Summary This developmental engineer position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Director, Utilities and Power Plant Operations, Assistant Director, Utility Distribution Division. This position is interdisciplinary and can be filled by a Mechanical Engineer who provides professional support for the repair and maintenance of the Capitol Power Plant (CPP) distribution system. Responsibilities As an advanced trainee, the incumbent will assist with the following engineering, utility distribution system management and project management duties: Utility Distribution System Operations and Maintenance Coordination (35%) Recommends plans for the performance of preventive maintenance, scheduled and unscheduled work and utility distribution system sustainment. Determines and addresses short and long-term needs, unusual problems or concerns affecting utility distribution system maintenance. Assists with the operation and maintenance of the utility distribution system; and provides insight in determining potential energy conservation measures for the utility distribution system. Utilizes knowledge of engineering techniques and equipment to monitor the progress of assigned maintenance and repair projects. Ensures that project specification data is complete and valid to fulfill requirements of assigned plans and programs. Determines whether any planned components should be modified. Develops and recommends programs or procedural changes to improve performance. Notes weaknesses or likely failures encountered and their probable causes. Recommends modifications and/or corrections. Determines suitability and adaptability of project aspects. Maintains a baseline of the equipment inventory in support of the preventive maintenance program. Project Management (25%) Serves utility distribution system operations and project management, with an emphasis on maintenance and repair projects involving existing distribution systems and infrastructure. Provides overall, life-cycle project management with responsibility to provide expertise, coordination, direction, and oversight of multiple projects simultaneously at the CPP. Assists Project Managers developing and managing multi-million-dollar maintenance and repair improvement and renovation projects. Prepares and updates project schedules for project delivery efforts and implements a project management system to facilitate review, control and reporting of all project matters. Consultant/Contractor Oversight (25%) In a developmental capacity, serves as Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) to ensure accurate and adequate oversight of contractor performance according to contract requirements. Reviews completed work, evaluates quality and recommends that the Contracting Officer accepts, or rejects completed work for payment. In a development capacity, assists with submitting information in support of the fiscal year annual report; developing annual budget requests to identify anticipated expenses of operations and maintenance activities; and developing and maintaining information required to meet energy and water conservation requirements of the agency. Technical Advice and Guidance (15%) Contributes to the resolution of technical difficulties that are amenable to changes in approach, criteria, or requirements. Conducts evaluations or studies to develop criteria for situations encountered during field inspections. Facilitates the resolution of project related issues and concerns. Observes and monitors construction and maintenance operations to identify unforeseen problems. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 You must be able to pass a drug test and background check. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. 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 website 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-9 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as having experience: (1) Knowledge as an engineer to perform design, installation, maintenance, and repair systems to carry out, interpret and explain basic computations and calculations; and read, understand, manipulate, analyze, interpret and convey findings. (2) Knowledge in the mechanical engineering profession. (3) Demonstrates familiarity of contracting laws and regulations to serve as COTR. (4) Demonstrates entry level competencies of project management to deliver high-quality projects on time and within budget. Education This position requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from 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 A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a related field, provided the applicant has at least one year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision or guidance. Transcripts must be provided if selected. 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. Additional 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, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information 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 made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee 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.