Engineer

Serves as the Manager of the Safety Engineering Activity (SEA), Division of Safety (DS). Leads planning and implementation of new programs and contracts for the SEA.

Provides technical and administrative leadership and direction in the development and implementation of programs and initiatives to enhance complex biocontainment facility safety.

Collaborates with others to assure mechanical and safety system validation and verification for the NIH's portfolio of biocontainment laboratories.

Utilizes advanced knowledge of applied engineering principles, mechanics, thermodynamics, air flow, and pressure to provide safety recommendations.

Determines technical requirements for contract support staff assigned to the SEA; interviews and recruits qualified professionals to support SEA programs.

Applies expertise in engineering theory, methodology, and techniques in the planning, design and development of biomedical research facilities.

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

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The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy.

You will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority.

This position is also covered by the agency's Reemployment Priority List (RPL). Any qualified priority candidates will be further evaluated on job-related criteria through a resume review, placed into one of the following categories, and referred to the hiring office for first priority once veteran's preference is applied. Qualified Well Qualified Best Qualified To be considered well qualified for the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position, and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave. Based on your appointment, a one-year probationary period may be required.

A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period. If selected, required to participate and meet all requirements of the NIH Biological Surety Program. Tier 3 background investigation and annual behavioral health assessments are included in the NIH BSP.

Experience with Safety Engineering for BSL4 and BSL4 facilities preferred. If selected, must obtain a positive FBI Security Risk Assessment (SRA) in compliance with 7 CFR Part 331; 9 CFR Part 121; and 42 CFR Part

1. If selected, will be required to gain/maintain access to BSL 3, BSL 4, and associated animal facilities and/or labs. At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: telework compressed schedules, flexible schedules.

PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration. The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.

The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus. Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. Visit our Help Applying page for helpful information on the application process.

If selected, you may be eligible to receive a salary above the minimum based on superior qualifications and/or a special need of the Government for your services. This applies to employees paid under the General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS) pay systems and is at the discretion of the hiring manager. A salary above the minimum must be approved before the appointment.

NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations. A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active-duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate.

All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations. A newly appointed or reappointed individual may receive a recruitment incentive.

Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.

To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section.

Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 07/06/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application.

You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.

Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim.

You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.

Complete the application questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12987392 Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.

In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later. We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements.

For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at [email protected]. If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying, please contact NIH HR Service Desk Branch C at [email protected]. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.

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REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS RESUME: Your resume must clearly demonstrate, in two pages or less, how your skills and experiences align with the "Qualifications" section and support your questionnaire responses. While cover letters provided with your application will be shared with hiring officials, they will not be used for initial qualification determinations. We cannot assume required experience based on your work or academic history.

If your resume exceeds two pages, only the first two will be reviewed. Use a legible font such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, or Arial, with 0.5-inch margins. Suggested formatting: 14-point for titles and 10-point for body text.

You may use the USAJOBS Resume Builder or upload your own resume. If uploading, ensure it includes all required information and is organized so we can match the following to each position: Job title Employer name Employment dates (MM/DD/YYYY) Hours worked per week (full-time assumed; part-time prorated) Detailed duties, accomplishments, skills, responsibilities, and supervisory details (if applicable) Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions) If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications. For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Help Applying, USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Guidance.

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRE: You must submit a completed application questionnaire. Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications.

Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): CTAP: https://jobs.nih.gov/announcement-links/CTAP.htm ICTAP: https://jobs.nih.gov/announcement-links/ictap.htm If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility. Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you.

To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.