Located in the Office of Cost Management, Program Development, Coordination, and Support Directorate, Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO/PDCS/COST).  Serves as a Architect/Cost Manager that provides expert professional advice, analyses, and guidance on construction costs for world-wide DOS renovations and new construction projects.  

Duties

Prepares estimates for construction projects; provides a complete range of cost analysis and cost management services. Conducts or reviews construction market surveys including gathering in-country construction cost data evaluating the impacts of laws, taxes, and all other conditions pertaining to construction cost estimates. Provide professional advice, analyses, and guidance on construction costs for world-wide DOS renovations and new construction projects. Conducts or facilitates the preparation of risk analyses for OBO construction cost estimates, including the development of project risk registers, identification of risk mitigation strategies, and calculation of appropriate contingency estimates. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and provides technical direction to architectural/engineering (A/E) contract cost engineers. At the GS-12 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined below; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receives closer than normal supervision than the GS-13 level.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Obtain/maintain eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information
• Statement of Employment & Financial Interest required prior to appointment.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. See the Education section for the Basic Requirement. IN ADDITION to the Basic Requirements above, you MUST also have 1 year of specialized experience that is related to the work of the position, is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service, and demonstrates the following: Experience preparing budget cost estimates for new construction and/or renovation projects. Experience identifying engineering issues related to construction methods, materials and technologies, contracting techniques, resources, scheduling and other technical aspects of the construction industry. IN ADDITION to the Basic Requirements above, you MUST also have 1 year of specialized experience that is related to the work of the position, is equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service, and demonstrates the following: Experience preparing budget cost estimates for new construction and renovation/improvement projects utilizing industry standard techniques, such as parametric cost modeling. Experience identifying and resolving engineering issues related to construction methods, materials and technologies, contracting techniques, resources, scheduling and other technical aspects of the construction industry. Experience preparing cost and/or technical reports and briefings to facilitate management personnel in decision making process.

Education

All applicants MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

Applicants applying as General Engineers must show that they possess a professional knowledge of architecture as evidenced by one of the following: Basic Requirements:

• Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college -OR-
• Have a combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (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. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Professional registration as an engineer.
2. Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test.
3. Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM.
4. Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Please review the OPM page on specifics about required curriculum and for more information on qualifications, please visit GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications.

Applicants applying as Architects must show that they possess a professional knowledge of architecture as evidenced by one of the following: Basic Requirements: A. Degree: architecture; or related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems. OR B. Combination of education and experience--college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least ONE of the following:

1. Related Curriculum: Degree in architectural engineering may be accepted as satisfying in full the basic requirements, provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in paragraph A. The curriculum for a degree in either architecture or architectural engineering covers function, esthetics, site, structure, economics, mechanical-electrical, and other engineering problems related to the design and construction of buildings primarily (but not exclusively) intended to house human activities. The courses required for a degree in architecture generally place emphasis upon planning, esthetics, and materials and methods of construction, while the courses for an architectural engineering degree place equal or greater weight on the technical engineering aspects such as structural systems, mechanical systems, and the properties of materials. Because of this difference in emphasis, persons with degrees in architecture may have a preference for work assignments that offer greater opportunities for them to express their artistic and creative abilities. As a result, they may be more concerned with planning and design aspects of architecture, and persons with degrees in architectural engineering may be more engaged in aspects emphasizing technical engineering considerations.
2. Experience: An applicant lacking a degree in architecture must have had l year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that the applicant has acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture.

Non-qualifying Experience: The following kinds of experience are NOT acceptable as professional architectural experience: professional landscape architecture work consisting mainly of the layout, design, construction, or maintenance of land areas and landscape features, including ground and water forms, vegetation, roads, walks, incidental structures, and other landscape features; experience in the application of artistic embellishment to practical design such as the decoration of interiors, including the construction, layout, and selection of furniture and furnishings that do not alter the basic architectural design of the interior; city and community planning work that relates to the broad social and economic growth and development of such community services and facilities as industry, commerce, transportation, streets, utilities, and parks. 

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.

Contacts

• Address U.S. Department of State 1999 Dyess Ave. Charleston Reg. Ctr., E119B Charleston, South Carolina 29405 United States
• Name: Amanda Lalla
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]