Fire Protection Engineer

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The responsibility of the Fire Protection Division (FPD), Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (OSHEM) is to develop and coordinate a comprehensive Smithsonian (SI) Fire Protection Program, which includes fire engineering and fire prevention. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Basic Education requirement 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 as a professional engineering curriculum; 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 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. In addition to the basic Education requirement above: Experience: GS-11: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position specialized experience is defined as performing activities such as applying fire protection engineering principles in design review and construction oversight, conducting risk assessment surveys, performing, or evaluating performance-based engineering analyses, and preparing fire protection engineering reports. Or Education: Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree directly related to this position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements. Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. GS-12: You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position specialized experience is defined as: conducting fire safety surveys of a variety of buildings; applying a broad range of fire and building codes and standards to various types of facilities; developing risk assessments; applying fire protection principles and techniques, including the use of performance-based engineering analysis to solve complex fire protection issues; reviewing drawings and specifications for building construction and renovation to ensure compliance with current standards for fire protection and life safety. GS-13: You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position specialized experience is defined as: conducting fire safety surveys of a variety of buildings; applying abroad range of fire and building codes and standards to various types of facilities; developing risk assessments; applying fire protection principles and techniques, including the use of performance-based engineering analysis to independently solve complex fire protection issues; reviewing drawings and specifications for building construction and renovation to ensure compliance with current standards for fire protection and life safety; and serving as a consultant on fire protection and prevention to upper levels of management, engineers, and other personnel. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual 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. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.