Fresh Listing

Posted: March 24, 2026 (2 days ago)

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

Interdisciplinary - Engineering Series and Computer Science

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Department of Defense

Fresh

Location

Salary

$75,489 - $139,871

per year

Closes

March 30, 2026More DOD jobs →

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 working as a technical expert in developing and managing instruments for testing and evaluating threats like chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive materials in a defense agency.

You'll provide engineering advice to scientists and coordinate research efforts to ensure safe and effective testing.

It's a great fit for someone with a strong engineering or computer science background who enjoys hands-on technical work in national security.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering (e.g., electronics, mechanical, general, or computer) from an ABET-accredited program, or equivalent combination of education and experience
  • Knowledge of physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, including calculus, physics, and engineering principles like statics, dynamics, and fluid mechanics
  • Professional engineering registration (e.g., PE, EI, EIT) or successful completion of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
  • At least 60 semester hours in physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or a related bachelor's degree plus one year of professional engineering experience
  • Experience in instrumentation development, testing, and evaluation, particularly in CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive) R&D
  • Ability to manage, coordinate, and review technical efforts while providing expert advice to scientists
  • U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain security clearance (implied for DoD position)

Full Job Description

This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

The incumbent serves as a technical expert on instrumentation development, managing, coordinating, reviewing, and providing expert engineering advice to scientists relative to the CBRNE R&D testing and evaluation effort.

This position has basic requirements established by the OPM Qualification Standards for the Electronics Engineering - 0855/ Mechanical Engineering - 0830/ General Engineering - 0801/ Computer Engineering - 0854/ Computer Science - 1550 series positions.

From the descriptions below, select the letter that best describes how you meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for this series. A.

For Engineering series 0855/0830/0801/0854- 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.

B.

For Engineering series 0855/0830/0801/0854 - 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 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.) C.

For Computer Science series 1550 - Degree: computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science.

At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus.

All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. (Must provide transcripts) You may qualify at the GS-11, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A.

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector.

Specialized experience is defined as: Assisting with or supporting instrumentation and diagnostic projects Applying engineering principles to support the development of instrumentation plans for scientific or engineering tests Installing, calibrating, and operating electronic sensors and data acquisition systems in a laboratory or field test environment under supervision Assisting in the collection, recording, and quality check of test data B.

For the GS-11 grade level: I have successfully completed a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position.

(Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR C.

You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B.

You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12.

Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by 18. Add the two percentages.

The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector.

Specialized experience is defined as: Developing and implementing instrumentation and data acquisition plans for scientific or weapons effects testing Overseeing the work of technicians or contractor teams in the installation and operation of various sensor systems (such as high-speed cameras, infrared systems, and/or data recorders) Providing technical input to project leadership on scheduling, budgeting, and system modifications for instrumentation efforts Performing and managing complex instrumentation and diagnostic projects You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector.

Specialized experience is defined as: Leading or directing the full life cycle of complex instrumentation and diagnostic projects Serving as a technical authority to develop, design, and approve instrumentation and data acquisition plans for large-scale scientific or weapons effects testing Providing technical oversight and direction to contractor teams responsible for installing, operating, and maintaining advanced sensor systems (such as high-speed cameras, infrared systems, or multi-channel data recorders) Independently managing project schedules and budgets for instrumentation efforts and representing an organization's technical interests with external partners ALL EXPERIENCE MUST BE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED IN YOUR RESUME 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. Major Duties:

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.

As a Interdisciplinary - Engineering Series and Computer Science at the GS-0801/0830/0854/0855/1550-11/12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include: Serve as the lead technical authority by independently developing, designing, and approving innovative instrumentation plans for complex high-explosive weapons effects tests.

Direct multi-disciplinary contractor teams by planning work, defining technical requirements, and validating performance to ensure mission objectives are successfully met.

Lead the design, installation, and operation of advanced diagnostic systems including high-speed cameras, infrared imagers, and data acquisition systems for large-scale data capture.

Pioneer and implement novel measurement techniques and data conditioning methods to solve complex diagnostic challenges and ensure maximum data fidelity.

Manage instrumentation budget and schedule inputs across multiple programs, monitoring resources and integrating modifications to meet dynamic test requirements.

Represent the agency as the senior instrumentation expert in classified meetings with inter-agency and international partners to align technical capabilities with strategic objectives.

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

Browse Similar Jobs

Posted on USAJOBS: 3/24/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/25/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: DTRA-26-12920772-DH