Electrical Engineer

Architect of the Capitol•Washington, DC

About The Position

This position is in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE). The Electrical Engineer provides engineering expertise in the design, installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical and electronic systems for the AOC. Duties are described at the GS-13 level, although management may select at any grade level. The role supports electrical engineering projects, design, studies, and investigations for AOC facilities, systems, and equipment. The employee must comply with applicable OSHA, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, and AOC safety rules and regulations. Other related duties may be assigned.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Resume and responses to application questions must demonstrate job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities; applicants must meet the definition of specialized experience and all eligibility and qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.
GS-13 candidates must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes providing expert advice on electrical and electronic aspects of design, operation, and mechanical systems and equipment; project-management control within the electrical discipline; serving as a COTR or equivalent on construction and consultant contracts; and facilitating power-quality and capacity studies, remediation, UPS and emergency-power strategy, short-circuit and load-coordination studies, and control-system strategies.
GS-12 candidates must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11 in the Federal service, including the listed electrical-engineering advice, project-management control, COTR or equivalent contract experience, and professional-engineering study and strategy experience.
GS-11 candidates must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 in the Federal service, including the listed electrical-engineering advice, project-management control, COTR or equivalent contract experience, and professional-engineering study and strategy experience.
Meet the engineering education requirement through either a qualifying bachelor's degree in engineering from a school with an ABET-accredited program, or specified engineering coursework including calculus and courses in five of seven listed engineering science or physics areas; alternatively, qualify through a combination of education and experience meeting the stated engineering-science criteria and an accepted means of demonstrating competence, such as current EI/EIT or PE registration/licensure or passing the Fundamentals of Engineering examination or another required written professional examination.
Foreign education must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. education; selected applicants educated in whole or in part outside the United States must provide the equivalency evaluation and course-by-course listing.
Pass a drug test; satisfactory completion is a condition of employment.
A selectee is subject to a criminal-record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication.
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify Selective Service registration or provide proof of exemption.
Newly appointed selectees must complete a one-year trial or probationary period.

Responsibilities

Review consultant design activities for accuracy, technical competence, and fulfillment of project objectives.
Provide technical expertise on installation, testing, commissioning, start-up checkout, and preparation of electrical and electronic systems.
Collaborate with senior engineers to resolve challenging electrical and electronic engineering problems in accordance with the AOC Design Standard.
Advise AOC officials and staff, including Superintendent organizations and the Office of the Chief Engineer, on electrical and electronic design, modernization, operation, repair, and maintenance of systems and equipment.
Prepare requirements and criteria for complex or high-value construction and facility, system, or equipment modification projects.
Work with project teams to determine project needs and goals and develop plans for completing projects.
Advise project managers and management on project-management matters, including deviations from approved schedule, budget, and scope; advise contractors and Superintendent offices within the assigned area of responsibility.
Design lighting, grounding, lightning protection, emergency power, generators, uninterruptible power supplies, power monitoring, control systems, underground utility infrastructure, fiber-optic and Ethernet networks, RF systems, antennas, and other systems.
Support design of unique or leading-edge technology and large-scale or high-value systems, including power systems at 15 kV, 4160 V, 277/480 V, and 120/208 V, and custom fiber networks.
For in-house design and construction projects, develop concepts, perform design calculations and analyses, prepare final working drawings and specifications, and perform construction supervision and coordination as required.
Review, advise on, and conduct analyses and development studies supporting major organizational programs, including complex studies involving novel, unprecedented, or controversial problems.
Conduct lighting surveys and prepare reports analyzing existing conditions and recommended changes to meet AOC and industry standards.
Conduct field investigations and develop schematic designs; assist with preparing and reviewing rough-order-of-magnitude cost estimates to develop design statements of work or inform in-house design approaches and requirements.
Investigate switchgear or network outages, determine causes, and recommend changes to prevent recurrence.
Consult with the supervisor to prepare, revise, and maintain electrical-system and equipment criteria, including AOC Design Standards and the A/E Design Manual.
Follow applicable safety rules and regulations to ensure work progresses safely.
Perform other related duties as assigned.