Civil Engineer (Structural) (Recent Graduate)

Summary This position is located in the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD), Bridges and Structures Branch, on the Bridge Inspection Program (BIP) Team. The team is responsible for the Federal Lands Highway (FLH) BIP, which includes direct or oversight of performance of bridge safety inspection and structural rating of approximately 2,100 structures owned by the National Park Service (NPS), as well as other federal agencies, in accordance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards. Responsibilities As a Civil Engineer (Structural), you will: Perform a variety of safety inspections and inventories of such structures to identify and note deficiencies, unusual problems, or the general physical condition of such structures. Perform field condition surveys of concrete bridge decks. Assist with assessment of stream hydraulic characteristics, including scour, erosion, alignment, etc. Prepare inspection reports and make recommendations to correct deficiencies, including updating of the database, preparing preliminary required drawings, and assisting in the calculation of load ratings, load permit request, quantities, and cost estimates. The ideal candidate for this position will be knowledgeable about all aspects of bridge inspection including NBIS criteria, structural analysis and load rating, inspection procedures and equipment, bridge repair, and rehabilitation. The candidate should have strong oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work in teams. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet Pathways Recent Graduate requirement. Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date. Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date Must meet Recent Grad requirements by closing date. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY – You must: Provide required documentation to verify degree has been, or will be, completed prior to appointment. Meet the basic qualification standards outlined under the Qualifications section for this series and grade level. Exceptions are made for veterans, as defined in 5 USC 2108, who, due to military service obligations, were precluded from applying to the Program during the two-year eligibility period described above. These individuals have a full two-year period of eligibility upon their release or discharge from active duty. In no event may their eligibility period extend beyond six years from the date on which they completed their academic requirements. If selected, you: Must sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement; Will serve on an excepted service appointment for at least a two year trial period; Will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations; Must be provided at least 40 hours of interactive training, directly linked to your employment field, within 45 days of appointment; Will be assigned a mentor within 90 days of appointment; Will be evaluated for conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service at the end of two years. ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. DECLARATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required. GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only. TRIAL PERIOD: The recent graduate is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Recent Graduate/FHWA PDP appointment. PHYSICAL LOCATION: The recent graduate will be required to work onsite. Qualifications To determine which eligibility, 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 and/or education in your resume and/or uploaded transcripts or you may be deemed ineligible. To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirement AND experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. Please be sure that you have read and meet the following mandatory requirements before proceeding: DOT Pathways Recent Graduate Program requirements (outlined under the Requirements section). Individual Occupational Requirement for the GS-0810 series (outlined under the Education Requirements section). Note that current 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. Graduation transcript must be received before start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. If the above has been met, then review the following grade specific experience and/or education qualifications to determine if you meet full eligibility before applying: For the GS-07: On Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-05 grade level, which included: Experience assisting with professional engineering concepts, theories, and practices. Or on Education, you must have at least 1 year of graduate-level education OR superior academic achievement at the baccalaureate level in an engineering program. Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. (In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.) 1. Class standing — Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. 2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) — Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (“B” or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (“B” or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. 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-09: On Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-07 grade level, which included: Experience assisting with the inspecting and analyzing of structures (i.e., bridges, culverts, tunnels, retaining walls, or buildings). Or on Education, you must have at least 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree or have been awarded a masters or equivalent graduate 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. RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years unless military service interfered with a veterans eligibility to apply during that two year time frame. Veterans meeting the above exclusion may apply within 2 years of discharge or 6 years from the date of receipt of the degree whichever comes first. (http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education. You must provide a copy of ALL of your college/vocational/technical transcript(s). See “Required Documents” section for additional information. 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. Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/ and U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. Foreign Education: If your education was completed or is from 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: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. 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 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. 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. Communications – Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed. 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 if the anticipated graduation date is within six months. Graduation transcript must be received before start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Education 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, OR (3) meet the education and experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. Individual Occupational Requirement for GS-0810: 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) 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: Professional registration or licensure – current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE). 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 which included the courses as specified in Paragraph A above. Related curriculum – Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors 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 bachelors 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 more specifics, please see 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 College or university education — Educational course work may be at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Successful completion of graduate level courses will be accepted as evidence that an applicant also possesses the knowledge taught in courses at lower levels in the same field. Applicants may refer to the U.S. Department of Education’s Institutional Accreditation System to determine whether their school/program is accredited: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. See OPMs General Policies (http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education. For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets You must provide a copy of ALL of your college/vocational/technical transcript(s). See “Required Documents” section for additional information. Additional Information PLEASE NOTE: MOBILITY AGREEMENT: Appointees will be required to sign a Mobility Agreement. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement. This agreement states that in order to be placed in the program, or upon graduation from the program, you may be assigned to any location, within the Agency and that you will move to the new duty location. Failure to relocate can be used as the basis for non-selection and failure to relocate after completion of the program can be the basis for your termination from the Federal service. IMPORTANT: Applicants must be open to geographic mobility for developmental assignments and permanent placement relocation nationwide. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement. SERVICE AGREEMENT: Appointees will be required to sign an agreement to continue in service upon completion of the Professional Development Program and serve in the agency for two times the length of the training period (approximately 24 months). 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. This is an open continuous announcement for 3 months with various cut-off dates. We will routinely review applications. Please submit your application by 10/28/2024 if you would like to be considered under the initial cut-off and possible co-op internship in the spring. For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicants criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.