Engineer

Naval Sea Systems Command • Panama City Naval Surface Warfare Center, FL

5d

About The Position

This is a public notice flyer announcing anticipated Engineer vacancies; applications will not be accepted through the flyer, and vacancies may or may not be filled. The Engineer will work within NSWCPCD’s specialized coastal and littoral missions, including Littoral Warfare, Mine Warfare, Naval Special Warfare, Diving and Life Support, and Amphibious Warfare. The position serves as the primary technical authority for mechanical system design, integration, and configuration management on major prototype platforms. The Engineer evaluates complex mechanical, thermal, and fluidic systems for compliance with NAVSEA safety criteria, MIL-SPECs, and system certifiability standards, and translates fleet capabilities and mission requirements into mechanical and structural design criteria.

The role independently prepares technical requirement documents, interface control agreements, and manufacturing specifications for next-generation unmanned maritime vehicles or diving and life-support assets. It also identifies design vulnerabilities, material limitations, and operational failures; develops redesigns and long-term corrections; integrates hardware subsystems into host platforms while addressing space, weight, and environmental survivability constraints; and leads development, validation, and execution of high-fidelity mechanical physics-based models and simulations.

The position is part of the Warfare Centers Personnel Demonstration Project, with a full performance level at the ND-04 pay band (GS-12 through GS-13 equivalent). The flyer describes qualification paths at ND-02, ND-03, and ND-04. Several vacancies may be filled, and certain incentives, including relocation, may be authorized for eligible selectees.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen and determined suitable for federal employment.
• Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
• New Department of the Navy employees must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Retired military members appointed to a civilian position within 180 days of retirement are subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 3326.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance before entering duty; failure to maintain the required clearance may result in withdrawal of an offer or removal.
• Must obtain the DAWIA certification for the assigned functional area and tier, and required Continuous Learning points, within established timeframes.
• May be required to travel from the normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS locations, including remote or isolated sites, and must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods.
• ND-04 qualification: At least one year of specialized professional engineering experience at or equivalent to the ND-03 pay band (GS-9 through GS-11 equivalent), including experience designing and modeling complex mechanical and electromechanical systems for robotics, uncrewed platforms, and naval applications using CAD; operating or supervising CNC mills, lathes, and polymer and metal 3D printers to fabricate and assemble prototypes; integrating mechanical components with electrical, control, and software systems; developing and conducting prototype test plans; working with military operators and technicians to incorporate operational input; and maintaining design documentation, assembly procedures, and bills of materials while applying Design for Manufacturability principles.
• ND-03 qualification: At least one year of specialized professional engineering experience at or equivalent to the ND-02 pay band (GS-5 through GS-8 equivalent), including experience designing, developing, fabricating, integrating, and testing mechanical and electromechanical systems for robotics, uncrewed systems, and naval applications; using CAD, simulation, and rapid-prototyping tools; operating or overseeing CNC and additive-manufacturing systems; collaborating with electrical, software, and operational users; developing and executing test plans; and maintaining engineering drawings, assembly instructions, test documentation, and bills of materials using Design for Manufacturability principles.
• ND-02 qualification: Successful completion of a full four-year course of study at an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree, with a major field of study meeting the education requirements described in the flyer.
• Basic engineering education requirement: An engineering bachelor’s degree from a school with at least one ABET-accredited program, or a qualifying engineering science/physics curriculum that includes differential and integral calculus and advanced courses in five of seven specified areas; alternatively, qualifying education and experience may be demonstrated through professional registration or licensure, passing the Fundamentals of Engineering examination, at least 60 qualifying semester hours, or a related curriculum plus at least one year of professional engineering experience under professional engineering supervision and guidance.
• For ND-03, education may substitute for specialized experience through a master’s or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education toward such a degree, or a qualifying combination of experience and graduate education.
• A tentative offer may be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet pre-employment requirements, including failure to attend scheduled appointments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as an Engineer within NSWCPCD’s coastal and littoral mission areas, including Littoral Warfare, Mine Warfare, Naval Special Warfare, Diving and Life Support, and Amphibious Warfare.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for mechanical system design, integration, and configuration management on major prototype platforms.
• Evaluate complex mechanical, thermal, and fluidic systems for compliance with NAVSEA safety criteria, MIL-SPECs, and system certifiability standards.
• Translate fleet capabilities and mission requirements into detailed mechanical and structural design criteria.
• Author technical requirement documents, interface control agreements, and manufacturing specifications for unmanned maritime vehicles or diving and life-support assets.
• Analyze design vulnerabilities, material limitations, and operational failures, and implement engineering redesigns to mitigate mission risks.
• Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve complex systemic mechanical failures in active military hardware and engineer long-term design corrections.
• Lead mechanical design, analysis, and integration of hardware subsystems into host platforms while resolving space, weight, and environmental survivability constraints.
• Lead development, validation, and execution of high-fidelity mechanical physics-based models and simulations to predict structural, thermal, or dynamic system response.
• Design, model, develop, fabricate, integrate, and test mechanical and electromechanical systems supporting robotics, uncrewed systems, and naval applications, as applicable to the qualification level.
• Use CAD, simulation, and rapid-prototyping tools to develop and refine designs; operate or oversee advanced manufacturing equipment to produce prototype hardware.
• Collaborate with electrical and software engineers, military operators, technicians, and operational users to resolve integration issues and incorporate field requirements and user feedback.
• Develop and execute test plans to evaluate prototype performance, structural integrity, environmental resistance, durability, functional reliability, and system performance against operational requirements.
• Maintain engineering drawings, assembly procedures or instructions, test documentation, and bills of materials, applying Design for Manufacturability principles to support transition to production.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; eligibility depends on position type and other factors.
• Recruitment, relocation, or student loan repayment incentives may be authorized for eligible selectees.
• A relocation incentive may be authorized to help offset relocation costs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level