Systems Engineer bei Department of Homeland Security

Top Secret

Duties

Joining Customs & Border Protection (CBP), Office of Acquisition, as a Systems Engineer (Test and Evaluation) will allow you to utilize your expertise to oversee various engineering projects, initiatives, and policies that support the entire Acquisition workforce. This position starts at a salary of $120,579.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $185,234.00 (GS-14, Step 10). Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen the Department's ability to perform homeland security functions by performing analysis and evaluation of System Engineering activities that affect the overall success of mission accomplishments. In this position you will use your expertise of systems engineering and experience to support the Component acquisition process; which includes performing analysis and evaluation of SE activities (focusing on T&E), supporting the preparation and presentation of authoritative advice and recommendations; formulating, developing, exploring, and testing new theories and approaches and writing and evaluating policy. Typical Work assignments include: Planning, implementing, and executing a variety of test and evaluation activities to support system engineering and acquisition program decisions and assess the potential effectiveness of innovative technological solutions. Performing as a Test Manager for acquisition programs to include the development of test strategies, generation of Test and Evaluation Master Plans, identification of proper evaluation methodologies, and ensuring the programs adhere to DHS testing policy. Leading tests, evaluations, and analyses in support of acquisition programs. These efforts include designing the analysis, arranging for the proper data collection, executing the analysis, and reporting the results. The results are briefed to a variety of audiences including scientific professionals, non-technical senior leadership, and equipment end users. You will provide input in support of other System Engineering efforts to include requirements development, System Engineering Life Cycle planning, technical reviews, and other technical activities across the organization and throughout program life-cycles. Generating process and procedural documents to support efficient execution of technical task within the division and provide input into agency wide-acquisitive policy.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities. Financial Disclosure is required. Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

Basic Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you meet the basic requirement below. A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's 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 Board's 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 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.) You qualify for this position if you meet the basic requirement listed above and possess one year of specialized experience, as described below. Specialized Experience: GS-13: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Demonstrating familiarity and utilizing best practices available within the systems engineering community regarding Test and Evaluation. Interpret and implement Test and Evaluation policies and processes in support of systems engineering and acquisitions. Defining measures and conducting the data analysis for test campaigns to evaluate system performance. Planning for and supporting on-site test execution requiring coordination with a large number of stakeholders. Providing recommendations to the critical findings and recommendations derived from the analysis for inclusion in briefings and reports to senior leadership and other stakeholders. GS-14: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Developing new methods and represent the agency at conferences, seminars, or trainings to transform the agency's Test and Evaluation practices. Developing new policies or procedures and mentor others within the agency on systems engineering and test and evaluation implementation. Leading the development of the evaluation framework to ensure a through and rigorous method is in place to evaluate system performance. Leading teams, to include a large number of external stakeholders, through the planning and on-site execution of test to gather data necessary to support systems engineering activities. Briefing critical findings and recommendations based on analysis of data to senior leadership and other stakeholders. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume 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. You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 09/02/2025. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers CONTINUED IN "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION" SECTION

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Other Information

Promotion Potential: Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied. Telework: No - exemptions related to telework may be available in very limited cases DHS Certification: This is a DHS acquisition certification-covered position. DHS Level II certification in Systems Engineering or Test and Evaluation is required within 18 months of placement. A secondary certification in Program Management, Systems Engineering, Test and Evaluation, or Life Cycle Logistics is highly desired. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. CONTINUED FROM "QUALIFICATIONS: SECTION Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period. Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government