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Open: August 27, 2026 — Closes: September 2, 2026
Summary
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), Uncrewed Systems (UxS) Operations Center, with 1 vacancy in Gulfport, MS.
Major Duties
As a General Engineer, you will perform the following duties: Support oceanographic and hydrographic data collection missions by designing, integrating, testing, evaluating, and operationally employing uncrewed platforms and associated sensor systems. Contribute to the development and refinement of engineering standards, maintenance strategies, configuration control processes, and quality assurance practices for uncrewed marine systems. Plan, execute, and evaluate engineering test and evaluation (T&E) activities across the full system lifecycle. Develop test methodologies, performance criteria, acceptance standards, and operational validation processes for classes of uncrewed systems and sensor payloads. Evaluate system status and performance during operational deployments, including underway operations, and assess system performance, identify limitations, and recommend engineering improvements to enhance reliability, maintainability, and mission readiness. Provide engineering oversight of assigned uncrewed systems workspaces and support areas. Support evaluation modification, acceptance testing, and quality assurance activities. Coordinate with vendors and contractors for system repair, sustainment, and upgrades. Support the introduction and evaluation of new or modified uncrewed systems and subsystems by assessing engineering impacts to safety, performance, logistics, and operational integration. Maintain effective coordination with engineers, technicians, scientists, and operational staff. Monitor progress of assigned engineering tasks and ensure alignment with operational schedule and mission requirements. Support uncrewed systems training programs by providing engineering input into operational procedures, system limitations, and performance expectations. POSITION REQUIREMENTS: This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license. This position has physical requirements. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Supports required travel for uncrewed systems deployments. Involves extended periods aboard NOAA vessels or in remote operational environments. Subject to work that includes exposure to varying weather conditions, irregular hours, and physically demanding environments associated with maritime operations. Requires capability to safely operate small boats and government vehicles in support of fieldwork, logistics, and system deployment activities. This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
