Supervisory General Engineer

About the Role

This position is located at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, KS. The NBAF Director of Operations provides leadership and technical direction in formulating and executing programs and policies specific to the NBAF Facility.

Responsibilities

• Implement strategic plans for the management of high containment research facilities and animal housing facilities.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams dedicated to facilities management.
• Interpret blueprints and drawings of buildings and associated systems.

Requirements

Basic Qualification Requirements

• Degree: Engineering. The program must:
  • Lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or
  • 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:
    • Statics, dynamics;
    • Strength of materials (stress-strain relationships);
    • Fluid mechanics, hydraulics;
    • Thermodynamics;
    • Electrical fields and circuits;
    • Nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); or
    • 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:
  • A thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering; and
  • 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), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Applicants who achieved registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration.
  • 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.
  • Specified academic courses: Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, including the courses specified in the basic requirements.
  • 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 at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Specialized Experience (GS-15)

One year of specialized experience comparable to GS-14, directly related to the work of this position, including:

• Implementing strategic plans for the management of high containment research facilities and animal housing facilities;
• Leading multidisciplinary teams dedicated to facilities management; and
• Interpreting blueprints and drawings of buildings and associated systems.

Containment Work Requirements

• Immunization: Immunization against diseases studied at NBAF that are transmissible to humans is required where the vaccine has been FDA-approved. Immunization with investigational vaccines (approved for human testing but not yet fully approved) is strongly encouraged but voluntary. Individuals who decline vaccination must sign a declination form.
• Health Monitoring:
  • A baseline blood sample is required for employees entering and working in the biocontainment facility.
  • Ongoing physical and psychological health monitoring, including periodic biologic and serological tests, is required.
  • Medical conditions that could create an unsafe environment (e.g., uncontrolled disorders leading to sudden loss of consciousness, inadequate vision or hearing for laboratory safety) may be disqualifying.
• Decontamination/Body Requirements:
  • The incumbent must be able to take a full-body shower with soap and shampoo one or more times per day without assistance.
  • No skin conditions that prevent daily showering are permitted.
  • Jewelry of any kind is not permitted inside containment. Body jewelry in piercings must be removable or completely sealed off from the working environment. No unhealed piercings are allowed.
  • External medical devices must be removable or sealed off from the working environment.
  • Facial hair restrictions are required to ensure proper fit of tight-fitting respirators.

Additional Information

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency, focused on finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. For more information, visit https://www.ars.usda.gov/.