MECHANICAL ENGINEER with Security Clearance

Position Description The Engineer advises on, administers, or performs professional, scientific, or technical work concerned with engineering or architectural projects, facilities, structures, systems, processes, equipment, devices, material or methods. He/she applies knowledge of the science or art, or both, by which materials, natural resources, and powers are made useful. As a journey-level Engineer, the incumbent works on varied, complex equipment systems and subsystems associated with research, innovation, or reengineering assignments and demonstrates competence and creativity in developing new concepts and new uses of material/hardware/software/tactics. Also, he/she develops or tests new equipment or material that significantly adds to the operability and usefulness of existing or new equipment/systems having new features. The Engineer provides technically sound advice and guidance to managers, supervisors, peers, and sponsors on specific technical aspects of systems or concept development. In many instances experimental data is nonexistent and the Engineer is required to develop plans and procedures to extend existing knowledge/tests to account for newly emerging ideas and projects. Concepts are often controversial and the Engineer, as a specialist, is called upon to technically defend and support his/her ideas and proposals. Technical contributions are recognized by management and peers as having significant impact on projects and the combined efforts of our mission-partners. He/she may also function as a Project Leader or Program Manager for small to medium projects/programs requiring services of Level II and III employees and/or contractors. As a program/project manager, the Engineer formulates approaches using knowledge or related projects to resolve a variety of nonrecurring technological problems. Some work may require state-of-the-art design to take advantage of new concepts in the development of advanced systems. The program/project manager may review proposals for expanded or alternative work proposed by other employees or contractors and make decisions on major issues and controversies by directing what work will be performed and what compromises can be accepted. The program/project manager is often the activity's primary contact point with contractors, other managers, and sponsors for specific projects. In this capacity, the Engineer develops plans and makes written and oral presentations to various interested personnel (i.e., contractors, sponsors, and managers) on program status, technical problems, scheduling, and costs. Engineering assignments may include major portions of large scale projects or consist of entire projects of a medium scale. Assignments are of such breadth that they may encompass several phases of the development process. The Engineer is expected to carry out work that may have little or no precedent and provides leadership in resolving major technical and administrative problems. The Engineer may lead a team to develop engineering criteria; analyze technical problems that are controversial; and, in general, extend the state-of-the-art in his/her specialty. Assignments normally include travel to other commands, universities, contractor plants, and sponsor headquarters to discuss and resolve difficult problems, assist in determining the direction of the project, and provide advice on new and emerging technologies. The supervisor assigns work by outlining overall objectives and available resources. The employee and supervisor, in consultation, discuss scope of the assignment, approaches, time frames, and possible execution phases. The employee is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment; resolving most conflicts independently; coordinating the work with others as necessary; interpreting policy and regulatory requirements in terms of established objectives; keeping the supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial problems, concerns, issues, or other matters; developing changes to plans and/or methodology; and providing recommendations for improvements in order to meet program objectives. The supervisor may review completed work for effectiveness in meeting requirements or producing expected results, the feasibility of recommendations, and adherence to requirements. At this level, the Engineer is considered to be a specialist both by the organization and his/her peers. He/she has extensive specialized training or experience in a subject matter or functional area. The incumbent is especially versatile and innovative in adapting, modifying, or making compromises in meeting project needs which contain a combination of complex features. The Engineer may be called upon to provide training and/or mentoring to other personnel. Since technology transfer is a NAVAIR strategic thrust and is required by law, the Engineer promotes the spin-off/transfer of federally owned or originated technology, as appropriate, to state and local governments and to the private sector to help strengthen the U.S. industrial base. Position Duties/Responsibilities n/a Minimum Salary 95,905 Maximum Salary 148,255