Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has Engineering Technician (Construction) positions available in the newly established Regional Project Offices (RPOs) in the Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD). Projects occur primarily on Federal Lands managed by other Federal agencies (e.g., National Park Service & U.S. Forest Service) & include multi-state areas.
This is an open continuous announcement and will be used to fill vacant positions throughout the open period of the announcement.
Summary
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has Engineering Technician (Construction) positions available in the newly established Regional Project Offices (RPOs) in the Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD). Projects occur primarily on Federal Lands managed by other Federal agencies (e.g., National Park Service & U.S. Forest Service) & include multi-state areas.
This is an open continuous announcement and will be used to fill vacant positions throughout the open period of the announcement.
As an Engineering Technician (Civil) Construction at the mid-level, you will:
Assist construction inspector in charge of paving with responsibility for quality assurance of paving operations.
Assist bridge inspector with checking line and grade, checking forms, placement of reinforced or structural steel or other similar work connected with bridges, large box culverts, or retaining walls.
Serve as inspector of contractor's surveying operations, responsible for monitoring and evaluating contractor staking.
Monitor contractor sampling and testing procedures for accuracy and conducts independent assurance sampling.
Monitor and enforce contractor for compliance with all required quality control responsibilities.
Observe and evaluate safety precautions of contractor and calls attention to infractions of safety regulations.
The ideal candidate is a technician with education and/or experience in the technical aspects of highway construction, and ensuring compliance with contract specifications, technical direction and guidance, and contract administration services and support.
RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE MAY BE OFFERED TO SELECTEE(S) OF THIS POSITION.
WFLHD’s construction group provides comprehensive contract management support for transportation projects. Their technical expertise coupled with extensive contract administration knowledge ensures projects are constructed according to the terms of the contract. During construction, they serve as the key point of contact for the project owner, contractor and stakeholders, and maintain proactive communication with all parties. Our team brings the leadership necessary to work effectively with contractors and manage budget and schedules in the often-changing construction phase. Our customer satisfaction rating is higher than 90%.
Our construction expertise includes:
Civil and structural engineering
Context-sensitive design principles
Estimating
Schedule and budget management
Onsite inspection oversight
Contract modification management
Public and stakeholder information and communication
Safety regulation enforcement
Material testing
Traffic control
Analysis of complex design and construction documents
Project development support including constructability reviews; construction engineering cost estimates; and input during field reviews
You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify.
Applicable documents are required for the Mandatory Education requirements.
Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Current Federal employees and non-competitive selectees may need to complete a probationary period (unless already completed).
DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: The work requires extensive standing, walking, climbing, bending, lifting and carrying up to 60 pounds. In addition, you will be exposed to varying weather and terrain conditions.
DRIVER'S LICENSE: You must have a valid state driver’s license and be fully qualified to operate a government-owned vehicle.
TRAVEL: The position involves a significant amount of travel away from your duty station for extended periods of time. Travel may often be to remote locations. You must be willing to travel for extended periods of time, often to remote locations.
SHIFTS: Due to the overall responsibility for the project, the employee must be available for varied duty shifts and for off-duty emergencies, particularly throughout contractor multi-shift construction periods.
TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position is approved for occasional telework. The number of telework days approved is determined by the agency policy, emergency situations, the approval of your immediate supervisor, and if applicable, approval of additional officials. You are required to report to the office on a regular basis since this is not a full-time telework position, or approved as a remote work position.
RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE: If a recruitment incentive is offered, selectee will be required to sign a service agreement.
Qualifications
To determine which grade(s) you are eligible for, review the following grade specific details. You will be asked questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume, and/or upload the applicable education documents, or you may be deemed ineligible.
For the GS-07:
On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-06 grade level, which included:
Experience assisting/monitoring materials sampling and testing; interpreting highway design plans and specifications; surveying for roadway construction.
Or on Education, you must have at least one (1) year of graduate-level education (above a Bachelor's) leading to a master's degree or equivalent with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology.
You can also have a combination of the graduate education (above a Bachelor's) and specialized experience listed above. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
For the GS-09:
On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-07 grade level, which included:
Experience evaluating procedures, methods, controls, and operations for compliance with specifications and construction operations as they relate to the construction of roadways.
Or on Education, you must have at least two (2) full years of graduate education (above a Bachelor's) or a master's degree or equivalent with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology.
You can also have a combination of the graduate education (above a Bachelor's) and specialized experience listed above. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
Please note that this specialized experience requirement can be met by qualifying experience at the second lower grade level (GS-7), since no intervening GS-8 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location.
For the GS-11:
On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-09 grade level, which included:
Experience working on the administration and inspection of Federal, State, or local highway construction projects that include operations such as grading, drainage, concrete and asphalt construction, and traffic flow and maintenance.
Please note that this specialized experience requirement can be met by qualifying experience at the second lower grade level (GS-9), since no intervening GS-10 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location.
You cannot qualify based on education at the GS-11 grade level, you must have experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will also be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
Civil Engineering Technical Knowledge - Knowledge of the concepts, principles and methods required to provide technical assistance to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems.
Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
Oral Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
For all types of consideration, 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
Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply for the grades 07 and/or 09 based on education if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of the closing date of this announcement. If selected, the final transcript must be received before your start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
NOTE: Graduate education (above a Bachelor's) or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position.
One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
For additional information about applying to this series, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/engineering-technical-series-0802/
Additional information
Non-Foreign COLA for Alaska: In addition to the salary for the position(s) located in Wasilla, Alaska, the salary will also include a COLA of 2.01% (“Anchorage, AK and 50-mile radius” 2023).
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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.
Given our continuing need for professionals in this field, we will routinely review applications and refer candidates for potential interviews multiple times during the open period of the announcement. Following these dates, qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews. Equal consideration will be given to all applications received. This announcement may close early or be extended, NTE a total of 1 year.
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.
To compete with U.S. Citizens: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of two categories: Qualified and Well Qualified 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.
To compete with other competitive status government employees: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.
Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this position.
All applicants: 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 on your behalf 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.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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.
RESUME - All applicants must provide a resume created within USA Jobs Resume Builder, that shows relevant experience, education and support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes can by uploaded later in the application process.
Transcripts are REQUIRED if you are applying based on education for grades 07 and/or 09. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Provide proof the education credentials meet U.S. education program requirements.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).
VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.
If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).
If claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
If applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.
FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) that verify your highest competitive grade, full performance level, and eligibility as a federal applicant. DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility. For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50. Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks’ time-in-grade requirements.https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/service/SF-50/
NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85) and provide all of the following documents:
your most recent performance appraisal,
the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
You may review your saved application(s) at https://my.usajobs.gov.
If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov
DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applications"). A Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application either during the early consideration request(s) or within two weeks of the vacancy closing, depending on when you submit your application. Ratings will be confirmed based on the documents and information received by the review or final closing date. Under category rating, the appropriate veteran's preference is applied and qualified candidates will be assigned a category, or, under status your application will be scored on a scale between 70 - 100. The most highly qualified candidates are then referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted directly by the hiring agency. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status via email and update your application status in USAJOBS.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
RESUME - All applicants must provide a resume created within USA Jobs Resume Builder, that shows relevant experience, education and support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes can by uploaded later in the application process.
Transcripts are REQUIRED if you are applying based on education for grades 07 and/or 09. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Provide proof the education credentials meet U.S. education program requirements.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).
VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.
If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).
If claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
If applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.
FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) that verify your highest competitive grade, full performance level, and eligibility as a federal applicant. DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility. For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50. Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks’ time-in-grade requirements.https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/service/SF-50/
NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85) and provide all of the following documents:
your most recent performance appraisal,
the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
You may review your saved application(s) at https://my.usajobs.gov.
If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov
DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applications"). A Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application either during the early consideration request(s) or within two weeks of the vacancy closing, depending on when you submit your application. Ratings will be confirmed based on the documents and information received by the review or final closing date. Under category rating, the appropriate veteran's preference is applied and qualified candidates will be assigned a category, or, under status your application will be scored on a scale between 70 - 100. The most highly qualified candidates are then referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted directly by the hiring agency. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status via email and update your application status in USAJOBS.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
