Summary This vacancy is for a GS - 0830 - 12, Mechanical Engineer located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, TRACEN BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN TECHNICAL BRANCH in BIRMINGHAM, Alabama. Duties You will serve as a Mechanical Engineer and be responsible as a Project Manager/Mechanical Engineer within a multi-disciplinary architectural and engineering team at CG Training Center Birmingham Southern (TCBS) in Birmingham, AL. Projects include new construction of CG facilities or repair, maintenance, modification or renovation of existing facilities. CG facilities include modern and historic buildings, waterfronts, training facilities, communication facilities, single and multi-family housing, industrial buildings, multi-mission buildings, support structures and all associated utilities.
Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:
- Plans specific objectives, milestones, and phases for complex projects, and makes needed innovations and modifications to include detailed technical decisions regarding scope, intent and extent of the work
- Conceives, analyzes, designs, plans, and executes large and/or complex designs for diverse range of engineering projects. to include identifying the most economical and efficient procedures for project design and performance considering all influences
- Guides and evaluates Architectural/Engineering (AE) contractor efforts and assesses technical and project progress in relation to the established schedule and resources allotted to include plan reviews, specifications, and cost estimates
- Executes a wide variety of logistics responsibilities including contractual support, logistics planning, obtaining required permits, making NEPA determinations, accomplishing State Historical Preservation Officer consultations
- Serves as a Construction technical representative, providing authoritative technical advice and guidance to the contractor performing work including design reviews and conferences to ensure methods, plans, and specifications are clearly defined
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Reasonable Accommodation Information
Qualifications
Basic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience or substitution of education for experience or combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:
EDUCATION:
A. 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
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
AND
To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular basis.
- Applying building codes, life-safety standards, ADA requirements, and environmental regulations in engineering design or facility condition assessments
- Performing professional mechanical engineering work involving design, analysis, for facilities or infrastructure projects, including development of drawing, specifications, or engineering calculations
- Reviewing contractor or AE design submissions for technical accuracy, monitoring performance against schedules, and providing technical guidance during project execution
- Developing project scopes, conducting site investigations, preparing cost estimates, and establishing project schedules and milestones for construction or renovation projects
- Participating in construction oversight activities such as reviewing submittals, evaluating change orders, conducting inspections, and ensuring compliance with contract requirements and engineering standards
You can also find this information here.
NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or related applicable assessment) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.Education This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.
Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected & prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. (see FOREIGN EDUCATION below).
College Transcript: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Transcripts should be legible and detailed, showing course number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. To receive this credit, you must submit evidence of equivalency as provided by a credentialling evaluation service. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Requirements
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume:
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Date of Birth (DOB)
- Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
- Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Key Requirements:
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
- Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
- A one-year probationary period may be required.
- To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation. This position does not require a clearance.
- This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
- Selectee must be able to possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
- All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.
The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office.
How you will be evaluated We will review your resume & supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education & training, along with any applicable assessments, will be rated to place you in one of three categories. The necessary Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities to perform this job are:
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13104194
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications &/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:
- Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position & demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) & appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
- Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position & demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs & appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
- Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position & demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs & appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration & may be called for an interview.
Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is considered scientific/professional.). Other 10-point preference eligibles & veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility & qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation. CTAP & ICTAP Eligibles: CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position. If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service & your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. Individuals must be well-qualified. Information about CTAP & ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website
Benefits
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.
Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
How to apply Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Font size should not be smaller than 10pts & margins no smaller than .5 inches. Resumes exceeding 2 pages will not be considered.
To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account & follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a resume & any applicable & or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section for additional information. We encourage you to apply online.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, & any supporting documents by 11:59 PM EST on 11/07/2026. USA Hire Assessment - If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen & via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system & the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about 2 hrs to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments & continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments & assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received & is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility & qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation & information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, we will not be able to consider it as part of your application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov), 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/.
If claiming eligibility under the VOW Act: The VOW Act requires Federal agencies to treat active-duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligibles, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD214. In order to be considered under the VOW Act, the certification must specify that the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package for this job announcement. The certification must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch & include the following information: military dates of service & expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge, & date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters. Agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference &/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment.
Delegated Examining GS-05 or above
The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager & agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required & will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words & did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.Other information E-Verify
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to daniel.t.benton@uscg.mil.
Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Special Employment Consideration
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
Moving expenses will be paid in accordance with appropriate regulations. If you are unable to apply online, please contact daniel.t.benton@uscg.mil. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation
More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.