This position is with the Materials Laboratory Division of the Office of Research and Engineering. The incumbent will serve as Chief of the Division and is charged with responsibility for supervising personnel and managing the functions of the Materials Laboratory.
You must meet the "Education Requirements" and the Specialized Experience" to qualify for this position as described below. Specialized Experience Requirements GS-15: You MUST have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector). Specialized experience is defined as experience in planning, directing, and conducting complex materials and mechanical examinations, tests, and analyses of failed transportation components to determine the root cause of the failure; experience in cause and origin investigations of fires and explosions; knowledge of and experience in developing and overseeing mechanical and materials-based original proposals for third-party testing; developing new, novel, or unique test programs to obtain the required data. For more information see the following Links: Materials Engineering Series 0806; Mechanical Engineering Series 0830; Metallurgy Series 1321 NOTE: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must clearly show the specialized experience and competencies related to this position. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the education, specialized experience and/or competencies will result in an "Ineligible" rating.
As a Supervisory Interdisciplinary Engineer/Metallurgist, GS-0806/830/1321-15, you will perform the following major duties: Manage the functions of the Materials Laboratory including the direct supervision of metallurgists, materials engineers, fire and explosion technologists, and laboratory technicians. Plan, prioritize, and assign work to staff based on the difficulty of the assignment and the capability of the employee, schedules jobs and reviews completed work for technical accuracy and completeness. Advise the Office Director of workload. Review completed reports and other products for technical accuracy and completeness. May personally conduct complex investigations as need arises. Develop original proposals for out-of-agency investigations, recommends the laboratories and procedures to be used to obtain the required data, maintains the Board's control of such projects, analyzes the results, and prepares reports and recommendations based on the findings. Manage personnel functions within the Division. Determine the training needs for personnel and implements the annual training program. Develop performance standards and writes performance appraisals. Recruit/select personnel for vacancies. Effect major disciplinary actions, such as suspension and removal. Approve within-grade increases, overtime, and employee travel. Recommend awards or bonuses for subordinate staff. Recommend changes in position design and position classification. Act as consultant and provide technical advice to the Board Members, Office Directors, Division Chiefs, and field staff regarding material factors in transportation accidents and incidents and recommend appropriate courses of action. Participate in public hearings and depositions by publicly testifying as to the facts developed by the investigation. Act as an engineering member of the technical panel or as an expert advisor to the Board of Inquiry. Manage the Division's annual budget. Ensure that funds are obligated, allocated and expended in accordance with Board and Office of Research & Engineering policy and directives. Has ultimate responsibility for the purchase, operation, and maintenance of complex investigative tools. Prepare or oversee plans, specifications and procurement requests for new lab hardware and software.