R&D Operations Engineering / Engineer Representative

US Department of Energy Headquarters; Albany (OR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Energy invites qualified engineers to join the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office as a R&D Operations Engineer Representative.

You will plan multidisciplinary projects, evaluate designs, and provide safety and quality oversight across the full lifecycle of advanced energy research facilities. The position requires a foundational engineering degree (ABET-accredited) or equivalent combination of education and experience with relevant coursework and licensure

Qualifications

• Engineering degree meeting ABET criteria or equivalent with strong math/physics foundations.
• Education/experience combination accepted with specified coursework and licensure paths.
• Specialized experience may be demonstrated by multiple qualifying items at GS levels.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute multidisciplinary engineering projects across facilities and operations.
• Evaluate system design, technical data, and project performance.
• Provide comprehensive safety and quality assurance oversight throughout lifecycle.

Skills

Engineering studies

Drawing interpretation

QA standards

Technical documentation

Education

Engineering degree (ABET-accredited)

Calculus/advanced math coursework

Job description

This position is part of the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, Department of Energy. As a R&D Operations Engineering / Engineer Representative, you will plan and execute multidisciplinary engineering projects, evaluate system design and technical data, and provide comprehensive safety and quality assurance oversight across the full lifecycle of advanced energy research facilities and operations.

You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below.

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-09: 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-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting 2 of the 4 of the following:

1. Conducting engineering studies, calculations, or preliminary technical analyses to evaluate conventional equipment, processes, systems, or facility components.
2. Reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings, blueprints, specifications, or schematics to identify technical discrepancies and verify alignment with project requirements.
3. Applying quality assurance standards or hazard identification procedures to ensure systems, equipment, or operations comply with established technical codes, safety guidelines, or design criteria.
4. Preparing written technical documentation, such as engineering reports, test summaries, specifications, or project status updates.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-11: 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-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting 2 of the 4 of the following:

1. Conducting engineering analyses and evaluating technical alternatives to resolve complex design, operational, or system compatibility issues.
2. Reviewing and evaluating engineering drawings, design specifications, and modification packages to ensure systems, facilities, or experimental equipment are built to required standards.
3. Applying safety analysis and review methodologies (e.g., process hazard reviews, system safety evaluations, or management of change) to identify hazards and incorporate safety mitigations into engineering designs or operations.
4. Verifying quality assurance (QA) compliance by inspecting components, deliverables, or contractor work against applicable engineering codes and performance criteria.

"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.