About This Position
This position is being recruited under 10 USC 1599f into the Cyber Excepted Service and does NOT convey eligibility to be converted to the Competitive Service. It has been identified as a position necessary to carry out and support the mission of the US Cyber Command. It is in the PROFESSIONAL Work Category at the SENIOR Work Level within the CES Occupational Structure. It is located in the DISA -OC/Europe at Vaihingen, Germany.
Qualifications
In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements described below. GG-0855 Engineer Basic Requirement: Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in 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 (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) statistics, 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 professional 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 - Written Test - Specified academic courses - Related curriculum -With this criteria, applicants also need verification of employment from a supervisor stating you have performed professional engineering duties. For more detailed information on the above criteria, please go to the Qualification Standards AND Qualifying Experience: To qualify at the GG-13, your resume must describe at least one year of experience that demonstrates the competencies necessary for immediate success in the position.
Experience refers to any paid or unpaid experience, including volunteer work and Military service, that would be considered equivalent to work normally performed at the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, qualifying experience is defined as: Experience planning, coordinating, and engineering of DISN transmission and data systems OR performing electronics engineering assignments including research, development, and coordination of cross-functional DISN telecommunications programs. Candidates must describe how they meet the qualifying experience and/or selective placement factor(s) within the body of their resume.
All qualifications must be met within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement. Additional Information (con't) Current competitive service employees who accept an overseas Cyber Excepted Service (CES) position or convert into an overseas CES position are not entitled to statutory return rights. Administrative return rights may still be granted at the discretion of the losing DoD Agency.
Employees without administrative return rights will, at the end of their overseas tour, be subject to placement through the DoD Priority Placement Program. Current Federal employees within CONUS who are selected through a formal competitive recruitment process for a lower graded position overseas may be afforded pay retention if their pay would otherwise be reduced. Pay retention may be granted to employees already in the overseas area if the recruitment efforts had been extended outside the overseas command involved and the individual selected will have to PCS.
Locality rates of pay will not be used for pay setting when transferring to the overseas area. No-fee passport required. US Government civilian personnel who have not received their no-fee passport prior to departing CONUS may enter the overseas foreign county (OCONUS) using a tourist passport.
Civilian personnel cannot enter the overseas foreign county on ID card and/or travel orders. The passport must be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the date of arrival in the overseas foreign county. Eligibility for foreign-area allowances such as Foreign Post Allowance and Living Quarter Allowance will be determined at the time of hire.
The DoD policy on overseas employment for civilian employees limits overseas tours to 5 years. Extensions beyond 5 years are designed to provide management flexibility to meet defined mission requirements that otherwise cannot be made. Case-by-case extensions beyond the 5-year limit may be granted in extremely rare situations.
LENGTH OF TOUR: The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months. Tours extensions may be authorized at the discretion of management. With few exceptions, DOD policy limits overseas tours to a maximum of 5 years.
U.S. citizens in Germany under ordinary resident status are not eligible to apply for appointment under Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19. If an employee brings a family member to an overseas location who requires medical or dental care, then the employee will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12. If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
Major Duties
Performs electronics engineering assignments including research, development, and coordination of cross-functional DISN telecommunications programs.
Planning, coordinating, and engineering of DISN transmission and data systems consisting of Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies.
Develops and prepares future European DISN infrastructure based on the stated requirements of the users, projected systems growth, and expansion into existing Combatant Command/Service/Agency(COCOM/S/A) specific information system networks.
Reviews, analyzes, and submits recommendations to the Commander DISA-Europe, concerning proposed telecommunications and information system programs as developed by the supported unified commanders, component commanders and various federal agencies.
Reviews, analyzes, and comments on technical engineering studies and documents including: Department of Defense Information Networks(DODIN) master plan, Project Support Plans, Technical Standards and Specifications, Logistics Support Plans, etc.
Education
Transcripts are required for GG-855 Basic Requirement: To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education There is no substitution of education for the qualifying experience at the GG-13 grade level.
NOTE: To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application. National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .
How You Will Be Evaluated
Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position.
If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.
Competencies: Engineering Telecommunications Planning, System Design and Integration You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12898521 Criminal History Inquiries- If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ [email protected]
Additional Information
This position is in the Excepted Service and does NOT convey eligibility to be converted to the Competitive Service. It is being recruited under 10 U.S.C. 1599f into the Cyber Excepted Service (CES) personnel system. If you are a current Federal Career/Career-Conditional employee, you will be placed on an Excepted appointment.
You may be required to serve a three year probationary period. Telework availability will be based upon the mission requirements and supervisory determination. PASSPORT/VISA: Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an official government passport and, as required by location, a VISA.
A three year probationary or trial period may be required. Individuals tentatively selected for drug testing designated positions at the Defense Information Systems Agency will be required to submit to urinalysis for illegal drugs prior to appointment or placement. We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of the closing date.
Moving costs MAY be paid. Recruitment, relocation, or retention incentives MAY be authorized. . The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes certain reimbursements/payments taxable. For information on these changes and the Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA), for which some appointees are eligible, click here.
This position is covered under DoD Manual 8140 which will be subject to future Cyber Workforce requirements as defined by the Manual. This is a Mission Essential position. The nature of the position's duties and the organization's operational mission requires the incumbent to physically report to their duty station in certain situations where non-essential employees are excused, such as during national emergencies, extreme weather situations, mission critical systems outages, and/or other scenarios as deemed appropriate at the highest levels of the organization's chain of command.
As part of the Mission Essential designation, the incumbent may be placed in a 24/7 standby or recall status and be required to carry a mobile phone or other similar device to be directly recalled to duty from a recall roster. The incumbent may also be required to physically report to an alternate duty station during the activation of a Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan. The Department of Defense (DoD) policy on employment of annuitants issued March 18, 2004 will be used in determining eligibility of annuitants.
This position is subject to the limitations imposed by the DOD Priority Placement Program. Because this position is in the Cyber Excepted Service, Veterans' Preference will be applied to preference eligible candidates, as defined by Section 2108 of the Title 5 U.S.C. in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 3005, "CES Employment and Placement." If you are a veteran claiming veteran's preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must submit documents verifying your eligibility with your application package. For more information on the Cyber Excepted Service Personnel System, click here.
For more information on veterans' preference, click here. For more information regarding qualifications requirements, click here. All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-0454 for assistance.
If selected, the authorized rate of pay may exceed the stated maximum salary rate range under certain circumstances.
How to Apply
Your Resume Your resume MUST include the following information for each job listed: Job title; duties (be as detailed as possible); month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008); and full- time or part-time status (include hours worked per week). Read more about what should I include in my federal resume? at USAJOBS.
DO NOT include the following information: Classified or government sensitive information; Social Security Number; Photos of yourself; Personal information, such as age, sex, religious affiliation, etc.; or encrypted and digitally signed documents. Read more about what should I leave out of my resume? at USAJOBS. A complete Assessment Questionnaire Other required supporting documents: (SEE REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS SECTION) Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking Application Status, then More Information for this position. Return to an incomplete application by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking Update Application in the vacancy announcement.
You must re-select your resume and other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Required Documents
FOR THIS JOB ANNOUNCEMENT THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED AS THEY APPLY STATED BELOW AND MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CLOSE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. NOT ALL DOCUMENTS WILL APPLY TO EVERYONE. Resume: A two-page maximum resume is required.
Applicant guidance on the two page resume requirement may be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/ . Learn more about the new resume requirements Complete initial Eligibility Questionnaire: Your resume must demonstrate the quality of your work as it relates to the experience requirements outlined in the job announcement. Transcripts -REQUIRED The absence of this information will result in an ineligible rating.
SF-50 -Current and former federal employees, including those currently working for the agency, must submit their SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) reflecting their highest grade held on a permanent basis for at least 52 weeks, tenure, and appointment type. Failure to provide this document may result in disqualification. Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service.
Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what the condition of discharge is thought to be. If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference.
DoD Components with CES positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates, as defined by Section 2108 of the Title 5 U.S.C. in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 3005, "CES Employment and Placement." Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified.
You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist here to obtain a copy. Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified.
You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist here to obtain a copy. Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified.
You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference here to obtain a copy.
Your complete Application Package (containing the above required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 03/19/2026 . WARNING: Failure to submit a complete application package including any required documentation by 11:59 PM (EST) on03/19/2026 , or at the time of application for announcements with an extended closing date, may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and More Information.
The Details page will display the status of your application. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded is received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.