Job Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). The primary purpose of this position is performing technology scouting through interaction with relevant research and development group and reviews of research, technical literature and databases.

Major Duties

Qualifications

This is an Interdisciplinary position which may be filled under any of the following occupational series, depending on the qualifications of the applicant and needs of the agency: General Engineer, GS- 0801 Physical Scientist, GS- 1301 All applicants must meet at least one of the following Education Requirements for either the General Engineer series, and/or Physical Science series: Education Requirement, General Engineer, GS-0801 A. Possess a degree in 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. Have a combination of 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: (I) 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; or (II) 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; or (III) Specified academic courses: Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A (above). The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A (above); or (IV) Related curriculum: Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors' 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 bachelors' degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least one 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. Education Requirement, Physical Science, GS-1301: A. Possess a bachelor's or higher degree in 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 electronic; 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. Specialized Experience In addition to meeting the Education Requirement listed above, you qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level obtained in the federal service or the private or public sector performing duties related to support science and technology research such as: directing and conducting costs analyses for projected activities to optimize use of resources and for budget planning purposes; developing goals, policies and objectives encompassing research efforts to develop technologies and systems to support an organization; coordinating and meeting with customers to obtain current information needed for development and implementation of plans for science and technology research plans to match customer needs, and to resolve outstanding, complex technical issues or requirements for system enhancements; developing concept plans, scopes of work, schedules, milestones, and funding requirements for a science and technology research program; and monitoring science and technology research projects for compliance with milestones and, schedules, and for identification and resolution of problems or issues of negative impact on successful project completion. In addition to meeting the Education Requirement listed above, you qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level obtained in the federal service or the private or public sector performing duties related to support science and technology research such as: directing and conducting costs analyses for projected activities to optimize use of resources and for budget planning purposes; developing goals, policies and objectives encompassing research efforts to develop technologies and systems to support an organization; coordinating and meeting with customers to obtain current information needed for development and implementation of plans for science and technology research plans to match customer needs, and to resolve outstanding, complex technical issues or requirements for system enhancements; developing concept plans, scopes of work, schedules, milestones, and funding requirements for a science and technology research program; and monitoring science and technology research projects for compliance with milestones and, schedules, and for identification and resolution of problems or issues of negative impact on successful project completion. Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level. All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. 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. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Pay Range

$102,663.00 - $157,709.00

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