Summary

This position is located in GAO's Science, Technology Assessment, & Analytics (STAA), Technology Assessment group. STAA is devoted to enhancing & expanding its support to Congress in conducting technology assessments; oversight of federal science & technology programs; & development of innovative analytical techniques in carrying out audits & evaluations. The Technology Assessment group provides independent, nonpartisan analysis of complex science & technology issues to Congress. Visit: STAA

This job is open to

• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

This position may be filled in any of the locations listed. Pay will be set consistent with the salary range for the location the position is filled in.

DC - $69,979 - $116,425
Huntsville - $63,736 - $105,602
Oakland - $77,203 - $129,574
Denver - $69,571 - $115,750
Atlanta - $65,229 - $108,401
Boston - $73,253 - $122,695
Dallas - $69,194 - $115,119
Seattle - $70,256 - $116,888

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Duties

The STAA, Technology Assessment group is seeking experienced professionals to serve as a General Engineer (Systems) to perform the following:

• Support the execution of science and technology engagements including performance audits, technology assessments, and Comptroller General forums and roundtables;
• Provide technical advice and support on engagements related to engineering, with an emphasis on systems engineering in accordance with GAO standards;
• Contribute to the development of the engagement's approach, including participating in the preparation of the design matrix and project plan; conducting background research on engineering subject matter; preparing and organizing engagement-related documentation; data gathering and analysis from a variety of sources, including developing interview questions and taking thorough interview notes; and evaluating engagement-related documentation to make logical inferences and draw accurate conclusions;
• Conduct interviews to gather appropriate information, and communicate relevant information to agency officials, team members, internal stakeholders, and congressional staff, during formal and informal presentations and meetings;
• Conduct analysis of the engagement research data, responses received from interviewees, and other evidence that has been collected from various sources;
• Prepare written summaries of interviews and analyses, and produce reports and other written products that effectively communicate information and findings;
• Collaborate with others to address issues or solve problems and follow up with others to ensure needs are met; and solicit, listen to, and consider diverse perspectives, approaches, or viewpoints, and incorporate others' perspectives into decision-making;
• Support the data analysis and evaluation phase of the engagement related to engineering topics. This includes data analysis and message development by synthesizing technical information and drawing preliminary conclusions, and periodically presenting findings to engagement team members, management, and stakeholders;
• Perform indexing and referencing of products and assist with the coordination of agency comments and the preparation of final products; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable. (www.sss.gov)
• Completion of a financial disclosure statement is required.
• Completion of a probationary period is required.
• Must meet/maintain background and suitability requirements for employment. You may be required to obtain and maintain a security clearance depending on the engagements, projects, and initiatives you are assigned to.

Qualifications

In addition to the education requirement, you must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower band or level equivalent to the GS-5 in the Federal Service, or comparable private/public sector experience which has equipped you with the skills and knowledge required to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

- knowledge of and experience applying systems engineering concepts and methodologies;

- ability to convey engineering concepts, methodologies, and results in plain language both orally and in written form to a range of audiences; and

- ability to analyze engineering related qualitative and quantitative data collected from various sources to draw conclusions.

The ideal candidate will be able to review advances in technology and federal technology programs in a range of engineering areas; particularly systems engineering; explain the technologies and programs in writing and orally for a variety of audiences, including non-experts; and consider the policy implications.

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.

You must meet all requirements before the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. To qualify, you must meet the requirements described below. Documentation to verify your education MUST be submitted with your application in order to be considered.

General Engineering Series, 0800 (includes 801)

A. Degree: Successful completion of a professional engineering degree. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

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), 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 more information about EI and EIT registration requirements, please visit the National Society of Professional Engineers website at: http://www.nspe.org
2. 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 The FE examination is not administered by the U. S. Office of Personnel Management. For more information, please visit: http://www.nspe.org/Licensure/HowtoGetLicensed/index.html.
3. Specified academic course - 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)
4. Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in am appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at the least 1 year of a professional engineering acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Additional information

This is a bargaining unit position.

Based on the staffing needs, additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid for by the GAO.

GAO participates in the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. If selected, you will be required to complete the Form I-9 at the time of appointment. Click here for more information about E-Verify and to obtain a copy of the Form I-9.

You will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. At the time of appointment, you will be required to update the OF-306.

You will be subject to a determination of suitability for Federal employment.

GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodations@gao.gov.

GAO's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the GAO require completion of a probationary period.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. Your qualifications will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with agency Direct Hire guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by the direct hire authority.

Please make sure that your responses to the assessment questions are supported in your resume and follow all instructions carefully. If you provide incomplete answers, fail to provide a narrative response to any assessment question(s) that requires further explanation, or if your response to an assessment question is "see resume" or like answer, you may be determined ineligible.

All applicants will be evaluated based on their responses to the assessment questions, in conjunction with the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's):

• Professional knowledge of and skill in applying, theories, concepts, principles, and methodologies of an engineering discipline sufficient to research, analyze, interpret, evaluate, and carry out difficult but conventional assignments.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate engineering-related qualitative and quantitative data collected from various sources to make logical inferences and/or draw accurate conclusions regarding the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of technical government programs and/or operations. Leverage knowledge in one or more engineering disciplines, including civil, mechanical, aerospace, electrical, computer, materials, environmental, biomedical, chemical, industrial, and systems engineering.
• Skill in selecting, organizing, and presenting appropriate information in a concise and balanced manner and communicating such information to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical and complex information orally and in writing to prepare work papers and reports; participate in interviews and meetings; and make presentations that are complete, organized, and tailored to the needs of the audience.
• Ability to conduct research and develop reliable evidence to support report findings and recommendations.
• Ability to collaborate and work effectively in a team setting, respecting diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, to achieve timely completion of a project.

To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12441937

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package which includes:
  
  1. RESUME: You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS resume builder to create your resume. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. In addition to describing duties performed, you must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Submission of a CV is NOT recommended.
  2. SF-50: Current and former federal employees eligible for reinstatement should submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that indicates your position information (i.e. title, series, grade).
  3. TRANSCRIPTS: If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service. For additional information, please visit: Foreign Education
  
  If you fail to submit any of the documentation listed above your application will be considered incomplete, and will result in loss of consideration.
  
  
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  
  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
  schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• How to Apply
  
  To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
  
  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé (you are encouraged to create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder)and/or other supporting documentsto be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Ebonye Watson
  
  Email
  
  watsone@gao.gov
  
  Address
  
  Government Accountability Office
  
  Human Capital Office
  
  441 G Street NW
  
  Washington, DC 20548
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview. This process may take up to 30 days.
  
  If you do not meet the key requirements and/or basic qualifications, or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package which includes:

1. RESUME: You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS resume builder to create your resume. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. In addition to describing duties performed, you must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Submission of a CV is NOT recommended.
2. SF-50: Current and former federal employees eligible for reinstatement should submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that indicates your position information (i.e. title, series, grade).
3. TRANSCRIPTS: If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service. For additional information, please visit: Foreign Education

If you fail to submit any of the documentation listed above your application will be considered incomplete, and will result in loss of consideration.


If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
• Follow the prompts to select your résumé (you are encouraged to create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder)and/or other supporting documentsto be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
• To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Ebonye Watson

Email

watsone@gao.gov

Address

Government Accountability Office

Human Capital Office

441 G Street NW

Washington, DC 20548

US

Next steps

After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview. This process may take up to 30 days.

If you do not meet the key requirements and/or basic qualifications, or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request