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Engineering Technician (Civil) - Construction

Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD) provides transportation and engineering services to Federal agencies. These services include the planning, design, construction, and rehabilitation of federally-owned highways and bridges.

This establishes an open continuous announcement for Engineering Technician (Construction), we will review applications on as needed basis.

*It is anticipated that the Sterling, Virginia duty station will move to Ashburn, Virginia in October 2020.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
02/28/2020 to 09/30/2020
Salary
$43,251 to - $93,638 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 11
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Sevierville, TN
Sterling, VA
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
76% or greater - Position requires travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FHWA.EFL-2020-0025
Control number
561204800

Duties

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As an Engineering Technician (Construction), at the entry level, duties include:

  • Assist construction inspector in charge of paving with responsibility for quality assurance of paving operations. 
  • Assist bridge inspector with checking line and grade, checking forms, placement of reinforced or structural steel or other similar work connected with bridges, large box culverts, or retaining walls.
  • Serve as inspector of contractor's surveying operations, responsible for monitoring and evaluating contractor staking. 
  • Monitors contractor sampling and testing procedures for accuracy and conducts independent assurance sampling.
  • Monitors and enforces contractor for compliance with all required quality control responsibilities.
  • Observe and evaluate safety precautions of contractor and calls attention to infractions of safety regulations.

The Ideal Candidate for this position is a technician with education and/or experience in the technical aspects of highway construction, and ensuring compliance with contract specifications, technical direction and guidance, and contract administration services and support.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must 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.
  • You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • 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).
  • PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: The work requires extensive standing, walking, climbing, bending, lifting and carrying up to 60 pounds. In addition, you will be exposed to varying weather and terrain conditions.
  • SHIFTS: Due to the overall responsibility for the project, the employee must be available for varied duty shifts and for off-duty emergencies, particularly throughout contractor multi-shift construction periods.
  • DRIVER'S LICENSE: You must have a valid state driver’s license and be fully qualified to operate a government-owned vehicle.
  • TRAVEL:  The position involves a significant amount of travel away from your duty station for extended periods of time. Travel may often be to remote locations. You must be willing to travel for extended periods of time, often to remote locations.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-07 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-06, it must include:

  • Experience assisting/monitoring materials sampling and testing; interpreting highway design plans and specifications; surveying for roadway construction. 

To qualify for the GS-07 on Education alone, you must have at least 1 year of graduate-level education.

You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate level education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts provided with your application, education must be directly related.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07, it must include:

  • Experience evaluating procedures, methods, controls and operations for compliance with specifications and construction operations as they relate to the construction of roadways.

Please note that this specialized experience requirement 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.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have:

At least 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree.

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

To qualify for the GS-11, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09, it must include:

  • Experience working on the administration and inspection of Federal, State or local highway construction projects that include operations such as grading, drainage, concrete and asphalt  construction, and traffic flow and maintenance.

Please note that this specialized experience requirement can be met by qualifying experience at the second lower grade level (GS-9), since no intervening GS-10 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location.

Time in grade requirements for the GS-11 position can be met by experience at the second lower grade level (GS-9), since no GS-10 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location.

You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts provided with your application, education must be directly related.

NOTE: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.

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/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

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.

Additional information

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.

EEO STATEMENT: The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a model federal work environment that is free of discrimination. DOT ensures equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, or protected activity.

This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency to fill similar positions within 90 days.

This announcement will be opened continuously until September 30, 2020.  Given our continuing need for professionals in this field, we will routinely review applications and refer the top candidates for potential interviews multiple times during the open period of the announcement. Following these dates, we will contact qualified applicants to schedule interviews. We will give equal consideration to all applications we receive.

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 four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze, 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

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.


To preview questions please click here.

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