Job summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Competitive Positions to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Works under general supervision of the District Commander as Charleston District Construction Branch Chief. As Chief, Construction Division managing the work of the Division through subordinate supervisors who are assigned responsibility for the major elements of the program.

Major duties

Incumbent is expected to interpret and apply available guidelines which include regulations policies and directives. Responsible for satisfactory performance of all activities within the scope of authority to include decisions, commitments and developing the procedures and methods to achieve the objectives within significant freedom from technical supervision. Discussions regarding policy matters, overall program planning, and progress of work and major programs. As a registered Professional Engineer or Architect, applies an expert knowledge of construction engineering methods and techniques in facilitating overall management of the Division executing the diverse construction involving multiple contracts. Responsible for the planning, direction, coordination and execution of all Military Construction, IIS (DLA, MARFORRES, VA, DOS, DOE, NNSA and others as the portfolio develops) and Civil Works construction in the District. Approves multi-year and longer work plans developed by supervisors and managers of subordinate organization units and subsequently manages the overall work directed. Projects require close planning and coordination of construction schedules to accommodate concurrent operation and modification of connected or related facilities and systems. Leads plannings during the course of construction as warranted by field situations, effecting changes in design criteria, correcting errors in the plans and specs, meeting progress schedules, and keeping all actions within budgeted amounts. Coordinates candidate interviews for all positions, makes final determinations for selections in the unit. Recommends submission of requests to servicing personnel office for appointments, promotions, or reassignments to unit positions. Directs ~60 professional, technical, administrative, and clerical employees comprising of Resident Engineers, Construction Engineers, Project Engineers, Technical Engineers, Technicians, and staff and is responsible for all Construction. Coordinates budgeting, funding, cost control, personnel, legal, real estate acquisition, and construction work with appropriate technical divisions, administrative and advisory branches, higher authority, agencies, users, and local interest groups. Participation, both direct and indirect, in design and planning review conferences with Government designers, contractors, other interested parties, to discuss construction aspects and problems. Direct staff in the performance of pre-bid/construction conferences to discuss principal features, and inform contractors of requirements concerning constructions scheduling, reporting, safety measures, wage and hour law observances and compliance. Observes/investigates construction at all stages to identify major problems and initiates timely corrective action. Responsible for inspecting work areas, making safety recommendations, and ensuring those corrective actions are taken. Act as the principal ACO/COR with authorized delegations. Supervise Resident Engineers with ACO/COR responsibilities for projects in the District including those executed during the construction phase by other districts and agencies. Manage staff to exercise delegated responsibility for the accomplishment of all contracts, including modifications to contracts, which may involve on-the-spot decisions, and instructions to contractors. Provide direction to make controlling contract interpretations of drawings and specifications and final engineering determination on methods and materials employed, ensuring requirements of the contract documents and will result in safe structures. Contacts with the Using Agency include assistance of all kinds which will contribute to the activation and timely completion of the facilities and the construction of functional and sound engineering structures.

Qualification

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the eudcation and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirement for Architect: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in architecture or in a related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems. OR B. Combination of Education and Experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least one of the following: (1) Related Curriculum - Degree in architectural engineering provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in statement A above, or (2) Experience: 1 year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of any college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that you have acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Basic Requirement for Engineers: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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), 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) examination, or any other written test required for professional registration, by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, or 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 A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program. 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 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. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: (1) Professionally developed communication skills (verbal and written) to serve as a Division Chief interacting with non-governmental agencies, project sponsors, military commands, local municipalities, superiors, peers, and subordinates on a daily basis; (2) The ability to manage competing workloads across geographically separated projects utilizing multiple contractors; (3) Develop organizational level policies and programs to ensure efficient and timely work delivery to remain on schedule and on budget; AND (4) Experience in overseeing complex construction projects. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-13). Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Evaluations

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference. DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only. Only PPP applicants currently occupying a formal training program position are entitled to exercise their priority status. Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.