Mechanical Engineer

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official secure websites.

MENU

Sign in My jobs Profile Resumes & documents Search preferences Notifications Sign out

Events Help Center Search

Back to results

Apply

Mechanical Engineer Legislative Branch Architect of the Capitol

Apply | Print | Share | Save

Summary

This job is open to

Duties

Requirements

How you will be evaluated

Required documents

How to apply

Summary

The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) Utilities and Power Plant Operations. This is a unique opportunity to support the mission of the AOC and serve as a Mechanical Engineer who provides professional support for Steam and Chilled Water related engineering for the Capitol Power Plant (CPP) distribution system and plant buildings.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

Accepting applications Open & closing dates: 02/03/2026 to 12/31/2026

Salary: $120,579 - $156,755 per year Pay scale & grade: GS 13

Location: Washington, DC Vacancies: 2

Remote job: No Telework eligible: Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Travel Required: Not required Relocation expenses reimbursed: No

Appointment type: Permanent - Permanent Full Time Work schedule: Full-time - This is an Excepted Service position and does not require or confer Civil Service Competitive Status. Service: Excepted Promotion potential: 13

Job family Series: 0830 Mechanical Engineering Supervisory status: No Security clearance: Not Required Drug test: Yes Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS) / Low Risk Trust determination process: Suitability, Fitness, Financial disclosure: No

Announcement number: CPP-2026-106 Control number: 863228900

This job is open to:

• The public
• U.S. Citizens
• Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency: Please be advised that federal retired annuitant candidates may only be considered as a temporary employee if the role can be filled in that capacity. This position is open until filled.

Duties

The Engineer will provide technical assistance to evaluate and recommend specifications, oversee and perform design services, and perform construction inspections for various highly complex engineering projects with an emphasis on the mechanical infrastructure systems in the power plant and utility distribution system.

The distribution system distributes steam and chilled water from the CPP to the Government Printing Office (GPO), Union Station, Library of Congress, and the Capitol Campus (House and Senate Office Buildings, the Capitol Building, the Capitol Visitor Center, U.S. Botanic Garden, and the Supreme Court).

Major Duties:

Project Planning and Project Management

• Participates in construction and renovation projects with progressively more responsibility on a gradual basis from conception through completion as directed by CPP management.
• Establishes the scope of work, advising on the selection of consultants, coordinating consultants efforts with AOC staff, and resolving operational design and construction problems.
• Provides technical expertise to evaluate and recommend specifications and proposals for various Utility Distribution Systems (UDS) and plant engineering projects.
• Applies mechanical engineering knowledge and techniques to observe, examine, measure, analyze, map, and describe mechanical engineering applications and problems.
• Performs mechanical engineering planning and design by determining systems requirements, surveying the construction site, preparing designs, specifications, and estimates.
• Conducts practical research applying theoretical knowledge of the fields of mechanical engineering to actual problems of maintenance and construction.
• Follows agency engineering policies, standards, and criteria concerning the application of theories of mechanical engineering, mechanics (including pressure, flow, energy distribution of stresses resulting from load), and strength of materials.
• Develops and coordinates programs for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of facilities with which mechanical engineering is concerned.
• Studies problems inherent in maintaining and renovating tunnels and buildings of historic significance under the CPP jurisdiction.

Contractor Oversight

• Serves as Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR).
• Prior to project performance, reviews plans, specifications, and cost estimates for technical adequacy.
• During project performance, assists contractors in interpreting technical requirements, recommends changes in contract terms to the Contracting Officer, monitors and evaluates contractor performance, reviews contractor invoices, recommends corrective actions, and inspects and accepts contract deliverables.
• Assesses compliance with technical documents during the course of facility construction.
• Ensures conformance to plans, specifications, codes, standards, engineering best practices, and customer requirements.
• Investigates and reports on matters of concern with contractors which may lead to formal claims by the contractor.
• Works with design consultants, project managers, construction contractors, and Jurisdiction officials to resolve problems or conflicts impeding progress.
• Works with Contracting Officer to negotiate contract specification and design changes with Jurisdiction representatives, consultants, and contractors.
• Investigates requests for contract change orders.
• Considers work site conditions, field measurements, computations, and local labor rates.
• Computes periodic payments to contractors based on review of contractors cost breakdowns, progress data, materials, and equipment used, and survey reports.
• Coordinates with District of Columbia government and Federal agencies (e.g., OSHA, EPA) to ensure that construction operations are in compliance with safety and environmental regulations and standards.

Technical Advice and Guidance

• Provides guidance, technical advice, and consultation to lower-grade employees and specialists within the CPP in the performance of related assignments.
• Contributes to the resolution of technical difficulties that are amenable to changes in approach, criteria, or requirements.
• Conducts studies to develop criteria for situations encountered during field inspections.
• Facilitates the resolution of project-related issues and concerns that arise at the CPP Management level.
• Acts as the CPPs focal point for scope, schedule, and budget concerns.
• Provides timely and accurate responses to CPP Management questions.
• Helps prioritize CPPs work and facilitates monthly meetings with CPP Management and other AOC organizations.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

Conditions of Employment To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below:

• A citizen of the United States.
• A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B).
• A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible.
• A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands) and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408.
• A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.

Education You must possess a bachelors or higher degree in Engineering from an accredited college.

Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Managements (OPM) qualification requirements, including specialized experience and/or educational requirements for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards.

Specialized experience Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as the following:

1. Providing technical expertise to evaluate and recommend specifications and proposals for various Utility Distribution Systems (UDS) and plant engineering projects.
2. Performing security infrastructure program management.
3. Evaluating studies, plans, design specifications, and progress reports for architectural, engineering, and construction processes and projects.
4. Performing project management and monitoring for new construction, renovations, and improvements to facilities.
5. Serving as Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) or equivalent to ensure accurate and adequate oversight of contractor performance.

A Professional Engineer (PE) license is desired.

Education - Basic Requirements

1. Degree in professional engineering: To be creditable, the curriculum must:
   • Be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; OR
   • 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:
   • Statics
   • Dynamics
   • Strength of materials (stress-strain relationships)
   • Fluid mechanics (hydraulics)
   • Thermodynamics
   • Electrical fields and circuits
   • Nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties)
   • Any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics (such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics).
   • <
   • Combination of education and experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished:
     • A thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering; AND
     • 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:
     • A current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
     • Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination or the written test required for professional registration.
     • Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences that are fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum.
     • Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field.
     • <

       Special Instructions for Foreign Education Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional, accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.

       Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of coursework and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing if selected.

       Additional information

       • Moving expenses are not authorized.
       • Relocation expenses are not authorized.

       Probationary Period A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

       Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

       Benefits

       A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

       • A variety of health insurance plans
       • Retirement system with investment options
       • Paid holidays
       • Paid sick and annual vacation leave
       • Life insurance
       • Incentive systems
       • Subsidized transportation
       • Training and development opportunities, etc.

       The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees the opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program.

       Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

       How you will be evaluated

       You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

       Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job-specific self-assessment questions.

       Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement.

       The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

       • Knowledge of the mechanical engineering profession.
       • Knowledge of design and construction techniques used in contemporary and historic buildings and distribution systems.
       • Professional knowledge of building mechanical systems, boiler plant systems, chiller plant systems, materials, equipment, and engineering and construction best practices.
       • General knowledge of related professional engineering fields such as civil, structural, geo-technical, fire protection engineering, and landscape architecture.
       • Ability to understand fiscal contracting and administrative policies, procedures, and practices necessary to manage and to determine the economic feasibility of major technical programs.
       • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

       Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter.

       Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions.

       Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

       Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application.

       You may preview questions for this vacancy.

       Required documents

       The Architect of the Capitols job application process is designed to ensure that we only ask you for the information that is absolutely needed to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position.

       To apply for this position, you only need to submit online the following:

       1. Your resume.
       2. Answer the online vacancy assessment questionnaire.

       The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant supplemental information. No additional documentation or attachment is required at the time of application. We ask that you prepare and submit a resume that best describes fully your background, experience, skills, abilities, education, training, and other relevant credentials. The resume should include dates of employment.

       Nothing further is required until it is requested by the staff of the Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for a position, you will be asked to provide it during the selection process or upon selection. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

       For example, we may ask you to provide documents such as:

       • College transcripts
       • Copy of diploma
       • Proof of Federal employment status

       If the position requires a license or certification, we will ask candidates to provide proof at the time of selection.

       If you are claiming veterans preference, we may ask you to submit proof of Veterans preference (DD-214), and if claiming 10-point preference, the SF-15 plus proof required by that form.

       If you fail to provide the required documents, we will withdraw a tentative job offer made and/or remove you from further consideration.

       DRUG TESTING The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOCs suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test.

       The selectees under the vacancy announcement for this position are subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

       This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

       If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

       Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

       How to Apply

       You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL, OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

       If you are a new user to the USAJOBS Site and have never registered for an account, you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying.

       You must be a registered USAJOBS user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position.

       For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page.

       NEED HELP? If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available. If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times.

       All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS "Saved Documents" feature.

       If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may call 202-226-7000 for directions.

       Agency contact information Nyika Hinson Phone: 202.718.5736 Email: nyika.hinson@aoc.gov Address: Architect of the Capitol United States Capitol Washington, District of Columbia 20515 United States

       Next steps

       You can check the status of your application by logging into http://www.usajobs.gov.

       You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJOBS Account, editing your profile, and changing the Notification Settings to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes.

       Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.

       Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance:

       • Criminal history inquiries
       • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
       • Financial suitability
       • New employee probationary period
       • Privacy Act
       • Reasonable accommodation policy
       • Selective Service
       • Signature and false statements
       • Social security number request

       Architect of the Capitol The mission of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is to serve Congress and the Supreme Court, preserve Americas Capitol, and inspire memorable experiences. The AOC is responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of 18.4 million square feet of buildings and more than 570 acres of land throughout Capitol Hill. The AOC provides a welcoming and educational environment for millions of visitors through the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center and the U.S. Botanic Garden. Learn more at https://www.aoc.gov/careers.

       The AOC prides itself on its Core Values of Teamwork, Integrity, Professionalism, Pride, and Safety.

       Expand | Hide how to apply Expand | Hide next steps