Basic Requirement:
You must show successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering, physical science, life science, or mathematics.
The Engineering series - GS-854 Computer Engineer and GS-855 Electronics Engineer- require a degree in Professional Engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum. (See link to OPM Qualification Standards for complete standards).
A. Degree: Professional Engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; 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 professional 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- Current registration as a professional engineer 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 Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college of university that included 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements in paragraph Because of the diversity in kind and quality of BET programs, graduates of other BET programs are required to complete at least 1 year of additional education or highly technical work experience of such nature as to provide reasonable assurance of the possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for professional engineering competence. The adequacy of this background must be demonstrated by passing the EIT examination.
· 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. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.
· Related curriculum- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a 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.)
The Computer Scientist series - GS-1550 requires a Bachelor's in computer science or a 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 been in any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. (See link to OPM Qualification Standards for complete standards).
Specialized Experience:
For the GS-05 grade level: you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-04 if outside the Federal service, is required.
Specialized experience is defined as experience with data processing functions and general management principles to automate a work process.
For the GS-07 grade level: you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-05 if outside the Federal service, is required.
Specialized experience is defined as experience assisting with developing new and improved concepts, principles and techniques that will advance the body of knowledge of computer science, and adapting and applying advanced computer science methods and techniques to solve complex computer processing requirements.
For the GS-09 grade level: you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-07 if outside the Federal service, is required.
Specialized experience is defined as experience developing new and improved concepts, principles and techniques that will advance the body of knowledge of computer science, and adapting and applying advanced computer science methods and techniques to solve complex computer processing requirements.
Education Requirement:
Recent Graduate Interns qualify based on their educational achievements.
For the GS-05 grade level: Completion of all requirements for a Bachelor's degree.
For the GS-07 grade level: Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education or eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision after completing a Bachelor's degree.
For the GS-09 grade level: Completion of all requirements for a Master's degree or equivalent degree.
STUDENTS MAY APPLY IF THEY ARE WITHIN 9 MONTHS OF GRADUATING FROM THE DATE OF APPLICATION.
In order to qualify for this position you will need to submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts. Failure to provide this documentation, will result in objection to your qualifications, and removal from consideration.
You will be required to submit a copy of your official college transcript if you are selected.
Background or Security Investigation:
The individual selected will be subject to an investigation in conjunction with granting of a security clearance prior to appointment. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance. For more information about receiving and maintaining a security clearance, please click here.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection Procedures. We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the qualifications for this job. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and may be interviewed prior to selection. You will be notified of the outcome.
1. Qualified Category. Meets the minimum qualifications and demonstrates minimum experience and/or training only based on responses to required assessments.
2. Highly Qualified Category. Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates full-performance level experience based on responses to required assessments.
3. Best Qualified Category. Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates experience as an expert in the field or recognized as a senior specialist, team lead, etc.
Application of Veterans Preference: The Category Rating Method does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligible's within each category. Preference eligible's who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Qualified) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.