Fresh Listing

Posted: February 18, 2026 (3 days ago)

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Interdisciplinary (PNT)

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Department of Defense

Fresh

Salary

$143,913 - $197,200

per year

Type

Closes

February 23, 2026More DOD jobs →

GS-14/15 Pay Grade(Career Ladder)

Entry salary: $104,604 | Full performance (GS-15): up to $159,950

Career ladder: Start at GS-14 and advance to GS-15 with experience.

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-13. Senior expert or supervisor.

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

Job Description

Summary

This job involves working in a high-level defense office to oversee research, development, and prototyping of advanced technologies, with a focus on positioning, navigation, and timing systems.

It's ideal for experienced engineers or scientists who enjoy tackling complex technical challenges in a national security context.

A good fit would be someone with a strong technical background and passion for innovation in government settings.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent combination of education and experience
  • At least 24 semester hours in physical sciences and/or related engineering sciences for physical scientist qualification
  • Professional engineering registration (PE), Engineer in Training (EIT), or successful passage of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
  • One year of professional engineering experience under supervision for related curricula applicants
  • Expertise in engineering sciences including statics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials properties
  • Ability to apply theoretical and practical engineering knowledge to research and development in defense technologies
  • U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain security clearance (implied for DoD position)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering (OUSW(R&E)).

The USW (R&E) serves as the Chief Technology Officer and is responsible for research, development, and prototyping activities within the Department of War (DoW.) You may qualify at the NH-04 (GS-14/15) level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: Basic Requirements: General Engineer, GS-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: Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), 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) 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.) Physical Scientist GS-1301: 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 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.

This position requires a Engineering and Technical Management, Foundational acquisition certification. The incumbent has 60 months to achieve this certification.

You may qualify at the NH-04 (GS-14/15) level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH-03 (GS-13) grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to: Providing expert technical leadership and strategic guidance on Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) programs.

Experience includes: Leading the development of technical inputs for enterprise-level PNT strategy and roadmaps.

Assessing and guiding advanced PNT research and development projects, including those involving quantum technologies and M-Code.

Managing coalitions of stakeholders from military, industry, and academic sectors to solve critical defense challenges.

Utilizing innovative and rapid acquisition methods (e.g., prize competitions, incubator partnerships) to accelerate the transition of PNT technologies from development to operational use.

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented 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).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages.

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume.

If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission..

A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.

This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin.

It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters.

Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible".

Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave. Major Duties:

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location and/or installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur.

There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application. This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section: This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with USC Section 9905.

Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Incumbents typical work assignments may include the following: Create coalitions between entrepreneurs, technologists, and warfighters to address specific military needs.

Build and maintain professional relationships with researchers, entrepreneurs, and executives in government, academia, and industry.

Employ innovative and rapid acquisition methods, including prize competitions, incubator partnerships, and targeted R&D, to get technology into the hands of the warfighter quickly.

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

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Posted on USAJOBS: 2/18/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 2/18/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: ST-12868573-26-DMB