TITLE: Electronics Engineer (Packaging), IS-855, Grade 13, $87,548.00 to $113,815.00/yr
TYPE OF POSITION: Trust Fund (non-federal) Indefinite
DIVISION: - Central Engineering
LOCATION: Cambridge, Massachusetts
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: All qualified candidates.

DUTIES: Duties of the Engineering Technician include but are not limited to:

-Coordinating the manufacture of state-of-the-art electronics that both satisfies scientific requirements for astrophysical data collection, and meets NASA/ESA qualifications for manned mission space-flight hardware to include:

a) Defining detailed packaging concepts for electronics hardware for space-flight applications.

b) Overseeing the development of production drawing packages, PC board design, and the manufacture and test of electronics systems and their component parts.

c) Developing detailed specifications, procedures, and manufacturing/assembly instructions for use by vendors, manufacturers, and/or SAO technicians in the development of space flight instrumentation.

-Conceiving, designing, and developing electronic systems that satisfy scientific requirements both ground based and/or space borne instrumentation for astrophysical data collection.

-Performing critical trade-off analyses of various methods of implementing electronic circuits/systems, and makes and documents recommendations for optimum alternatives taking into consideration both known and anticipated operating environments.

-Preparing cost estimates for design, fabrication and testing activities including the preparation of suitable backup data and presentation materials as required for proposals, project technical reviews, etc.

-Preparing technical memoranda and progress reports detailing efforts.

Supporting integration and debugging of electronic instrumentation at various field sites.

QUALIFICATIONS :
All applicants must meet these Basic Requirements:

A. Successful completion of a full four-year professional engineering curriculum leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in engineering in an accredited college or university. To be acceptable, the curriculum must:

1) 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 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. You may qualify based on a combination of education and experience - college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (l) a thorough knowledge of physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional 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: Current registration as a professional engineer by any state, Guam, Puerto Rico or District of Columbia.

2. Written test: Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training examination, or the written test required for professional registration which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (1) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college of university that included 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences; OR (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Boards for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants who apply for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science MUST meet the basic requirements in paragraph A.

Because of the diversity in kind and quality of BET programs, graduates of other BET programs are required to complete at least one year of additional education or highly technical work experience of such nature as to provide reasonable assurance of the possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for professional engineering competence. The adequacy of this background must be demonstrated by passing the EIT examination.

3. Specified academic courses: Successful completion of at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included courses specified in the basic requirement. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in the basic requirements in paragraph A.

4. Related curriculum: Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided you have at least one 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. The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.

Specialized Experience
In addition to Basic Requirements above, applicants must have at least one-year of professional engineering experience equivalent at least to the next lower grade level performing professional engineering work that is non-routine and required and was characterized by professional knowledge of engineering; professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability. This experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position and is typically in or related to the work of this position. This position requires one year of specialized experience providing electronics engineering expertise, including packaging and support to manufacturing, for the development of aerospace electronic instrumentation and associated ground based support equipment.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: We will only accept applications online for this position. For a copy of the complete vacancy announcement and how to apply, visit: USAJOBS

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in our workplace.