Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist / General Engineer

Full Job Description

This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

The incumbent will serve as the Target and Intelligence Support Specialist accountable for developing long-range program/project goals, plans and objectives for the division and accountable for the success of support activities of the Hard and Deeply Buried Target (HDBT) Defeat Division.

You may qualify at the GS-14, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A.

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service as listed below: Utilizing technical assessments of Hard and Deeply Buried Target (HDBT), Hard Target Defeat (HTD) and /or Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) mechanical, physical, electrical, and chemical systems to identify system vulnerabilities using analytical methods involving artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.

Applying the acquisitions of research and development technical & engineering (RDT&E) projects and programs to execute development research programs associated with these targets and their related processes.

Overseeing complex research and development portfolios by performing gap analyses, developing and implementing strategic approaches, and initiating projects supporting HDBT, HTD, and WMD offensive capabilities.

Managing multiple concurrent contract R&D projects within a portfolio, including annual financial oversight (1-15 million dollars) to meet obligation and expenditure goals as the government contract officer representative (COR).

Coordinating collaboration with Department of War (DoW) agencies, USGOV agencies, and foreign partners.

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 0801/1301, series as listed below: For the General Engineering Series, 0801: 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: 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. 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 General Physical Science Series, 1301: A.

Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR B.

Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

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 Physical Scientist / General Engineer at the GS-0801/1301-14 some of your typical work assignments may include: Recognizes opportunities for development of new technologies that provide improved capabilities to support the Agency's mission.

Seeks to form teams to enhance program development, facilitate synergy, and minimize duplication of effort. Ensures that program efforts are fully coordinated with the Services and other Agencies.

Ensures that program products are responsive to military and policy requirements. Maintains awareness to identify spin-off, non- government applications.

Finds, characterizes, and detects activities involved with the construction, testing, evaluation, and operational maintenance and safety features of newly developed or installed reactor components.

Manages programs in coordination with services and other agencies.

Leads complex technical development programs to stay abreast of the latest scientific theories, experiments, and technology trends in Hard and Deeply Buried Targets (HDBT) defeat area, Hard Targets Development (HTD), and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

Represents the Agency on committees of national and international importance that focus on holding adversarial and command, control, communications, and intelligence (C4I) and WMD-related infrastructure at risk.

Maintains required liaison with personnel within the Agency, the military Services, DoD agencies, and any other relevant organizations including DIA and other Agencies to assess operational warfighter requirements for Command, Control, Computing, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance.