH-03/GS-13 level or equivalent
  • Experience designing complex mechanical or electrical assemblies for aerospace, defense, or high-reliability applications
  • Experience in manufacturing, integration, and testing of complex mechanical or electrical aerospace/defense assemblies
  • Experience auditing processes related to manufacturing, integration, and testing of such assemblies
  • Ability to meet at least 2 of the 3 specialized experience areas listed
  • U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain necessary security clearance for Department of Defense work

Full Job Description

This position is part of the Department of Defense (DoD), Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

The incumbent will be responsible for serving as a MDA/QS Assurance Representative (MAR) and responsible for ensuring MDA Mission Assurance requirements are met at the assigned company location.

You may qualify at the NH-04 Broadband Level, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A.

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH-03/GS-13 grade level in the Federal service as listed below and must meet 2 of the 3 specialized experience listed below to be qualified: Designing complex mechanical or electrical aerospace/defense/high-reliability assemblies.

Manufacturing/integration/testing complex mechanical or electrical aerospace/defense/high-reliability assemblies.

Auditing processes associated with the manufacturing/integration/testing of complex mechanical or electrical aerospace/defense/high-reliability assemblies.

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: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements: 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: 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 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.

Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional 1For more information about EI and EIT registration requirements, please visit the National Society of Professional Engineers website at: http://www.nspe.org.

2The FE examination is not administered by the U. S. Office of Personnel Management. For more information, please visit: http://www.nspe.org/Licensure/HowtoGetLicensed/index.html.

1 registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A.

The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.

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.) NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Major Duties:

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Acq Demo Engineering and Technical Management to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

As a General Engineer at the NH-0801-4 broadband level, some of your typical work assignments may include: Directing and implementing strategies for quality, mission assurance, and related programs.

Providing administrative and technical support in development of MDA regulations and guidance for program execution. Advising various government offices on planning, development, and execution.

Developing corporate policies and may be required to appear before panels and committees to address program-related issues.

Representing MDA/QS during onsite visits to assist with the implementation of quality and mission assurance programs.

Serving as technical consultant on policy matters, ensuring that all operations are uniform and in line with established procedures.

Representing MDA/QS at various industry events and reviewing all outgoing correspondence for technical accuracy and policy compliance.

The position is physically demanding, requiring the ability to climb ladders, lift heavy objects, and work in confined spaces.

The work environment may involve exposure to chemicals and other particulates, so the individual must be able to work without a respirator.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 2/13/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 2/14/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: MDA-26-12883750-DH