Clarification from the agency

Open to current and former Federal employees with competitive status, VEOA Applicants, AND All U.S. Citizens. This is not a Bargaining unit position.

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As an Engineering Technician (Materials), you will:

• Perform complex laboratory testing on various materials used in or affected by highway construction.
• Use various standard or modified AASHTO, ASTM, or special provision procedures and equipment used in the preparation, design, and evaluation of materials for specific project requirements.
• Calibrate and set-up test equipment, including non-standard equipment used for special provisional testing, examine recorded data for unusual responses which may indicate malfunction of the test equipment, and make appropriate adjustments or arrange for repairs.
• Interpret and report results of tests performed along with appropriate recommendations and notations concerning materials acceptability and any peculiar characteristics so that valid decisions can be made on incorporating the materials into projects.

The ideal candidate will have experience in performing complex laboratory testing on various materials used in highway construction. The candidate will have practical knowledge and application of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), and other standard specifications, testing, and mix design procedures, standards, methods, and practices; skill in operating and maintaining various types of test equipment including familiarity with safety aspects of equipment and chemicals used so as to ensure a safe working environment; and the ability to interpret, summarize, and report on test results. The incumbent will have experience in test scheduling and maintaining Quality Management System requirements. The candidate will have active certifications in concrete and lab testing and will be a self-starter, can multitask, and is a team player.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• 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 REQUIREMENT: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade requirements contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. Time in grade requirements for the GS-9 position can be met by experience at the second lower grade level (GS-7), since no GS-8 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location.
• 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: You must complete a one-year 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 DEMANDS: The work requires regular lifting of heavy sacks of soil and aggregate samples.  Normal weight of the samples is 40 pounds but this is often exceeded with sacks of material up to 70 pounds.  Constant stooping and bending with 20 to 40 pounds weights is required.  The work requires regular handling of asphalt mixtures and liquid asphalts samples, hazardous chemicals and solvents, high temperature ovens and hot plates, and liquid asphalt.
• WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is performed in a laboratory.  The incumbent is exposed daily to high level noise and dusty dirty conditions.  The incumbent must safely handle fumes, odors, hot liquids, and hazardous chemicals.  Exposure to low level radiation and hazardous chemicals is a daily occurrence.  Equipment, if not properly used, could pose a threat to the incumbent’s health.

Qualifications

Individual Occupational Requirements for series 0802 (for positions at GS-4 or equivalent and above): This series covers technical positions supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the methods and techniques of engineering or architecture; and construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices, and materials.

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include technical work in: drafting, surveying construction estimating, physical science, mathematics, aerospace, architecture, chemicals, electrical or mechanical systems, mining, petroleum, or nuclear systems.

Experience in a trade or craft may be credited as specialized experience when the work provided intensive knowledge of engineering principles, techniques, methods, and precedents. Examples are trade positions with substantial developmental, test, or design responsibilities such as:

• Planner and estimator who analyzed designs for production purposes.
• Instrument maker or model maker who performed design or development work on devices fabricated.

For more information refer to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/engineering-technical-series-0802/

To determine if you are eligible, 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-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 applying American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), or special provision procedures and equipment used in the preparation, design, and evaluation of materials; AND
• Experience performing laboratory tests and interpreting and reporting test results on a range of material typically used in highway and bridge constructions, such as soils, aggregates, bituminous mixtures, asphalt cements, and concrete; AND
• Experience providing recommendations for modifications in materials sampling and testing.

Note that specialized experience requirements 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. Time in grade requirements for the GS-9 position can be met by experience at the second lower grade level (GS-7), since no GS-8 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location.

Or on Education, you must have at least two (2) full years of graduate education 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 and specialized experience listed above.  This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

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. Materials Engineering Technical Knowledge: Knowledge of highway materials testing equipment, techniques and procedures. Knowledge of AASHTO, ASTM, and other standard specifications for highway construction materials.
2. Technical Competence: Skill in operating various types of highway material test equipment in a laboratory environment.
3. Communication Skills: Ability to coordinate work and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing within a team environment.

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 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.

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. 

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.