SYSTEMS ENGINEER (PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATES)

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO).The primary purpose of this position is to carry out developmental assignments in performing analyses and evaluations of limited systems engineering requirements of acquisitions such as information technology (IT) and Non-IT systems and equipment that support systems engineering activities and operations Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Duties

Before applying learn more at www.DHS.gov/APCP. As a SYSTEMS ENGINEER (PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATES), GS-0801-07, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision: Prepares systems engineering reports and related program documentation that address technical acquisition system. Performs analyses and evaluations of straightforward systems engineering requirements of acquisitions that include new, fielded, or modified systems including IT systems. Provides technical systems engineering assistance to implementing organizations and acquisition officials. Recent Graduates hired through this announcement are eligible to convert into positions up to the Full Performance of GS-12. This is an excepted service appointment under the Pathways Recent Graduates Program. After successful completion of the program requirements, the individual may at the agency's discretion be converted to a term or career or career-conditional appointment. All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5 business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 150 applications have been received, whichever happens first. View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Qualifications and evaluation

Applicant Rating Method: Unranked We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be considered in the following order: Preference eligibles having a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more; Other 10-point preference eligibles; 5-point preference eligible; and Non-preference eligibles (i.e., non-veterans). If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047685 Veterans: Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is considered scientific/professional.) Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non- preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration, or your score may be lowered. Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Education

Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR(2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. You must submit a copy of your college transcript. An unofficial transcript or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned can be used as a substitute for the official transcript at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and/or required supporting documentation. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found in your USAJOBS account under the "Track my application" link for the corresponding application. To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. To preview the questionnaire please click the link below: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047685. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ If you are unable to apply online or need to submit a document you do not have in electronic form, visit this link for more information regarding an alternate application process. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Required documents

Your resume NOTE: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center Your responses to the job questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047685 Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), Agency, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Additional information

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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. 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. Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result. This position may be filled at the GS-07 grade level only. Promotion to the GS-09, GS-11, and GS-12 level may occur without further competition. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Secret as a condition of placement in this Noncritical - Sensitive (Moderate Risk) position. This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.