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Civil Engineer- Structural

Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, and is responsible for performing duties related to bridge and structural components of Federal Lands Highway's (FLH) projects.



Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/26/2018 to 08/30/2019
Salary
$46,609 to - $73,105 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 09
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Sterling, VA
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Less than 20%
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation is available.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
FHWA.EFL-2019-0013
Control number
517668600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to All U.S. Citizens

Duties

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As a Civil Engineer (Structural), at the full performance (GS-12 level), you will:

  • Serve as a senior level structural engineer developing, promoting, and applying sound design, plan development, construction support, and maintenance for the structural components of Federal Lands Highway projects. As a technical resource to the Structures Office, other agency professionals, agency officials, field employees, and private A/E firms, you will provide structures support over the life of the project from preliminary planning through construction for Federal Lands Highway projects. The projects occur primarily on Federal lands managed by other Federal agencies, such as the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, and cover a multistate area. Work encompasses the design and repair of a wide variety/range of structures and the application of advanced structural theories, state of the art technology, and innovative structural construction techniques. As delegated, serve as a lead designer for the project.
  • Interpret and apply relevant structural codes and guidelines for design, construction, testing, and maintenance of structures, including seismic design and retrofit; determine structural design parameters; design approved structures using appropriate mathematical analysis for loading.
  • Develop Plans, Specifications & Estimates (PS&E) for bridges and other highway structures that comply with FLH Bridge Design Manual, AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, AASHTO Construction Specifications, and other appropriate standards and guidelines.
  • Use MicroStation, CADD, and structural analysis computer programs/software to design structures.
  • Use advanced analysis including concrete, steel and prestressed concrete design for both new construction and rehabilitation to address project needs.
  • Use the most current technologies, standards, and practices in the development of projects.
  • Provide technical assistance in the review of structures construction submittals or proposals, issue resolution, and field support.

The ideal candidate for this position is a structural engineer with experience effectively working in multi-disciplinary teams; providing bridge design services as well as developing the development of Plans, Specifications, and Estimates packages; and using CADD and design software programs in detailing structures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date
  • Announcement also advertised Merit Promotion: FHWA.EFL-2019-0012.
  • This position is telework eligible.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for consideration for an engineering position:

A. Successful completion of a degree in engineering that: (1) has at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) that included differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced that first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics:  (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials; (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials; and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics; OR

B. Combination of education or training: college level education, training and/or technical experience that has furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying 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 or licensure - current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE).
2. Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
3. Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences which included the courses as specified in Paragraph A above.
4. Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. There should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering type experience. This must be clearly described in your resume.

For more specifics, please see the OPM qualifications standard for GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf

 

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-07 on Education, you must have:

  • One full year of graduate education in a field directly related to the position may be substituted for specialized experience OR superior academic achievement.

**Superior Academic Achievement.- In the upper one-third of graduating class; OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0, as recorded on official transcript, or based on courses completed during final 2 years of curriculum; OR a GPA of 3.5 or higher out of 4.0, based on average of required courses completed in major or required courses in major completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR Honor Society Membership.**

To qualify for the GS-07 on Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-05, it must include :

  • Experience assisting with professional engineering concepts, theories, and practices.

You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience.  This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.  

 TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-9 on Education, you must have:

  • A Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR
  • Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
  • A LL.B. or J.D., if related

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07, it must include:

  • Experience using CADD software (such as Microstation or AutoCAD) to develop plans and details and calculate and document pay items quantities.
  • Experience providing engineering design support services to assist in the development of structures or structural components for highway improvement projects such as culverts, bridge superstructures, short single span bridges, and / or simple and continuous span bridges.

You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience.  This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.  

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).  Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS (See Qualifications Section)

Additional information

Given our continuing need for professionals in this field, we will routinely review applications and refer the top candidates for potential interviews multiple times during the open period of the announcement.  We will do monthly reviews and referrals of applications on an as needed basis with the final review occurring after January 2019.

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a model federal work environment that is free of discrimination. DOT ensures equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, or protected activity.

PLEASE NOTE:  This vacancy may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days for this location.

 

 

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

How you will be evaluated

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

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. 

If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze, which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over non-veterans.  The top-rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If your resume does not support the specialized experience or if your application does not support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions, your final rating may be modified and/or you may be disqualified from consideration.


Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.  If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


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