General Engineer

US Department of Energy Headquarters; Carlsbad (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Energy's Carlsbad Field Office is seeking a General Engineer to oversee the National Transuranic (TRU) waste transportation program, coordinating movement across the nation and to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). You will assess regulatory requirements, guide technical teams, and ensure safe, compliant operations.

This role requires a strong engineering background, problem-solving skills, and experience with complex hazardous-material logistics in a federal setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering with ABET accreditation or equivalent.
• Combination of education and experience meeting requirements such as FE exam or professional licensure may qualify.

Responsibilities

• Manage National TRU waste transportation services across the United States and to WIPP.
• Evaluate and ensure safety and regulatory compliance of transportation systems.
• Monitor performance and coordinate with stakeholders to optimize logistics and safety.

Skills

Engineering knowledge

Analytical thinking

Education

ABET-accredited engineering program

Job description

This position is part of the Office of Environmental Management - Carlsbad Field Office, Department of Energy. As a General Engineer, you will be managing the National Transuranic (TRU) waste transportation services across the nation and to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 0801 SERIES:

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

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 registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
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.)

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:GS-13:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of the 4 of the following:

1. Coordinating the transportation logistics of hazardous, radioactive, or dangerous materials across highway, rail, or multimodal networks in accordance with applicable federal, state, or commercial transport regulations.
2. Evaluating hazardous or radioactive containment systems and packaging for structural integrity, safety standard compliance, or incident/emergency response readiness.
3. Monitoring contractor or commercial carrier performance, developing technical statements of work (SOWs) or specifications, and tracking project milestones, schedules, or resource allocations.
4. Analyzing data to resolve transportation/system anomalies, mitigate operational risks, or improve safety and process efficiencies.

GS-14:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-13 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of the 4 of the following:

1. Directing or overseeing the operational logistics, scheduling, carrier allocation, and dispatching of hazardous, radioactive, or dangerous materials shipments across inter-facility, regional, or nationwide transport networks.
2. Interpreting and enforcing multi-jurisdictional transportation regulations and assessing certified containment systems.
3. Serving as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), technical monitor, or commercial contract lead by preparing statements of work (SOWs), evaluating technical proposals, monitoring operational performance, and recommending contractual adjustments.
4. Conducting scientific or engineering analyses to resolve technical uncertainties, address transportation or packaging anomalies, and participate as a technical specialist in accident or incident emergency response involving hazardous or radioactive material containment.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates:

To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.