Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy. This is not a Bargaining unit position.

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As a Civil Engineer (Structural), you will:

• Plan and conduct bridge safety structural condition inspections and studies on elements of structures.
• Plan and participate in detailed field condition surveys of bridges, tunnels, and culverts.
• Assess stream hydraulic characteristics, including scour, erosion, alignment, etc. as they affect the foundations of the structure.
• Prepare technical inspection and in-depth study reports, which include condition appraisals and recommendations and cost estimates for structure maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and/or replacement.
• Conduct office and field training for trainees and technicians in the various aspects of structure inspection and load rating.

The ideal candidates are mid-career professional engineers with experience performing load ratings, bridge safety inspections, and who are certified as a Team Leader under the National Bridge Inspection Standards. Additionally, the ideal candidates have a background in bridge design or construction and familiarity with related disciplines such as hydraulics and geotechnical engineering. These candidates thrive in a collaborative, team-based environment to meet client objectives for the design and construction of roads and bridges in environmentally-challenging settings.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position

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.
• PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT:  Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants 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.
• DRIVER'S LICENSE: You must have and retain a valid state driver’s license and be fully qualified to operate a government-owned vehicle.
• PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work periodically requires considerable physical exertion such as extensive walking and climbing, long periods of standing, crawling under or into confined spaces, wading in moving water, and working at heights in excess of 100 feet; recurring bending and stooping while conducting inspections; operating heavy equipment occasionally weighing over 50 pounds; carrying heavy items such as boats, ladders and testing equipment and frequently climbing tall ladders; driving automobiles over rough, rocky, uneven and hazardous terrain.
• WORK ENVIRONMENT: Occasionally involves high risk, including working at great heights (over 100 ft.) while exposed to extreme weather conditions, such as cold, rain, snow, wind, etc.
• TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework.  The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.

Qualifications

To meet the basic qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Mandatory Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of your transcripts or other applicable documentation for verification, AND (3) meet the specialized experience requirements for each grade you are applying to. Please review the following information before proceeding with the application process:

(1) All applicants must meet the requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an engineering position.

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 the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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 additional information, please refer to 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.

(2) Upload the appropriate document(s) to your application for verification purposes.

(3) Specialized Experience: To determine which grade(s) you may be eligible for, review the following grade specific details.  You will be asked a few questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume or you may be deemed ineligible.  

For the GS-11:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-09 grade levelwhich included:

• Experience assisting in performing bridge safety inspections or assisting in performing bridge load rating calculations; OR
• Experience designing bridges or tunnels.

Or on Education, you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

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

For the GS-12:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-11 grade levelwhich included:

• Experience applying National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) to the condition appraisal of bridges; AND
• Experience performing bridge safety Inspections and in performing bridge load rating calculations.

Although you must first meet the mandatory education requirement, you cannot qualify for the GS-12 grade based on education, you must meet the specialized experience, which is cited above.

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:

1. Civil Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems.
2. Structural Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the design and analysis of structures using a variety of materials. Structures may include aerospace systems or structures, and other determinate or indeterminate systems.
3. Communications - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively. Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

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 to the GS-11 grade 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.

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 may routinely review applications and refer candidates for potential interviews multiple times during the open period of the announcement. 

When an applicant list is requested, all applications received by that request date will be reviewed to determine if the basic qualifications for this position, and grades applied to, are met.  Applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official(s) for further review and consideration. From that point on the selecting official determines all aspects of the hiring process. If they wish to contact you for an interview or for selection, they will do so directly. Equal consideration will be given to all applications received. This announcement may close earlier or be extended, NTE a total of 1 year.

Note that applications received under a direct hire public notice may or may not result in a referral or selection. Also, management has the discretion to select at any grade level covered by public notice.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked.  Veteran’s Preference does NOT apply.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.  All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.