This Systems Engineering position is with the Office of Acquisition, Systems Engineering Division (SED), within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), located in Washington, DC (there are six vacancies). Utilize your expertise in engineering to oversee various engineering projects, initiatives, and policies that support the entire Acquisition workforce.

You will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals involved in supporting the Component acquisition process, performing analysis and evaluation of System Engineering activities (focusing on T&E); supporting the preparation and presentation of authoritative advice and recommendations; and formulating, developing, exploring, and testing new theories and approaches; and writing and evaluating policy.

Typical work assignments include:

Planning, implementing, and executing a variety of test and evaluation activities to support system engineering and acquisition program decisions and assess the potential effectiveness of innovative technological solutions.

Performing as a Test Manager for acquisition programs to include the development of test strategies, generation of Test and Evaluation Master Plans, identification of proper evaluation methodologies, and ensuring the programs adhere to DHS testing policy.

Leading tests, evaluations, and analyses in support of acquisition programs. These efforts include designing the analysis, arranging for the proper data collection, executing the analysis, and reporting the results. The results are briefed to a variety of audiences, including scientific professionals, non-technical senior leadership, and equipment end users.

Providing input in support of other System Engineering efforts to include requirements development, System Engineering Life Cycle planning, technical reviews, and other technical activities across the organization and throughout program life cycles.

Generating process and procedural documents to support efficient execution of technical tasks within the division and provide input into agency-wide acquisition policy.

Salary and Benefits

This position starts at a salary of $117,962.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $181,216.00 (GS-14, Step 10) with promotion potential to $181,216.00 (GS-14, Step 10).

Employees receive the full package of federal employment benefits that include health and insurance plans, a generous annual and sick leave program, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement plan akin to a traditional 401(k) offering.

Qualifications

This professional engineering position has a Basic Educational/Technical Experience Requirement. You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you meet the basic requirement below.

A. A degree in Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one (1) program accredited by ABET; 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 B. A 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. 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)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.

Written Test – Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Specified academic courses – Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.

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 had at least one (1) year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily, there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)

You qualify for either the GS-13 or GS-14 grade level if you meet the basic educational/technical requirement listed above and possess one (1) year of Specialized Experience, as described below.

GS-13: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

Utilizing Model Based Systems Engineering.

Interpreting and implementing Systems Engineering Policies and Processes.

Developing and providing systems engineering reviews and assessments.

Conducting analysis to support evidence-based decisions by program offices responsible for acquisitions.

Executing systems engineering activities (tailoring plans, design reviews, functional breakdowns, etc.) under supervision of the lead systems engineer or branch chief.

GS-14: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

Developing model-based systems engineering capabilities.

Reviewing and developing systems engineering policies and processes.

Receiving and providing feedback on systems engineering reviews and assessments.

Developing analysis to support evidence-based decisions by program offices responsible for acquisitions.

Executing systems engineering activities (tailoring plans, design reviews, functional breakdowns, etc.) with minimal supervision.

How to Apply

Click this site’s APPLY link to access the official Job Opening Announcement (JOA) on USAJOBS.gov, the federal government’s official employment site. Be sure to read the entire JOA carefully for complete details about the position, instructions for submitting your application, and guidance on how your application will be evaluated.

NOTE: This position is being filled under a Direct Hire Authority.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation (transcripts etc.) to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. All applicants who meet minimum qualifications and any basic requirements applicable to this position will be forwarded to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview. As a part of the interview process, additional selection criteria may be administered by the hiring manager.

The closing date for this employment opportunity is August 23, 2024.

Interested in other career opportunities with CBP? Visit www.cbp.gov/careers and check the CBP calendar at www.cbp.gov/cbp-events-calendar frequently for upcoming informational webinars, in-person recruiter events, and virtual career events.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection jobs

Systems Engineer