Fire Protection Engineer

Basic Qualifications: Education 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 In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lowest grade level as defined below, in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. GS-12: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position specialized experience is defined as conducting fire safety surveys of a variety of buildings; developing risk assessments; applying fire protection principles and techniques, including the use of performance-based engineering analysis to solve complex fire protection issues; reviewing drawings and specifications for building construction and renovation to ensure compliance with current standards for fire protection and life safety. GS-13: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position, specialized experience is defined as conducting fire safety surveys of a variety of buildings; developing risk assessments; applying fire protection principles and techniques, including the use of performance-based engineering analysis to independently solve complex fire protection issues; reviewing drawings and specifications for building construction and renovation to ensure compliance with current standards for fire protection and life safety; and serving as a consultant on fire protection and prevention to upper levels of management, engineers, and other personnel. 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. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The responsibility of the Fire Protection Division (FPD), Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (OSHEM) is to develop and coordinate a comprehensive Smithsonian (SI) Fire Protection Program, which includes fire safety and fire prevention.