Permittivity Standard Reference Instrument Engineer
Job Location:
Boulder, CO - USA
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
NIST is seeking an Electronics Engineer to advance precision microwave measurements and develop traceable methods and standards for complex permittivity supporting next-generation electronics and communications. You will design and analyze measurement systems develop new calibration methods and collaborate with industry and the scientific community.
This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
NIST is seeking an Electronics Engineer to advance measurement science for next-generation microwave and millimeter-wave technologies. If selected you will:
Develop permittivity Standard Reference Materials with limited supervision.
Plan design and execute complex experiments to establish permittivity traceability using electromagnetic and waveguide circuit theory.
Evaluate sources of uncertainty and develop new methods approaches and procedures in collaboration with coworkers and technical advisors.
Conduct difficult and complex scientific assignments applying sound judgment to research interpret adapt and apply theoretical principles technical guidance and available precedents to microwave calibrations and the integration of commercial and custom analysis software.
Contribute to the planning execution and direction of major scientific mathematical engineering or information technology projects and communicate technical concepts findings and recommendations clearly and effectively to a variety of audiences.
- U.S. citizenship
- Males born aftermust be registered for Selective Service
- Suitable for Federal employment
- Bargaining Unit Position: No
Basic Requirements:
A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable the program must: (1) lead to a bachelors degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; 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
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)1 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 Boards eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 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.
3. 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 the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors 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 bachelors 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.)
In addition to the basic requirements applicants must also have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 (ZP-II at NIST) level. Specialized Experience is defined as:
- Experience conducting research and contributing to research programs and funding proposals.
- Experience developing modeling calibrating and analyzing precision microwave measurement systems and devices including on-wafer coaxial and waveguide applications.
- Experience applying electromagnetic theory resonator permittivity measurement methods and modern data analysis techniques including Bayesian uncertainty analysis.
Masters or equivalent graduate degree as defined in the basic requirements.
OR
A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as defined in the additional requirements.
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.
The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.
If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However an official copy will be required before a final offer of employment.
Use of foreign education for qualifications. An accredited organization must evaluate education completed outside of the U.S. to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Educations website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with course-by-course listing) is required with your application.
This position is covered under NISTs Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Learn more about the APMS here!
Applicants who apply under this Job Opportunity Announcement may opt-in (at their request) to allow the sharing of their resume cover letter transcripts certifications and other associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureaus/Offices who have vacancies within the same occupational series grade and pay band (or its equivalent) and full performance level in the same duty location or commuting area of the duty location listed on the Job Opportunity Announcement. Applicants that apply for General Schedule (GS) positions can be considered for pay band positions under one of the DOCs alternative personnel systems (i.e. Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS) or Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS)) that have the equivalent GS grade level and full performance level and similarly CAPS and APMS applicants may be considered for GS positions or one of DOCs alternative personnel systems. Upon acceptance of a position the employee will be subject to the corresponding pay system (i.e. GS CAPS or APMS). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which they wish to receive consideration.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Experience:
IC
