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Civil Engineer

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Civil Engineer. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.

The final determination of the duty station for this position will be made by the selecting official at the time of the job offer. Flexibilities to work remotely in a virtual posture may be considered.

https://www.usbr.gov/gp/employment/living_conditions.pdf

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/03/2023 to 12/04/2023
Salary
$92,928 to - $118,499 per year

This salary reflects the special salary rate for Engineers in Billings, MT. Pay will be set by your duty location and could vary.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Loveland, CO
Pueblo, CO
Billings, MT
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
76% or greater - You will be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
BOR-MB-23-DH-11950360-JB
Control number
723849300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position will be filled under the Office of Personnel Management's Direct-Hire Authority and is open to All United States Citizens and U.S. Nationals. Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

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Duties

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  • Performs engineering aspects of contract administration including reviewing construction schedules, reviewing and performing technical engineering analysis of proposed contract modifications, disputes and resulting negotiations, and final decisions, coordinating review and approval of required technical data, performing labor compliance checks, reviewing and approving contractor's request for progress payment, providing documentation through correspondence, final construction reports, and as-built drawings as appropriate, and monitoring contractor's safety plan as required.
  • Reviews draft contract plans and specifications from the standpoint of constructability, adequacy of payment provisions, contractor quality control provisions, inspection and quality assurance provisions, sufficiency of layout, and detail.
  • Participates in the preparation of design data packages on assigned projects.
  • Responsible for monitoring construction progress, inspection and quality control programs, and safety compliance, and coordinating field problems with designers, contracting officer, and others and assisting in resolution of problems.
  • Prepares correspondence and reports in regard to general construction matters in the Region.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

-You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
-You must be suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
-You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
-You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
-You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
-You must maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times will result in removal from the position.
-You will be required to obtain a successful pre-employment physical examination by a licensed physician certifying your ability to perform the duties of this position. A physical exam may not be required if a comparable agency approved examination was performed within the last 12 months. The cost of the exam will be reimbursed by the agency.

Qualifications


To be eligible for consideration, you must first meet the Basic Education Requirement for this position, having a

A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; 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. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that 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) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.

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.*For more information about EI and EIT registration requirements, please visit the National Society of Professional Engineers website at: http:// www.nspe.org.**The FE examination is not administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. For more information, please visit: http:// www.nspe.org/Licensure/HowtoGetLicensed/index.html.

3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.

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 has had at least 1 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.)

Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above, except as noted under B.1., may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and/or specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.

To qualify at the GS-11, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-9 level in federal service having demonstrated experience performing the engineering aspect of contract administration functions associated with construction activities at embankment and concrete dams, hydroelectric powerplants, and related or similar features. Includes experience participating in the review of draft contract specifications and drawings from the standpoint of constructability and technical feasibility, participating in reviewing technical data, performing technical engineering analysis of proposed contract modifications and resulting negotiations, and in monitoring construction progress. You could otherwise qualify on the basis of Education having three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a PhD. or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. You may combine specialized experience and education to meet the minimum qualifications.

To qualify at the GS-12, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-11 level in federal service having demonstrated experience performing the engineering aspect of contract administration functions including the duties of Contracting Officer's Representative associated with construction activities at embankment and concrete dams, hydroelectric powerplants, and related or similar features. Includes experience in reviewing draft contract specifications and drawings from the standpoint of constructability and technical feasibility, reviewing technical data, performing technical engineering analysis of proposed contract modifications and resulting negotiations, and monitoring construction progress.

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.

Selective Placement Factor (GS-12): This position requires a current, valid PE License at the full performance GS-12 level. Failure to provide proof of such license will cause you to be rated ineligible for this position.

You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 12/04/2023.

Education

This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-11 grade level. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.

Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.

Additional information

Initial consideration will be given to candidates whose applications have been received before the first cut-off date on Qualification requirements must be met for those applications submitted by the first cut-off date on 5/16/2023. After the initial cut off, referral lists will be issued monthly.

You may be required to serve an initial probationary period. Current, permanent Federal employees who are selected from this announcement may be required to serve a probationary period.

Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information, visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses are authorized with the exception of the Guaranteed Home Sale Provision or first-post-of-duty relocation expenses are authorized, as applicable. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law December 2017, suspends the moving expense deduction and the exclusion from income of qualified employer reimbursements of moving expenses that was allowed under previous tax laws. Employer reimbursements for moving costs are now generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may request consideration for a Superior Qualifications Appointment. For information, visit: OPM Fact Sheet.

Related non-Federal experience or related experience as retired members of the uniformed services may be credited towards computing entitlement to leave accrual, at managerial discretion, providing that experience meets certain criteria. This provision allows new employees to earn annual leave at a higher rate than would otherwise be allowed. (5 Code of Federal Regulations, 630). For information, visit: Creditable Service for Annual Leave

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

This position is designated as a MODERATE RISK Public Trust position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated Public Trust Suitability Background Investigation (T2S or T2RS or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment.

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and the responses you provide to the application questionnaire. The application questionnaire can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11950360

Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.

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