Mechanical Engineer (Structural / Project Engineer)
Job Description
Duties
The incumbent of this position will provide mechanical/structural engineering expertise and technical leadership to instruments being developed by SAO for the 25-meter class Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). The initial assignment will be to serve as Lead Mechanical/Structural Engineer and Deputy Project Engineer for the GMT Multi-object Astronomical and Cosmological Spectrograph (GMACS) instrument. The incumbent will also support the development of other ground-based instrumentation as required The incumbent will collaborate with scientists to identify pioneering technology to be applied to the development of cutting-edge instruments that support the advance of Observatory scientific research objectives and will ensure the translation of these concepts into functional hardware. The incumbent will often be required to support multiple complex projects simultaneously
Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Provides specialized technical expertise in the development of scientific instrumentation that is at or extends state-of-the-art from conceptual design through integration, testing, commissioning, and operations. As Deputy Project Engineer, supports the Project Engineer, Program Manager, and Principal Investigator in maintaining technical oversight of the project and has ultimate responsibility for the mechanical and structural aspects of the design and test integrity of assigned contract or project end items
- Supports the preparation of engineering cost estimates, schedules, plans, technical reports, and engineering input to project proposals. Supervises the mechanical and structural engineering staff assigned to the project and adheres to engineering budgets and schedules. Provides technical direction to, and is a liaison with, technical sub-contractors as required.
- Conducts detailed structural trades and analyses at the concept and detailed design levels to inform technical decisions. Supports the development of requirements and associated compliant systems designs.
- Works with the Chief Systems Engineer and Project Engineer to prove compliance to engineering performance budgets and requirements.
- Provides mechanical and structural engineering expertise to the design/development of optical instrumentation including telescopes, cameras, and other optical sub-systems.
- Participates in the assembly of complex instrumentation involving intricate structures, mechanisms, and optics.
- Extensively documents work in technical memoranda, reports, test plans, and procedures. Develops technical specifications to communicate needs internally and suppliers and partners. Prepare procurement documentation that sets expectations and delivery criteria. In conjunction with Project and SAO Contracts’ Office staff provides technical direction to suppliers as needed. Develops documentation that describes the technical approach, results, and conclusions of engineering trades and analyses. Either singly or in collaboration with project scientists and other engineers, may write technical papers recording innovative design techniques and criteria, and present results at technical symposia in the specialty fields.
- Serves as the project’s mechanical/structural representative to both internal and external stakeholders including senior management and staff at SAO, the GMT Organization (GMTO), and review teams. Makes both oral and written presentations to project scientists and technical representatives of contracting agencies and cooperating or affiliated organizations. Develops and presents detailed technical content at internal weekly status reviews, international conferences, and major gate reviews involving external partners. Serves on technical task forces, review teams, and committees.
- Contributes at a leadership level to instrument fabrication, assembly, and test activities, both in SAO laboratories and externally, including at vendor or partner facilities and/or telescope sites, such as during systems installation at the GMT site in Chile.
- Travels both nationally and internationally as required to support project activities.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- May be required to serve a one-year probationary period
- Pre- and post-appointment background investigation
- Must participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds for salary payment
Basic qualification requirements can be found at https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-IV/A/GS-PROF.asp and https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-IV/B/GS0800/0800.htm.
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
(A) Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must:
(1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; 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 professional 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.
In addition to the Basic Requirements, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
One year of professional experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to grade 13 level work within or closely related to the position. Specialized experience for this position would typically include experience with engineering analysis and structural systems of space borne and ground based state of the art scientific instrumentation.
This position has a mandatory education requirement; you must furnish a copy of your transcript of college work completed (unofficial copy is acceptable) or a copy of your degree certificate. Non-submission will result in you being rated ineligible for the position.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
Additional information
For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination requirements and its impact on your application, click on Smithsonian Institution’s Frequently Asked Questions
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:
- Mastery of the principles and practices of applied mechanical/structural engineering in the field of optical instrumentation-as evidenced by professional experience in the design and fabrication of optics and related instrumentation-to enable the incumbent to translate scientific requirements into functional hardware and to provide expert technical advice on complex instrument development to CFA scientists, engineers, and the scientific and/or technical staff of contracting and cooperating organizations. This will include strong analytical skills and knowledge of related engineering fields such as structural engineering and the use of advanced materials.
- Demonstrable technical leadership skills, including the ability to assist in defining the technical scope of engineering projects accurately; to generate realistic project technical goals, budgets, and schedules; andto organize and direct the work.
- Expert knowledge of the design and functionality of the complex precision mechanisms used in optical instrumentation.
- Ability to utilize a variety of design and analysis tools including ZEMAX or other optical design software, CAD packages, and structural analysis software. Specifically, extensive structural analysis skills are required in the areas of mounting optics, thermal-elastic deformation, structural-thermaloptical-performance (STOP) analysis, vibration and dynamics analysis, stiffness and strength analysis and the applications thereof to mechanisms that support optical assemblies.
- Ability to apply and incorporate cutting-edge technology into design problems that may not be readily tractable by established methods
- Ability to communicate technical information effectively, both orally and in writing
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Your application package must include the following documents:
Detailed resume or Curriculum vitae- School transcripts (official or unofficial) or degree certificate
- Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
- You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button.
- Clicking the "DONE" tab does not submit your application. The "DONE" tab allows you to exit the system and save your information for completion at a later time. To submit your application, click the "FINISH" tab.
- The complete application package, including any required documents and responses to all questions, is due in the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
Agency contact information
Angel Flewelling
Phone
617-496-7817
Fax
617-495-7263
Email
hflewelling@cfa.harvard.edu
Address
SMITHSONIAN
Human Resources
60 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138
Mail Stop 17
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
United StatesNext steps
You will receive an e-mail to acknowledge that your application has been received. Please be aware that the confirmation e-mail could reside in your "junk" or "bulk" mail folder depending on your filters. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed.
Additional Information:- The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses.
- A recruitment bonus may be paid.
- The Smithsonian embraces diversity and equal employment opportunity.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
Your application package must include the following documents:
Detailed resume or Curriculum vitae- School transcripts (official or unofficial) or degree certificate
- Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This job is open to
-
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
This position requires access to export-controlled work. The candidate must be a U.S. person (citizen, permanent resident, approved asylee or refugee) or be a national of a country eligible to be approved on an export license who is eligible to work in the US. First consideration may be made 14 days from the opening date of this vacancy.
