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Summary This employee supports the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, WI. This employee serves as a professional computer network engineer in support of research, design, development, testing, evaluation and maintenance for computer hardware and software systems. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Steven Kalinosky at Steven.Kalinosky@usda.gov or James Bridwell at james.j.bridwell@usda.gov. Responsibilities Manipulates, analyzes, interprets, and conveys findings related to programming, electronic systems/instrumentation, and data acquisition systems. Provides technical engineering support, including recommendations for development of systems engineering techniques, computer science technologies and applications, and sophisticated electronic systems. Analyzes and selects methods/processes from a range of alternatives to evaluate operations, equipment, and activities; to adjust or deviate from standard work methods; and to coordinate and plan phases of an assignment. Interprets information from engineering references (including websites), agency policies and regulations, standard technical literature, manufacturer’s data. Modifies and adapts previous solutions to overcome routine software, application, system administration, and local network problems. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Basic Requirement for All Engineering positions: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdfFor detail, please see Education section below. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. For the GS-7 level: Applicants must have one full year of graduate level education (coursework directly related to position being filled). Directly related coursework would include computer engineering, IT, computer science, computer programming and/or computer networking courses. OR Superior Academic Achievement (click the link to determine if you are eligible: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) OR Successful completion of a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering. OR One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level. OR An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience. Professional engineering experience is defined as nonroutine engineering work that required and was characterized by (1) professional knowledge of engineering; (2) professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and (3) positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability. Minimum Qualifications Requirements: For the GS-07 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level. Specialized experience at this level is defined as 3 out of 4 of the following: 1). Performing basic contemporary software engineering practices, including object-oriented programming, behavior driven development, test driven development, version controls systems, and design patterns. 2). Identifying and selecting appropriate software architecture components, including operating systems, compilers, information storage and retrieval software, display processing and generation software, and applications programs for real-time and non-real-time processing functions. 3). Developing, programming, maintaining, and modifying computer software and applications. 4). Maintaining, repairing, replacing, upgrading, and installing computer and network systems, audio-visual systems, and Wi-Fi systems - including hardware, software, and components. For the GS-9 level: Applicants must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree (coursework directly related to the position being filled). OR Successful completion of a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering and 1 year of appropriate professional experience. OR A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate professional experience. OR One year of specialized professional engineering experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level. OR An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). Professional engineering experience is defined as nonroutine engineering work that required and was characterized by (1) professional knowledge of engineering; (2) professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and (3) positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability. Minimum Qualifications Requirements: For the GS-09 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level. Specialized experience at this level is defined as 3 out of 4 of the following: 1). Maintaining computational and software inventory using custom hardware and software solutions for experimental demands. 2). Designing, programming, maintaining, and modifying computer software and applications with a complex feature. 3). Researching, evaluating, recommending, procuring, installing, specifying, and implementing new technology, instrumentation, computer hardware and software, audio-visual equipment, networking and Wi-Fi gear, and commercially available systems and components to determine suitability for use. 4). Providing system administrator functions for non-enterprise networks, file servers (NAS), high-power and modeling computational center workstations, and local area networks. For the GS-11 level: Applicants must have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled). OR One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level. OR An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.) Professional engineering experience is defined as nonroutine engineering work that required and was characterized by (1) professional knowledge of engineering; (2) professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and (3) positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability. Minimum Qualifications Requirements: For the GS-11 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level. Specialized experience at this level is defined as 3 out of 4 of the following: 1). Designing, developing, programming, maintaining, and modifying computer software and applications with a variety of complex features. 2). Coordinating, executing, and providing technical engineering support - including development of new systems engineering techniques, computer science technologies and applications, and sophisticated electronic systems. 3). Developing and maintaining computer hardware and software, applications, software development, system administration, and networking. 4). Developing network design, hardware setup, and operating system/application installation. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Basic Requirements: A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by 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)1 , 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)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and 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 the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.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 bachelor's 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.) Additional Information The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. This position is eligible for telework. The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/ This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE. Forest Service daycare facilities are not available. Government Housing is not available. THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. This type of announcement provides the Forest Service with a readily available source of applicants when vacancies occur. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified when there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied. Information on specific locations where jobs are being filled and the dates when applications are due for these locations can be found at https://fsoutreach.gdcii.com/Outreach. This announcement will provide the Forest Service with a readily available source of applicants as vacancies occur. Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Eligibility and qualifications of applicants will be verified starting 4 weeks after the open date of this announcement.