SummaryThis vacancy is for a GS-0801-13, Research General Engineer located in the Technical Division, USCG Research and Development Center, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security in New London, CT.
This Vacancy announcement has been extended from 8/10/20206 to 08/17/2026Learn more about this agencyDutiesHelp
As a Research General Engineer in the Technical Division at the Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), you will join a fast-paced, interdisciplinary , and collaborative group of scientists and engineers working under the Defense and Safety Systems research program. You will participate in the execution of projects as a member, and leader, of teams conducting applied research to support all 11 missions of the Coast Guard. Successful projects identify transformative technologies and new techniques to improve the mission performance of the Service.
Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:
- Leading planning, programming, and management of resources and milestones for multiphase research projects focused on subsea security and port defense.
- Applying advanced research methodologies to address complex technical challenges in the detection, tracking, classification, and defeat of subsea threats, including adversarial uncrewed underwater vehicles (C-UUV).
- Designing and implementing comprehensive test and evaluation plans for subsea and counter UUV (C-UUV)security technologies, including field demonstrations and integration with Coast Guard assets.
- Conducting technology assessments and literature reviews to maintain awareness of emerging trends in subsea security, autonomous maritime defense, and related fields.
- Collaborating with government, industry, and academic partners to evaluate emerging subsea security and defense technologies.
- Providing decision support and recommendations on legal authorities, operating concepts, and technology applicability to Coast Guard leadership.
The focus of this position is to apply the required research, development, test, and analysis methodologies to mature novel concepts and transition tangible results to the fleet. Specific competencies include Counter Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (C-UUV); subsea security systems; port defense technologies; sensor fusion; test planning; systems engineering and integration.
RequirementsHelp
Conditions of employmentAll qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume:- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Date of Birth (DOB)
- Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
- Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Key Requirements:- Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See ;/li>
- A one-year probationary period may be required.
- To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation. This position requires a Secret clearance.
- This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
- All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.
The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
QualificationsBasic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience or substitution of education for experience or combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:
EDUCATION:
A. 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; 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.
ORB. 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), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
- Written Test Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) 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 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.
ANDIn addition to the above basic education requirement to qualify at the GS-13 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the
GS-12 grade level in the federal or private sector.
Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular and recurring basis:
- Performing research or systems engineering work related to maritime and underwater technologies, including applied research, systems integration, test and evaluation, and technical assessments to inform technology development or operational decision-making.
NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer 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.
EducationThis position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.
Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected & prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. (see FOREIGN EDUCATION below).
College Transcript: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Transcripts should be legible and detailed, showing course number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.Additional informationE-VerifyDHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Fair Chance ActThe Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record
before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R 920.201
certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to bre'
Suitability StatementIf you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Shared Certificates StatementApplying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Special Employment ConsiderationThe Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact bre' Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation
More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.
Moving expenses will be paid in accordance with appropriate regulations.
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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.
BenefitsHelp
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.
Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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