General Engineer – Direct Hire – SME
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration · Department of Transportation
This job in plain English
This is a full-time, remote job with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in its Accident Investigation Division. The General Engineer (Accident Investigator) investigates pipeline, underground gas storage, and Liquefied Natural Gas accidents and shares lessons learned. The agency is hiring 2 people through Direct Hire Authority, and the job can require up to 50% travel.
Can you apply?
Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen: this job is open to everyone.
- Open to everyoneAny U.S. citizen or national can apply. Some jobs also accept non-citizens; the announcement says so.
- Displaced federal employeesFederal employees who lost or are losing their job through a reduction in force (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
Other groups listed above may get extra consideration, for example veterans' preference.
Any U.S. citizen, national, or person who owes allegiance to the U.S. can apply. Federal employees whose job, agency, or department was eliminated get priority under career transition programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
What you would do
- Conducts and oversees pipeline failure and safety investigations.
- Serves as Federal OPS Coordinator on state-regulated pipeline failure investigations.
- Ensures data and technical reports are collected for failure analysis.
- Monitors the national pipeline system for serious incidents and accidents.
- Coordinates with federal and state agencies, industry, and the public on investigations.
Do you qualify for GS-12 to GS-13?
With experience: For GS-12, you need at least 1 year of experience equal to GS-11 in gas and liquid pipeline engineering (design, construction, operation, maintenance, repair, integrity management, or failure analysis), plus work on investigations or projects to improve transportation safety. For GS-13, you need at least 1 year of experience equal to GS-12 in risk management, pipeline integrity management, and management systems that protect facilities with critical environmental and safety impact.
With education: You must meet the engineering education requirement. This can be an engineering bachelor's degree from an ABET-accredited program, or a program with calculus and five of seven listed engineering science or physics areas. Education can also qualify through a combination of coursework and experience, such as passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, having 60 semester hours of science and engineering courses, or a related science degree plus 1 year of engineering experience. Degrees must come from schools accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting body.
How to apply well
What to send:
- Resume of no more than 2 pages showing dates, hours per week, titles, and series and grade for federal jobs
- Transcripts, which need not be official but must show required engineering courses
- Copy of PE license or written proof of passing the EIT exam, if you qualify that way
- SF-50 forms showing start date and a later SF-50 at least 52 weeks later, if you are a current or former federal employee
- For CTAP or ICTAP: most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility letter, and current SF-50
- Paragraph responses describing your experience that match your resume
How you will be rated: Phase I checks whether your resume shows the required specialized experience, using only the first two pages. Phase II has a subject matter expert rate your knowledge, skills, and abilities in incident management, technical problem solving, and accident investigation. Experience not supported by your resume will not count, and missing required information can lead to an ineligible rating.
Tips for this job:
- Your resume must list dates, hours per week, and position details for every job, and only the first two pages will be reviewed.
- Transcripts are required because you must meet the engineering education requirement, so get them ready early.
- Uploading files does not attach them automatically, so check that each document appears in your application before you submit.
Good to know before you apply
Schedule: Full-time
Incentives and relocation: No relocation expenses reimbursed.
Conditions of employment:
- U.S. citizenship required
- 1-year probationary period
- Selective Service registration for males born after 12/31/1959
- Government travel card for official travel only
- Background investigation with favorable adjudication required
- Pre-employment drug test and random drug testing, including marijuana
- Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and yearly
We wrote this summary automatically from the official announcement. The announcement on USAJOBS is the only one that counts: read it before you apply.
Job details
- Salary
- $102,415 – $158,322 per year
- Pay scale and grade
- GS-12 to GS-13 · General Schedule
- Location
- Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
- Appointment
- Permanent
- Work schedule
- Full-time
- Service
- Competitive
- Openings
- 2
- Security clearance
- Other
- Travel
- 50% or less
- Drug test
- Not required
- Supervisory
- No
- Occupation
- General Engineering (0801)
- Announcement
- PHMSA.PSRG-2027-0003
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