Archived listing. The details below describe a past opening.
Summary This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) in the Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE). The selectee will serve will on projects involving the study, design, construction, rehabilitation, inspection and/or testing of structural systems and their associated components to include but not limited to including building frames, foundations, tunnels, retaining structures, vibration‑sensitive elements, blast‑resistant components, and historic preservation. Duties Project Technical Reviews (40%)
Performs Structural Task Leader quality assurance reviews of designs and studies prepared by contractors and in‑house teams to ensure adherence to agency standards and sound engineering principles.
Supports Jurisdictions and Project Management in identifying structural objectives and requirements for inclusion in Statements of Work; reviews and comments on SOWs to ensure discipline‑specific scope and key personnel qualifications are sufficiently identified.
Reviews and provides comments on structural design documents at milestones to identify deficiencies with respect to objectives, requirements, and agency compliance; identifies observable concerns in clarity, completeness, existing conditions, risks, coordination, regulatory compliance, best practices, construction feasibility (phasing/sequence), cost effectiveness, and operational performance.
Provides recommendations at the conclusion of design regarding readiness for bidding and construction.
Reviews A/E contractor’s proposed variances from agency standards and documents technical positions.
Provides support to resolve design or construction deficiencies, assisting in identification of options and assessing feasibility (constructability, cost, schedule, lifecycle, operations).
Conducts technical reviews of risk and reliability assessments, ensuring consistency with established criteria and professional practices; identifies omissions, discrepancies, and nonconformance and recommends corrective actions.
Technical Advice and Guidance (20%)
Assists with project administration and contributes to resolution of technical difficulties amenable to changes in approach and feasibility, risk mitigation, criteria, or requirements; conducts studies to develop criteria for situations encountered during field inspections.
Facilitates resolution of project issues at the Jurisdiction Superintendent level; provides technical guidance on scope, schedule, and budget concerns during programming; delivers timely responses to Jurisdiction representatives and Planning/Project Management divisions; helps prioritize Jurisdiction work.
Coordinates with external parties (e.g., utility companies, departments of transportation, transit authorities, code bodies, historic preservation authorities, and other entities) on projects on or adjacent to agency properties to provide technical representation to ensure structural considerations are addressed to protect government interests.
Structural Engineering Designs and Specifications (15%)
Either individually or collaboratively as a project team member, provide supervised assistance to a senior structural engineer with the preparation of structural designs and specifications and performs construction observation to ensure design compliance for a variety of projects.
· Participates with customers to develop project requirements and performance criteria.
· Conducts site surveys and prepares as‑built drawings of existing conditions in preparation for design.
· Analyzes requirements and design criteria; develops cost estimates, validates requirements, and evaluates schedule feasibility.
Project Management (15%)
Assists the Project Manager or performs project management duties on assigned projects. Integrates program administration responsibilities related to structural safety, special inspections, and permit/variance tracking into routine project controls.
For contracted studies and designs:
· Serves as Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for assigned structural scope; performs contract administration activities for IDIQ A/E consulting services and specialized procurements.
· Prepares Scopes of Work (SOWs), fee estimates, schedules, and solicitation documents prior to award.
· Prepares responses to offeror questions, conducts proposal evaluations, and documents award recommendations.
For in‑house studies and designs:
· Prepares scope/statement of work; coordinates an integrated team of discipline task leaders; coordinates with the Jurisdiction’s project coordinator and other stakeholders.
· Manages schedule, budget, and quality; reports status to upper management and meets project requirements.
Program administration:
· Assists with administration of structural safety and compliance programs.
Structural Engineering Studies (10%)
Provides supervised assistance to a senior structural engineer in the preparation of studies, technical reports, and bulletins that present a range of potential solutions for unique structural problems and challenges.
Completes investigations, field observations, and testing to support the analysis; serves as a technical resource in the execution of testing methods and procedures.
Recommends an optimal solution for specific conditions based on professional judgment and documented criteria.
Qualifications
You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards
Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
Candidates for the GS-12 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-11) grade level.
Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-12) grade level.
Specialized experience for the GS-12 is defined as having four out of the five of the following:
- Structural engineering experience of complex, monumental, historically significant and mission-critical buildings and building-supporting structures.
- Coordinating and providing oversight of project lifecycles, including planning, design, construction, commissioning and close-out.
- Developing project requirements and specifications for new construction, renovations, and improvements to facilities.
- Evaluating studies, plans, design specifications and progress reports for architectural, engineering and construction processes and projects.
- Serving as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) or equivalent for construction projects.
Specialized experience for the GS-13 is defined as having all of the following:
- Structural engineering experience of complex, monumental, historically significant and mission-critical buildings and building-supporting structures.
- Coordinating and providing oversight of project lifecycles, including planning, design, construction, commissioning and close-out.
- Developing project requirements and specifications for new construction, renovations, and improvements to facilities.
- Evaluating studies, plans, design specifications and progress reports for architectural, engineering and construction processes and projects.
- Serving as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) or equivalent for construction projects.
Education
Basic Requirements for all grade levels:
A degree in Professional Engineering. 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; 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 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.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education:
Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.
Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.
You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected.
Requirements
“To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below:
- A citizen of the United States;
- A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
- A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible;
- A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or
- A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.”
How you will be evaluated Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.
Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:
- Design
- Financial Management
- Interpersonal Skills
- Communicate Orally
- Problem Solving
- Project Management
- Communicate in Writing
Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or disqualification for further consideration.
Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Benefits
A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc.
The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program. How to apply You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. NEED HELP?If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs “Saved Documents” feature. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may call (202) 226-7000 for directions. Other information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation and/or disability.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - The newly appointed selectee(s) is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.
All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.