This position serves as a Civil Engineer that is responsible for managing and promoting assigned Federal highway programs within the State, or as a shared resource in multiple states providing engineering stewardship and oversight at various junctures of project and program delivery of highway infrastructure projects. Working on a broad range of engineering activities associated with the design, construction and maintenance of highways and highway related facilities.
Duties will vary depending on office and position. As a Civil Engineer within FHWA, you will:
Construction
- Inspect and test assignments on construction projects.
- Perform field sampling and test construction materials.
- Participate in partner meetings.
- Serve as an instrument operator or rodman on construction survey of projects or monitor contractor stakeout, including staking of centerline, slope staking, drainage staking, structural staking, and setting of grade stakes.
- Compute and balance quantities.
Highway Design
- Prepare roadway plans and quantity calculations, title sheets, plan profile sheets, alignment layout, supplementary drawings, earthwork calculations, and pipe and box culvert structure detailing.
- Compute curves and traverses.
- Assemble plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) documents.
- Perform basic drafting.
Materials
- Log in samples, prepare samples for testing, monitor testing procedures, and record data of materials such as concrete, soils, asphalt, and roadway aggregates.
- Visually inspect materials and determine sizes to be crushed; lift and handle samples; observe and operate sieve shakers.
- Retrieve and compile data.
- Research past mix designs and compile comparison data.
Survey
- Assist survey crew.
- Perform basic engineering computations using formulas, handheld calculators, and electronic survey equipment.
- Serve as instrument operator and/or target cube holder on construction survey and/or engineering stakeout of project or assist in monitoring contract stakeout.
Planning and Programming
- Collect and assemble data.
- Assist in preparing damage site assessments and reports for Emergency Relief projects.
- Prepare environmental compliance documentation.
- Prepare agreements for projects.
Bridge Design, Management, and Inspection
- Prepare project specifications and perform design and quality check on PS&E packages.
- Prepare field assessments, gather information, and perform preliminary scoping of projects.
- Compile structural analysis and design of concrete, steel, or timber bridge components.
- Use Microstation CADD to prepare bridge plan sheets.
- Perform calculations of quantities and basic engineering calculations.
- Operate bridge inspection equipment, take and record data, develop sketches and prepare required reports.
- Perform structures inventory and evaluate data.
Hydraulics
- Perform Hydrologic and Hydraulic design calculations.
- Assist in developing drainage design and Storm Water Management Plans.
- Prepare technical reports and cost estimates.
- Prepare project specifications and review of PS&E packages.
- Gather project site information, inspect construction, confirm post-construction BMP installation, or identify assets.
- Review and summarize permits or correspondence from regulatory agencies.
The ideal candidate is a mid-career level engineer with experience monitoring Federally funded highway programs or managing the delivery of a program of highway projects from initial scoping through construction support and maintenance; and experience conveying ideas and concepts to persuade others in meetings, discussions, and in writing.
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education and specialized requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:
-
Experience in planning, design, or construction of highway or transportation projects (e.g., roads, bridges, tunnels) in accordance with engineering design and construction standards, principles and methods; AND
-
Experience consulting with others, developing alternatives and assisting in resolving engineering issues or conflicts that arise.
To qualify for the GS-13 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12 it must include:
-
Experience in planning, design, or construction of highway or transportation project features (e.g., roads, bridges and tunnels) in accordance with engineering design and construction standards, principles and methods; AND
-
Experience consulting with others, developing alternatives and resolving engineering issues or conflicts that arise with engineering projects; AND
-
Experience representing an organization with partners and stakeholders to provide advice, consultation, or project oversight.
You cannot qualify on education at the GS-13 level; you must have experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
-
Civil Engineer - 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.
-
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.
-
Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
-
Compliance - Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
-
Partnering - Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
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
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/
All applicants must meet the requirements by the closing date of the vacancy.
MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
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
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)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.
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 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).
(2) Specialized Experience:
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 or you may be deemed ineligible.
(3) Upload the appropriate document(s) to your application for verification purposes. (Refer to 'Required Documents' section for additional guidance).
Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply 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. Transcripts are required for this position.