Military

Interdisciplinary Engineer

Defense Microelectronics Activity ยท Department of Defense
๐Ÿ“ McClellan, California NH-2/3 $45,155 - $153,382/yr
Posted: Jul 22, 2026 Deadline: Aug 21, 2026 (Closes in 29 days)

About This Position

The position(s) covered by this vacancy announcement is in the Department of Defense (DoD) Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo). For more information please see: AcqDemo This position is part of the Defense Microelectronics Activity. The incumbent serves as a technical expert responsible for the independent planning and execution of radiation effects testing, facility compliance, and the mentorship of junior staff.

Qualifications

To qualify for Electronics Engineer/Physicist (Interdisciplinary), your resume and supporting documentation must support: A. Basic Requirement: A bachelor's degree or higher in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one program 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) 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

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 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 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 in engineering that included the courses specified in the Basic Requirements above.

The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in the Basic Requirements above. 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. 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).

OR

A bachelor's degree in physics; or related degree that included at least 24 semester hours in physics.

OR

A combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a major in physics totaling at least 24 semester hours, plus appropriate experience or additional education. B. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position.

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement above, to qualify for the NH-02 level, specialized experience must be at the NH-01 (GS-04) level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector. To qualify for the NH-03 level, specialized experience must be at the NH-02 (GS-11) level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector.

Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Creditable specialized experience includes: NH-02: Meeting the basic requirement listed above is fully qualifying for the NH-02 level. NH-03: Experience in a relevant scientific or engineering field, such as solid-state physics, materials science, or electrical engineering.

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. **NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

Major Duties

This position is being filled under AcqDemo Direct Hiring Authority (DHA) for non-acquisition positions involving 51% or more of time in direct support of acquisition positions within Business and Technical Management Professional Career path. As a Interdisciplinary Engineer at the NH-0855/1310-2/3 some of your typical work assignments may include: If selected at the NH-02 level, duties are performed in a developmental capacity, and the incumbent receives formal and/or on the job training to develop the knowledge of radiation effects testing, operation of laboratory equipment, dosimetry methods, and analysis of Devices Under Test (DUTs). Serves as a technical expert responsible for the planning and execution of radiation effects testing, facility compliance, and mentoring junior staff.

Assists with operation of the Science and Engineering Gamma Irradiation Test (SEGIT) facility irradiators in accordance with established procedures and safety requirements. Assists in determining radiation target areas/volumes and performing dosimetry using ionization chambers to define the radiation fields. Identifies and helps resolve conventional technical problems encountered during test setup and execution, recommending processes or procedural improvements as appropriate.

Connects and applies bias to Device Under Test (DUTs). Safely handles DUTs in accordance with customer requirements and DMEA Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) procedures, including packing, unpacking, and preparing items and equipment for shipment and handling materials such as dry ice in accordance with established guidance. Prepares and issues test reports.

Participates in customer meetings and test activities to support understanding of customer requirements and test objectives. Ensures compliance to all Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license requirements. Prepares non-conformance reports (NCRs) and assists with corrective actions and follow up activities to support closure of NCRs.

Performs quality management tasks in support of maintaining laboratory certifications and coordinates assigned equipment calibration activities. Completes required training and certifications and pursues developmental opportunities through technical training, conferences, and workshops.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY?

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study.

Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. 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 a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html **NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

How You Will Be Evaluated

We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy.

Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements. Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume.

Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the " Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp)" eligibility. If you are claiming Military Spouse eligibility and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager.

Information and required documentation for claiming Military Spouse eligibility may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below.

Additional Information

Other Notes: Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes as it represents the full range that is applicable to current employees in this occupation/grade; however, a selectee's initial pay is always set below the maximum rate of the range.

Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Agency's interest. Relocation and/or Recruitment incentive may be authorized if determined by the Hiring Manager to be in the best interest of the Agency. Telework is available in accordance with DOD Policy basis.

Remote work is not authorized. Re-employed Annuitant: If you have retired from civilian federal service and you are interested in employment as a re-employed annuitant, information can be found at: Reemployed Annuitants | DCPAS (osd.mil) Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)) This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date).

The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment.

You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position. All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application.

Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.

You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.

You will be taken to an online application.

Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.

NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.

You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.

Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13015037 Please review the General Application Information and Definitions at: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d As required by 5 C.F.R. ยง 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. ยง 1194).

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.).

Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further. The following documents are REQUIRED 1.

Your resume: IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position.

Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages.

We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text.

We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?

The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

  1. Transcripts: This position has a degree or education requirement so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.
  2. SF50 All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG).
  3. Veteran's Documents: If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty. PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Interdisciplinary Engineer position at Defense Microelectronics Activity?
The salary range for this position is $45,155 - $153,382/yr. This is a NH-2/3 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Interdisciplinary Engineer job located?
This position is located in McClellan, California. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. 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 a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html **NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Aug 21, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Secret clearance is required.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.