General Engineer Architect

Summary

Located in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Program Development Coordination and Support Directorate Office of Cost Management (OBO/PDCS/COST). Serves as one of OBOs senior technical experts (Cost Manager) with full authority to plan schedule and carry out the most complex sensitive high-cost projects concerned with the renovation and/or construction of DOS facilities.

Duties

• Serves as senior cost analyst and technical expert for major long-term DOS renovation/construction projects.
• Conducts or reviews construction market surveys including gather in-country construction cost data evaluating the impacts of laws taxes and all other conditions pertaining to construction cost estimates.
• Provides a high level of expertise in major fields of Cost Management to include NEC Alternative Analysis A/E fee IGE guidelines and Statements of Work special security construction specialized engineering disciplines.
• Analyzes or reviews the analyses of contractor proposal prices and comparison with IGEs and Request for Proposal scopes of work and prepares proposal price analyses and technical reports to support negotiation of equitable contract award amounts.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions per 5CFR 300 Subpart F.

General Engineer - Applicants MUST show that they possess a professional knowledge of general engineering as evidenced by ONE of the following Basic Requirements:

• Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college - OR-
• Have a combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (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. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Professional registration as an engineer.
2. Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test.
3. Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical mathematical and engineering sciences as described by OPM.
4. Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Please review the OPM page on specifics about required curriculum and for more information on qualifications please visit GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications .

Architect - Applicants applying as Architects must show that they possess a professional knowledge of architecture as evidenced by one of the following:

Basic Requirements: A. Degree: architecture; or related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology properties of materials and methods of construction and environmental control systems. OR B. Combination of education and experience--college-level education training and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture and (2) a good understanding both theoretical and practical of the architectural principles methods and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least ONE of the following:

1. Related Curriculum: Degree in architectural engineering may be accepted as satisfying in full the basic requirements provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge skills and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in paragraph A. The curriculum for a degree in either architecture or architectural engineering covers function esthetics site structure economics mechanical-electrical and other engineering problems related to the design and construction of buildings primarily (but not exclusively) intended to house human activities. The courses required for a degree in architecture generally place emphasis upon planning esthetics and materials and methods of construction while the courses for an architectural engineering degree place equal or greater weight on the technical engineering aspects such as structural systems mechanical systems and the properties of materials. Because of this difference in emphasis persons with degrees in architecture may have a preference for work assignments that offer greater opportunities for them to express their artistic and creative abilities. As a result they may be more concerned with planning and design aspects of architecture and persons with degrees in architectural engineering may be more engaged in aspects emphasizing technical engineering considerations.
2. Experience: An applicant lacking a degree in architecture must have had l year of experience in an architects office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in the absence of college courses 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that the applicant has acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture.

Non-qualifying Experience: The following kinds of experience are NOT acceptable as professional architectural experience: professional landscape architecture work consisting mainly of the layout design construction or maintenance of land areas and landscape features including ground and water forms vegetation roads walks incidental structures and other landscape features; experience in the application of artistic embellishment to practical design such as the decoration of interiors including the construction layout and selection of furniture and furnishings that do not alter the basic architectural design of the interior; city and community planning work that relates to the broad social and economic growth and development of such community services and facilities as industry commerce transportation streets utilities and parks. Note: All applicants MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility you WILL lose consideration for this position.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

IN ADDITION to the Basic Requirements above you MUST also have 1 year of specialized experience that is related to the work of the position is equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service and demonstrates the following:

• Experience preparing cost estimates for architectural civil structural mechanical electrical and sitework.
• Experience with the use of cost models including parametric cost modeling techniques and scalable computerized cost models and their application to conceptual estimating for preliminary project planning purposes.
• Experience coordinating and overseeing multiple project simultaneously while recognizing internal and external issues that affect the accomplishment of immediate and planned projects.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

When an applicant has less than one year of specialized experience as described in the announcement he or she may combine successfully completed graduate-level education with experience to meet the total qualification requirements. Generally 18 graduate semester hours is equivalent to 1 full-time year of graduate study (your school and department determine what constitutes 1 full time year of graduate study). The percentage of specialized work experience (for example 6 months equals 50%) and the percentage of graduate study (for example 9 graduate hours for a GS-07 equals 50% where 18 graduate hours constitute a full time year) must total at least 100%.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials visit: information

• To request a reasonable accommodation foradditionaltime on thetimed sections of theassessment pleasesubmityour request using the Request a Reasonable Accommodation button within theAssessment Application.

  Forall otherreasonable accommodationsat the U.S. Department of State please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations(OAA)at .

  OAAis responsible forreviewing andadjudicatingreasonable accommodation(RA)requests for the Assessment Battery being usedfor this following applies to all RA requests:

  • RA requestscoveradditionaltime on timed sections only.

  • Applicantssubmittinga RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed treatingmedical provider. The documentation should describe the nature severity and expected duration of the conditionidentifythe relevant medical condition or diagnosis and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do notcontainsupporting medical documentation attachmentsatthetime ofinitialrequest may be subject to further review.

  • Note:the following documents do not on their own qualify for automatic approval oftheRA request:Schedule A letters VA benefits lettersorSSA letters.

  • Applicants MUSTsubmittheir application before the vacancy closes even if pending anaccommodationdecision.

  • Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process.

  • Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request isadjudicatedto complete the assessment generated after the allottedtimeframewill not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy.

  • If a different type of RA is needed please contact OAA directly at .

• If eligible situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in this Bureau for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
• Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP):View OPMs CTAP & ICTAP eligibilitywebsite for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an85 or above meet Minimum Qualifications and demonstrateproficiencyin some but notall major aspects of the position.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Required Experience:

Staff IC