National Cemetery Administration Logo
Position Title
General Engineer
Agency
National Cemetery Administration
Announcement Number
RP-25-MM-12588142-789-NBU Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, October 31, 2024 to Tuesday, November 12, 2024
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
(limit characters)
3. Are you a former employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who:

• formerly occupied a career or career conditional position at the VA within the preceding two years before applying for reemployment at VA; AND,
• voluntarily departed such position, or was subject to a reduction in force, and had a satisfactory performance record while occupying such position; AND,
• since departing VA has maintained licensing requirements, related to the position, if any, and gained skills, knowledge, or other factors related to the position; AND,
• possesses at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of the position sought?

Appointment under this authority is exempt from competitive examining procedures and Veteran's preference.

To verify your eligibility, you must provide a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 that demonstrates you meet the requirements outlined in P.L. 115-46, VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017, section 204.
(limit characters)
4. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions AND you:
  • have a rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs showing a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more; OR,
  • retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more?
For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. You must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.
(limit characters)
5. Were you employed overseas as an Appropriated Fund employee AND did you:
  • complete 52 weeks of creditable overseas service in an appropriated fund position(s) as a family member during the time you accompanied a sponsor officially assigned to an oversea area; AND,
  • receive a fully successful or better (or equivalent) performance rating: AND,
  • return to the United States to resume residence less than 3 years ago?

For more information, review USAJOBS Former Overseas Employees resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50, and performance appraisal.
(limit characters)
6. 1. Are you the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces? (Includes all spouses of members of the armed forces on active duty. Spouses do not have to relocate with active duty service member) To verify your eligibility, submit: (1) Copy of your marriage license. (2) Proof of service members active duty status.
-OR-

2. Are you the spouse of a service member who:
  1. is retired, released, or discharged from the Armed Forces due to a service-connected injury; AND
  2. on the date on which the member retires, is released, or is discharged, has a disability rating of 100 percent under the standard schedule of rating disabilities in use by the Department of Veterans Affairs;
To verify your eligibility, submit: (1) a copy of your marriage license. (2)  DD-214, documenting retirement, release, or discharge due to disability. (3) Disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service, specifying 100% disability at the time of discharge, release or retirement from active duty service.

-OR-

3. Are you the spouse of a deceased service member who:
  1. was married to the service member on the date the service member died, while on active duty in the Armed Forces; AND
  2. has not remarried.

To verify your eligibility, submit: (1) a copy of your marriage license, documentation identifying marital status at the time of death and proof that you have not remarried. (2) DD-214 documenting the death of the service member while on active duty, the death certificate; or a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service, etc. specifying the service member's death while on active duty.
For more information, review USAJOBS Military Spouses resources

Note: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (NDAA FY19), section 573(e) sunsets these statutory changes on August 12, 2023, after which time the provisions at 5 USC 3330(d) in effect prior to the date of enactment (i.e., August 12, 2018) will apply again.

(limit characters)
7. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
  • you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
  • you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
  • your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of the vacancy; AND, 
  • your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
(limit characters)
8. Have you completed at least 1 year of continuous service immediately before separation from one or more nontemporary Foreign Service appointments; AND, your separation from a Foreign Service career-type appointment occurred in the last 3 years (individuals entitled to veteran's preference do not need to meet this 3-year requirement)?

-OR-

Have you completed at least 3 years of substantially continuous service under one or more nontemporary appointments in the Foreign Service immediately before separation from an unlimited, career-type appointment in that Service?

-OR-

Are you a current or former limited non-career appointee with the Foreign Service and have at least 48 months of continuous service, a performance rating of satisfactory or better, and if a former employee, no more than a one year break in service since your qualifying appointment?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) reflecting your nontemporary status. If you are outside of the 3-year requirement but are entitled to veteran's preference, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service.
(limit characters)
9. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the Department of Veterans Affairs?  If yes, confirm:
  • you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
  • you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
  • you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
  • your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
(limit characters)
10. Are you a current or former employee of a land management agency (Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management; National Park Service; Fish and Wildlife Service; Bureau of Indian Affairs; or Bureau of Reclamation) who:

• was originally hired to a time-limited position under a competitive appointment; AND,
• served one or more time-limited appointments at a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of two or more years; AND,
• performed at an acceptable level of service during each period of service; AND,
• if no longer employed by the land management agency, have been separated for no more than two years, and departed that position in good standing?

To verify your eligibility, you must provide a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) and performance appraisal that demonstrates you meet the requirements outlined in the 5 U.S.C. 9602.
(limit characters)
11. Are you a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who has completed your service within the past twelve months?

-OR-

Are you a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who has completed your service within the past 36 months and is requesting an extension of your non-competitive eligibility due to your military service, status as a full-time student or other experience related to this position?

-OR-

Are you a current or former Peace Corps employee who has completed at least 36 months of continuous service and has been separated from the Peace Corps for less than three years?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your description of service or other proof of non-competitive eligibility. If you are a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who is requesting an extension of your non-competitive eligibility, please also provide the necessary documentation to support your request.
(limit characters)
12. Are you a current Federal employee in the excepted service in an agency covered by an Interchange Agreement with at least one year of service in that position?  

For more information, review Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems

-OR-

Are you a current:
• Postal Career Service Employee;
• Postal Rate Commission Employee;
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employee; or,
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employee?

For more information, review Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated By U.S. Office of Personnel Management

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) reflecting your status.
(limit characters)
13. Do you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability that qualifies you for Schedule A Disability appointments?

For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must provide appropriate medical documentation, i.e., a letter signed by a licensed medical professional or licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, certifying your documented disability and eligibility under Schedule A.
 
(limit characters)
14. Do you have prior Career or Career-Conditional Service with the Federal Government? If so, you may be eligible for reinstatement.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your separation SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
  • career or career-conditional (Tenure field box 24. is 1 or 2); AND, 
  • your status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field box 34. is 1).
  • highest grade previously held (Grade or Level field box 18.)
(limit characters)
15. Are you currently employed as a civilian employee in the competitive service in a federal agency other than the Department of Veterans Affairs?
 
To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
  • career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
  • your status is in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1)
For more information visit here T5 Transfer
(limit characters)
16. Are you a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran,  AND you:
  • served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (NOTE: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility); OR,
  • are entitled to veterans' preference; OR,
  • are eligible for derived preference as a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran?
For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of service which includes character of service. If applying as a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran eligible for derived preference you must provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility as outlined on the SF-15 form.  *Note current Federal employees must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.
(limit characters)
17. Are you an active duty service member expected to be discharged or released under honorable conditions within the next 120 days who will be eligible for Veterans' preference?  You may eligible to apply through the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act based on tentative preference.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a "certification" on appropriate letterhead from your branch of service that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed.  Note: If selected, prior to appointment you will be required to provide your DD-214 and/or other supporting documentation to verify that you are eligible for Veterans' preference.

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
(limit characters)
Assessment 1
Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the assessment, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. Do you possess a degree in 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) 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
(limit characters)
2. Do you have a sufficient 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 -- Current registration as a professional engineer 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 Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college of university that included 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements in paragraph A. Because of the diversity in kind and quality of BET programs, graduates of other BET programs are required to complete at least 1 year of additional education or highly technical work experience of such nature as to provide reasonable assurance of the possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for professional engineering competence. The adequacy of this background must be demonstrated by passing the EIT examination.

- 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. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.

- Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.) (TRANSCRIPTS/SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/DETAILED FEDERAL RESUME REQUIRED)
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3. Do you possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position at the GS-13 grade level? This experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: experience on land development projects and related cemetery planning, design, and construction concepts; reviewing preliminary engineering reports and related design documents (drawings and specifications); experience negotiating with Architects and Engineers in the preparation of design documents; and developing and revising agency engineering standards; experience with the contracting process to include writing specifications for projects, performing quality assurance reviews; experience with engineering practices involving construction, planning, cost factoring, energy applications, and standard trade practices. Evidence of this specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of like duties performed in positions held on your resume. You also need to provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one (1) full year of specialized experience at the required grade level). (limit characters)
4. Time-in-Grade Restriction - Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. These applicants must have held the GS-12 grade or higher for a year in order to meet this requirement for the GS-13 level of this vacancy. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service.
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Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
5. Provide professional engineering expertise in other areas such as, special studies, cost comparisons, landscape plans, and general operating expense program. (limit characters)
6. Review and evaluate renovation drawings and work to ensure compliance. (limit characters)
7. Perform research and studies in connection with various associated problems and furnish detailed written reports adding recommendations.
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8. Develop preliminary and working drawings for site, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other systems, along with some architectural designs.
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9. Prepare construction drawings using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
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10. Perform as the Project Engineer during the construction phase.
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11. Review master plans, environmental impact statements, construction documents, and design documents prepared by Architectural Engineering (A/E) firms or other entities to determine completeness, engineering compliance with standards and codes, constructability, and maintainability.
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12. Conduct surveys to assess the condition of facilities, infrastructure, and site assets; identifies deficiencies; recommends corrective actions utilizing either in-house resources/staff and/or procured solutions.
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13. Perform field investigations to gain firsthand knowledge and to gather architectural and engineering data necessary to document conditions for design, construction, and engineering records.
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14. Collect data, review and assist in the development of the annual and five-year plan construction and maintenance program.
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15. Develop cost estimates for planning and budget stages using available bid experience, empirical cost data or other guides, making adaptations and adjustments for locality cost site differences, square footage differences, variations in materials, escalation and inflation factors, etc.
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16. Serve as a general project engineer responsible for the engineering analysis, development, design and the preparation of complete plans and specifications for new engineering projects. (limit characters)
17. Assist the supervisory general engineer in the oversight of construction projects. (limit characters)
18. Coordinate with financial program administrators and make adjustments to project scopes and estimates. (limit characters)
19. Identify, create, assemble, coordinate, and review material for projects.
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20. Prepare needs assessments, review appropriate technical specifications, prepare required documentation, and execute contracts.
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21. Assist with pre-bid site visits and inspections with contractors and government personnel.
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22. Administer contracts, procurement, and acquisition segments to include development and writing of contract work statements, review of contract work statements, technical evaluations of contractor proposals, vendor negotiation of goods and/or services, agreement of associated costs, deliverable timetables; field surveys of projects, and monitoring contractor performance and invoice payments.
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23. Facilitate work change orders, work stop orders, and/or default action.
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24. Write and/or assemble detailed specifications for construction and/or renovation projects.
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25. Assist, provide written and verbal guidance, and monitor Contracting Officer's Representatives. (limit characters)
26. Communicate data collection, train, and advise on the interpretation, implementation of, and compliance with environmental engineering policy directives and programs that embrace a range of subjects directly or indirectly concerned with public safety and/or the protection of natural resources.
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27. Review environmental impact statements.
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28. Research possible sources of energy conservation and incorporate them into the basic design criteria.
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