About This Position
This position is in the Architect of the Capitol, Senate Office Buildings, Facilities Support Division. As a Senior Fire Protection Engineer, the selectee will assist the Supervisory Fire Protection Engineer, with fire protection systems, fire alarm systems and utilities in the Senate Office Buildings. The selectee will also operate as an expert Fire Protection Engineer, which includes planning, designing, construction, modification, operation, and maintenance of fire protection systems.
Qualifications
You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position.
You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf *A copy of your transcript(s) will be required upon selection* Basic Requirements for Engineers: The Ideal candidate has a Fire Protection Engineering degree.
- Bachelor's degree in professional engineering: To be creditable, 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: -- statics, dynamics; -- strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); -- fluid mechanics, hydraulics; -- thermodynamics; -- electrical fields and circuits; -- nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and -- any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. --OR-- B. 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: 1. 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, or 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 A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program.
- 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 degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 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.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as having experience in 7 out of the 8: Experience reviewing the quality of all Fire Protection engineering design and construction features; developing Fire Protection designs, reports, plans, specifications, and other engineering products for construction services. Serving as a subject matter expert for providing technical advice and guidance in the field of fire protection engineering to upper levels of management, engineers, and other personnel. Managing in the incorporation of fire protection engineering practices in all phases of design and construction documentation and the implementation for code adherence.
Applying numerous fire protection codes, standards, and building codes to various types of facilities. (i.e., business, childcare, industrial, assembly and historic). Ensuring the incorporation of adequate fire protection and life safety requirements are in all aspects of facility and construction management. Conduct fire safety surveys and testing for various types of buildings. (i.e., business, childcare, industrial, assembly and historic).
Develop risk assessments in accordance with the Federal Fire Safety Act. Review drawings and specifications for building construction and renovation to ensure compliance with current standards for fire protection and life safety.
Major Duties
Tour of Duty: Mon-Fri, work hours may vary This is an Essential-Employee Position. The employee will be required to report to work during emergencies AND inclement weather situations. Work schedule will include mandatory overtime on holidays AND weekends on a regular and recurring basis.
The individual selected for this position will: Program Development and Coordination Formulates and designs jurisdiction-wide programs, plans, procedures, and methodologies for programs to improve fire protection and life safety compliance along with advocating for the use of innovative improvement techniques that are appropriate to the agency mission and culture. Coordinate with jurisdiction and Safety and Code Compliance counterparts to oversee the Senate Office Buildings (SOB) fire protection program and to ensure SOB meets their organizational vision, mission, and goals. Engage with internal and external jurisdiction stakeholders to ensure Fire Protection and Life Safety policies are implemented, interpreted and consistently applied to program/projects for compliance and/or coherently.
Develop, write, revise, implement, and interpret Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), regulations, policies and procedures for the SOB's Fire Protection Program as well as emergency readiness management documents to manage emergency exercises. Develop comprehensive technical and administrative reports on the aspects of the fire protection program for higher level management. Analyzes and provides solutions to create long-range fire protection programs plans, goals, objectives, and milestones for evaluating and measuring the effectiveness of the programs.
Develops and provides preliminary courses of action to be taken to address changes in programs, technological developments, policies and processes. Prepare decisions that produce high-quality results by applying professional and technical knowledge to analyze problems and calculating risk. Project Management Functions as the technical expert for broad programs involving the design, installation, maintenance, and operation of fire protection systems, assemblies, structures, and operations.
Manages significant elements or phases of fire prevention/protection projects. Plans, guides, coordinates, and the work of contractors engaged in accomplishing the missions and functions of the organization. Develop operational procedures and directs in the interpretation and application of the National Fire Codes of the National Fire Protection Association as the authority having jurisdiction within the context of the various fire and building codes under the delegated authority of Policy 11-6.
Participates in preliminary and critical fire protection design reviews and determines, develops, and defends requirements. Contract Management Performs contractor oversight duties as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR), developing, modifying or rejecting task plans and other deliverables for fire protection systems. Evaluates overall effectiveness and assesses technical design submissions for compliance with national codes.
Responsible for design and configuration of fire protection systems and final acceptance or rejection of fire protection system installations and modifications. Evaluates and approves all fire protection system requirements and operational procedures, preventive maintenance tasks, inspection plans, repairs, corrections, tests and priorities.
Conditions of Employment
To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.
Education
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.
You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
How You Will Be Evaluated
Review your resume and responses carefully.
Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.
Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies: Design - Knowledge of the principles, concepts and practices of fire prevention engineering, with emphasis on code enforcement and interpretation for the Design and Construction of fire protection and life safety systems for various types of buildings. Fire Protection Systems - Knowledge in designing, customizing, overseeing and evaluating complex fire protection delivery systems.
Fire Protection Management - Knowledge in Fire Protection Management to provide oversight on operations, testing and maintenance of fire protection and life safety systems; and to develop working procedures and policies to achieve code compliance. Problem Solving - Knowledge in Problem Solving and resolving complicated technical issues; creating solutions and strategies especially in scenarios with vague, confusing, and contrary perspectives and conflicting goals; and providing technical guidance in the fire prevention field. Project Management - Knowledge of Project Management with a focus on understanding and applying fire protection engineering concepts and national codes to new construction and renovation of historic office buildings, childcare facilities, underground assembly facilities and industrial utility buildings.
Communication - Knowledge in communicating in writing and verbally, to convincingly present technical fire protection engineering data, topics, conclusions and recommendations. Knowledge in collaboration when meeting and dealing with congressional staff, upper levels of management, engineers, and other personnel including the public.
Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating.
You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter.
Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration. Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Additional Information
Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement.
If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System.
If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace.
As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position.
We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.
The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States.
If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized.
Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.
All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.
How to Apply
You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. If you are a new user to the USAJOBS Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying.
You must be a registered USAJOBS user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page. NEED HELP? If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at [email protected]. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS “Saved Documents” feature. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
You may call (202) 226-7000 for directions.
Required Documents
The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy. To apply for this position, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.
Your resume should list your education, training and work experience including job titles, employment dates (MM/DD/YR), duties and accomplishments. Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC's Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for the position, you will be asked to provide it during the interview or selection process.
At that time, you may be asked to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, you may be asked to provide a copy of your diploma, college transcripts, or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires licensure or certification, you will be asked to provide proof at the time of selection.
If Veterans' preference is claimed, you will be asked to submit proof (DD-214, and, if claiming a 10-point preference, a SF-15 and the proof required by that form). Failure to provide the required documents will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.