General Engineer - DIRECT HIRE
What you'd do
You will serve as a General Engineer/Safety Compliance Engineer in the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC). You would be responsible for helping to enforce one or more Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards by managing and executing a compliance test program including overseeing compliance tests and conducting safety investigations. In addition, you will be responsible for conducting business in a manner that complies with NHTSA's internal business processes and policies.
Major duties
As a General Engineer, you will: Initiate, plan, and manage complex technical engineering programs designed to determine the validity of manufacturers' certification to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, assuring target test dates are met, test reports are timely, accurate, and in the proper format, and that all elements of the test program are of sufficient quality to be used for compliance investigations. Conduct extensive investigations to determine whether a noncompliance exists. This will involve analyzing technical motor vehicle equipment test data, reviewing certifications, making recommendations, creating detailed documentation, and providing through written account of the investigation. Provide technical and administrative support to facilitate the contracting and execution of complex engineering programs at contract test laboratories, including writing test reports. Create complex test procedures to fully evaluate and assess whether motor vehicle equipment is sufficiently robust to comply with all applicable requirements. Make presentations to upper management, presenting all the assembled data and making recommendations about how to proceed. Act as Enforcement's representative on teams that conduct research and/or rulemaking to amend existing standards and promulgate new FMVSS and Regulations. The ideal candidate for this position is highly self-motivated, possesses sound engineering judgement, has demonstrated knowledge and expertise in engineering, and has significant expertise working in a testing environment, preferably in the automotive field. The candidate should be capable of working cooperatively with other divisions within NHTSA and with organizations within the motor vehicle industry to accomplish the agency's goal of improved safety. The candidate should be detail oriented, well organized, and have strong verbal and writing skills. As part of their daily responsibilities, the candidate should be willing to complete intensive paperwork, occasionally handle stressful situations involving highly visible matters with significant public interest, and manage conflict situations tactfully. Furthermore, the candidate should have the ability to manage their own workload of multiple projects, conduct safety investigations, set priorities, meet deadlines, communicate complex technical concepts verbally and in writing.
What you need to qualify
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the mandatory education and specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the Grade 12, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include: Experience planning, initiating, and working on mechanical, electrical, and/or engineering programs. Experience conducting reviews, examinations and testing of motor vehicles and equipment or other mechanical systems, and evaluating and reporting of test results, including writing and editing engineering test reports and test procedures. Experience conducting investigations, performing root cause analysis, and using problem-solving techniques. To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include: Experience planning, initiating, and working on mechanical, electrical, and/or engineering programs, including providing full lifecycle contractual support to enable execution of technical programs/projects. Experience conducting reviews, examinations, and testing of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment, and evaluating and reporting of test results, including writing and editing engineering test reports and test procedures. Experience using problem-solving techniques to conduct investigations of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment, including performing root cause analysis of a system, product, or process which failed to meet the established criteria. To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include: Experience applying engineering principles, contracting oversight, and project management concepts to plan, implement, manage and report on testing of and investigations into Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) related to motor vehicle equipment, and a demonstrated ability to set priorities, establish and meet deadlines. Experience applying technical safety statutes, and authorities in a testing and/or enforcement role and developing test procedures to evaluate performance against standards, analyze and present technical information supporting standards enforcement while exhibiting professionalism and sound judgment. Experience communicating technical ideas orally and in writing, including the ability to write and edit technical documents in an effective, clear, and concise manner, and performing oral presentations to audiences of technical and non-technical backgrounds. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Testing Knowledge- Demonstrated knowledge and experience conducting reviews, examinations or testing of motor vehicles and equipment: or the testing of other complex electrical/mechanical systems and the evaluation and reporting of test results. Test Program Management- Ability to plan, implement, manage and report on engineering test programs. Communications- Ability to express technical ideas orally and in writing, including the ability to write and edit engineering test reports and test procedures. Prioritization and Time Management- Ability to set priorities, establish and meet deadlines. Vehicle Knowledge- Knowledge of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment with a special emphasis on Federal standards. For all types of consideration, 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. For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
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