General Engineer

General Engineer

This position serves as a critical technical resource for enabling national and international spectrum strategies, protecting mission-critical federal systems, and supporting global U.S. leadership in wireless technology innovation. This includes applying RF engineering principles to ensure spectrum-dependent systems are planned, coordinated, and operated efficiently, without harmful interference. These principles may include the analysis of communications, radar, and radio navigation systems; computational simulation and modeling of RF systems and electromagnetic compatibility and interference scenarios;

and the development, testing, and evaluation of RF sensors, radio navigation systems, and defense systems. It provides a unique career path for engineers at the intersection of policy, science, and advanced telecommunications systems. As a General Engineer, you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as an RF engineering expert for OSM and advisor for the technical assessment and analysis of federal views for domestic and international spectrum regulatory and policy development by providing technical leadership, advice, and assistance on complex, controversial, or precedent-setting matters with high-level officials.
• Lead technical analyses to support the development and assessment of domestic and international spectrum policy and regulations including for spectrum repurposing activities, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radio communication Conferences (WRCs), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule makings, and NTIA Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Radio Frequency Management (Redbook).
• Assist in the establishment of overarching methodologies and processes for conducting RF analyses and measurements across OSM.
• Conduct or assess high-level analyses of RF propagation, link budgets, modulation schemes, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for terrestrial, airborne, and space-based systems.
• Conduct or assess technical impact evaluations of new and proposed systems on shared and adjacent bands, ensuring protection of critical federal systems (e.g., communications, radar, satellite, aviation).
• Work closely with other Federal agencies and the private sector to identify opportunities for cooperation on domestic and international initiatives related to identifying new and managing existing spectrum resources.
• Apply knowledge of the statutory and regulatory frameworks that serve as the basis for spectrum management policy domestically and internationally, especially the NTIA Redbook and ITU Radio Regulations.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to the Technical Panel assessing requests by the Federal agencies to access the Spectrum Relocation Fund.
• Represent NTIA and the U.S. government on interagency or intergovernmental working groups, committees, or conferences relating to technical and policy issues domestically and internationally.
• Serve as a principal speaker or panel member in a wide variety of workshops, seminars, and conferences.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other General Engineer GS-0801-15, FPL 15 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience.