USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps America's farmers and ranchers conserve the Nation's soil, water, air and other natural resources. We need people who want to apply their education and experience to make sure we all enjoy the benefits of productive soil, clean water, clean air, and abundant wildlife that come from a healthy environment. "Helping People Help the Land"
Summary
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps America's farmers and ranchers conserve the Nation's soil, water, air and other natural resources. We need people who want to apply their education and experience to make sure we all enjoy the benefits of productive soil, clean water, clean air, and abundant wildlife that come from a healthy environment. "Helping People Help the Land"
You may apply if you are a Status Candidate (Merit Promotion, VEOA, Land Management Eligible) and/or a Non-Competitive Hiring Authority Eligible (30% Disabled Veteran, Certain Military Spouse, Schedule A, Certain Peace Corps/VISTA Employee/Volunteer, Certain Former Overseas Employee, Foreign Service Employee, CTAP/ICTAP, Interchange Agreement Employee, or if you are employed under a Miscellaneous Authority not regulated by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.)
Directs and coordinates hydraulic and hydrologic studies for selection of project design storms and design floods, project risk analysis, determines project back water effects; and to maximize water conveyance efficiency and operational flexibility.
Performs hydrologic investigation of storage and operation requirements for all purposes of projects including flood control, earth dam, water supply, irrigation water conveyance, water quality control, fish and wildlife, and recreation.
Assists in identifying and defining resource problems and concerns under present and future conditions; evaluates nonstructural and structural measures needed to address resource problems; and correlates the work with other staff members.
Develops statistical analysis of meteorological and hydrological, and irrigation water requirement parameters to determine peak flow and low flow frequencies to be used in all phases of design.
Attends conferences and serves as hydrology, hydraulics, and/or engineering advisor when conferring with higher authority, other Federal or state agencies and local interests.
Prepares technical portions of watershed plans, river basin surveys, irrigation infrastructure modernization plans, implementation plans, and flood hazard reports that pertain to hydraulic, hydrologic, and engineering investigations and designs.
Serves as state technical lead for stream restoration activities by providing oversight, directing, coordinating and developing training, technical guidance, designs and specifications for stream restoration projects.
Performs hydrologic and hydraulic analysis for impacts to wetlands from conservation and other activities and wetland restoration.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.
Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized
Qualifications
Time-in-Grade Requirements: Merit promotion applicants having held a GS position in the past 52 weeks must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements. One year at the GS-12 is required to be eligible for the GS-11. Time-in-Grade requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Applicants MUST submit an SF-50 that illustrates time-in-grade and reflects title, series, and grade. No Award SF-50 will be accepted. Time-in-grade requirements also apply to VEOA applicants having held a GS position in the past year.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement: 06/02/2023.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
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
Combination of Education and Experience: 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:
Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, 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.
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.
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.
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.)
(Must submit copy of transcripts and/or licensure and/or proof of passing written test.)
In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying:
GS-12
Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:
Recommending solutions to water quality and water management planning design and construction of appropriate conservation practices for resources problems;
Preparing engineering drawings, designs & specifications to transfer information to a variety of audiences;
Evaluating civil or hydrologic engineering projects to resolve problems or ensure quality control; and
Utilizing computer systems applications and engineering software programs to automate computation, communication, and design activities, e.g., spreadsheets, word processing programs, hydraulic analysis software, computer-aided design and drafting software.
(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Additional information
This position may be eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:
If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.
If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.
A recruitment/relocation incentive up to $10,000 may be authorized for eligible candidates with a 2 year service agreement. $5000 after 90 days and another $5000 after completion of 1st year.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the USDA with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ctap
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.
Applications and required documentation (see below) will be reviewed to determine if applicants meet eligibility and job requirements. Any submitted documents not required or requested for this vacancy will not be considered (i.e. training certificates, writing samples, case filings, letter of recommendations, etc.). Qualified applicants will then be rated on the quality of experience, education, and training they possess relevant to the duties of the position and the extent applicants possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (or competencies):Administration and Management, Civil Engineering, Hydrology, and Quality Management
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. Your ratings in this Assessment Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and verification based on the documents and references you submit. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings. Attempts to falsify information, inflate your qualifications or provide inaccurate information on federal documents may be grounds to adjust your rating or to not select you. Errors, omissions or providing inaccurate information on federal documents may affect your eligibility. If selected, providing inaccurate information on federal documents could also be grounds for dismissing you from the position/agency. Please follow all instructions carefully.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Your Resume
A complete Assessment Questionnaire
Other supporting documents (see below):
Current and former Federal employees: Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing proof of status. This must include the type of service (competitive or excepted), career status (career or career conditional), and highest grade and step held on a permanent basis, and the highest full performance level (FPL or highest promotion potential) of held position(s).
Current Federal employees: If you are applying as a competitive merit promotion candidate you must submit a recent completed and signed annual performance appraisal. Applicants with current Federal status are required to submit their most recently completed annual performance appraisal (dated within the past 18 months) which identifies the employee's official rating of record, signed by the supervisor, or a statement advising why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute. If the applicant fails to provide a copy of the performance appraisal, or a statement advising why it is unavailable, the applicant will be removed from further consideration.
Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants: SF-50 reflecting time-in-grade requirements. This must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, type of service (competitive or excepted) and career status (career or career conditional).
If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, "Certificate of Release from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For competitive service positions, active duty service members expecting to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days: you may be granted tentative preference by submitting a "certification" document in lieu of a DD-214. This "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the certification. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veterans' preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on service-connected disability, in addition to the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference," plus the proof of entitlement of this preference, which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. For more information on veterans' preference, see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP/ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), most recent performance appraisal, SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, full performance level, and duty location with your application.
Supporting documentation for any special hiring authority for which you wish consideration.
Non-Competitive Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:
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.
To begin the process, click the "Apply Online" button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to be redirected to Application Manager where you will complete the assessment questionnaire, which can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11908920 Please ensure you click the "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the process. Application status can be checked via your USAJOBS account. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click "Update Application" in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Your complete Application Package (containing the below required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 06/02/2023
Natural Resources Conservation Service
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process, once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks). Appointment Requirements: Applicants must wait at least 90 days after a non-temporary competitive appointment before they can be promoted, transferred, reinstated, reassigned, or detailed to a different position and/or different geographical area. Non-Discrimination Policy: The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Use of government franked envelopes to mail applications is prohibited by Federal laws and regulations. Applications submitted in government franked envelopes will not be accepted.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Your Resume
A complete Assessment Questionnaire
Other supporting documents (see below):
Current and former Federal employees: Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing proof of status. This must include the type of service (competitive or excepted), career status (career or career conditional), and highest grade and step held on a permanent basis, and the highest full performance level (FPL or highest promotion potential) of held position(s).
Current Federal employees: If you are applying as a competitive merit promotion candidate you must submit a recent completed and signed annual performance appraisal. Applicants with current Federal status are required to submit their most recently completed annual performance appraisal (dated within the past 18 months) which identifies the employee's official rating of record, signed by the supervisor, or a statement advising why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute. If the applicant fails to provide a copy of the performance appraisal, or a statement advising why it is unavailable, the applicant will be removed from further consideration.
Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants: SF-50 reflecting time-in-grade requirements. This must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, type of service (competitive or excepted) and career status (career or career conditional).
If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, "Certificate of Release from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For competitive service positions, active duty service members expecting to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days: you may be granted tentative preference by submitting a "certification" document in lieu of a DD-214. This "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the certification. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veterans' preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on service-connected disability, in addition to the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference," plus the proof of entitlement of this preference, which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. For more information on veterans' preference, see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP/ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), most recent performance appraisal, SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, full performance level, and duty location with your application.
Supporting documentation for any special hiring authority for which you wish consideration.
Non-Competitive Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:
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.
To begin the process, click the "Apply Online" button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to be redirected to Application Manager where you will complete the assessment questionnaire, which can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11908920 Please ensure you click the "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the process. Application status can be checked via your USAJOBS account. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click "Update Application" in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Your complete Application Package (containing the below required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 06/02/2023
Natural Resources Conservation Service
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process, once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks). Appointment Requirements: Applicants must wait at least 90 days after a non-temporary competitive appointment before they can be promoted, transferred, reinstated, reassigned, or detailed to a different position and/or different geographical area. Non-Discrimination Policy: The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Use of government franked envelopes to mail applications is prohibited by Federal laws and regulations. Applications submitted in government franked envelopes will not be accepted.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
