NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Mechanical Engineer to join our team! This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.

Duties

Develop a breath surrogate delivery system and analyze the characteristics of as-delivered calibration gases prepared from standard mixtures that have been evaluated for stability. Characterize stability of the gas standard mixture and the effect of time, humidity and concentration of gases added to approximate real breath. Troubleshoot delivery systems that are humidified. Benchmark the delivery system with a known biomarker discovery workflow. Engage with the project team weekly to discuss research progress and results. To adapt the delivery system to incorporate delivery to different sensor technologies. Strive to achieve accurate, world-class scientific measurements to support the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML), the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division and the Fluid Characterization Group (FCG) priorities (https://www.nist.gov/mml/acmd/fluidcharacterization-group). FCG focuses on challenging, real-world systems that contain trace compounds or reactive molecules, typically in complex mixtures. The principal duties for the research chemist are on the Boulder, CO campus of NIST. Duties include interacting with and collaborating with a multidisciplinary scientific workforce with experience ranging from student interns to Ph.D. level staff scientists.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment
• Bargaining Unit Position: No

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: A. Degree in 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), 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) 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. In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must meet the specialized experience requirements below: If applying at the ZP-IV: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level (ZP-III equivalent for NIST). Specialized experience is described as experience in the areas of mass spectrometry operation and theory, thermophysical properties, forensics, analytical chemistry, statistical analysis, experience in quantitative and qualitative analyses of chemical compounds, complex mixtures, and bulk and microscale materials desirable; and developing and validating novel methods and instrumentation. Experience developing databases to track performance metrics. Experience in proposing new projects and presenting research findings at conferences. Proven ability to publish research findings in peer reviewed manuscripts. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. Applicant Reconsideration

Education

This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.

Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.

Contacts

• Address Applied Chemicals and Materials Division 100 Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20899 US
• Name: Tailor Thompson
• Email: [email protected]