Fresh Listing

Posted: March 2, 2026 (0 days ago)

This job was posted recently. Fresh listings typically have less competition.

General Engineer/Operations Research Analyst

Missile Defense Agency

Department of Defense

Fresh

Location

Salary

$91,870 - $142,022

per year

Closes

March 9, 2026

GS-11 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $62,107 - $80,737

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-10. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 years graduate study.

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

Job Description

Summary

This job involves managing and advising on the testing and integration of advanced weapon systems, like those used in missile defense, to ensure they work reliably.

It combines engineering expertise with analytical skills to develop testing strategies and standards for complex military technologies.

A good fit would be someone with a background in engineering who enjoys problem-solving in high-stakes defense projects and has experience with technical testing programs.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent combination of education and experience meeting OPM's 0801 series basic requirements
  • One year of specialized experience at NH-02/GS-11 level or equivalent, including at least two of: managing engineering test programs for complex weapon systems, consulting on testing of subsystems and components, advising on weapon system integration, or developing test concepts, policies, and standards for model verification and validation
  • Professional engineering registration (PE), Engineer in Training (EIT), or successful passage of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
  • Strong knowledge of engineering sciences including calculus, physics, statics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials properties
  • Experience in Department of Defense acquisition processes, preferably under AcqDemo
  • Ability to work on verification, validation, and accreditation of core models for weapon systems

Full Job Description

The position(s) covered by this vacancy announcement is in the Department of Defense (DoD) Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo).

For more information please see: ACQDEMO You may qualify at the NH-03 Broadband Level, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A.

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH-02/GS 11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below and must meet 2 of 4 specialized experience listed below to be qualified: Managing engineering test programs of complex weapon systems for organization Consulting on complex weapon systems testing, sub-systems, and components Advising on the integration of complex weapon systems.

Developing test concepts, policies and standard to support the verification, validation, and accreditation of core models. For the 0801 Series: 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.

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: This position has a Basic Requirement for the 0801 series: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf 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: 1.

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.

2.

Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 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 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. 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 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.) For the 1515 Series Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics.

At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

Evaluation of Education: The primary requirement of operations research work is competence in the rigorous methods of scientific inquiry and analysis rather than in the subject matter of the problem.

Therefore, applicants should have sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to understand and use the fundamental concepts and techniques of operations research methods of analysis.

In addition, some positions may require knowledge of a specific subject area.

Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science.

The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queuing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite.

Courses in theory of probability and statistics are highly desirable, but are not specified as minimum educational requirements because to do so would possibly exclude some applicants who would otherwise be well qualified.

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. 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 Business and Technical Management to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

As a General Engineer/Operations Research Analyst at the NH-0801/1515-3 broadband level, some of your typical work assignments may include: Be accountable to the Ground Test Mission Management Team to coordinate for the planning, availability, and readiness of even resources to include conduct of test readiness reviews as necessary.

Verify with appropriate asset managers that test assets, and resources are reserved and operationally available to support each event.

Coordinate laboratory facility requirements with appropriate asset managers.

Coordinate, schedule, and co-host Communications Working Group to identify communications requirements (e.g., tactical data, truth data, test data, tactical voice, test voice, tactical instant messaging).

Implement required communications infrastructure and/or verify it is operationally available to support each event.

Lead detailed planning associated with obtaining operational asset participation in ground test events. Provide back-up support to the Mission Test Director as needed.

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

Browse Similar Jobs

Posted on USAJOBS: 3/2/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/3/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: MDA-26-12893570-DH