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Environmental Engineer

Department of Health and Human Services
Indian Health Service
Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction, Office of Environmental Health and Engineering
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Environmental Engineer works in a Health Service Field, District and/or Area Office, and works on all phases of projects pertaining to improving the environmental conditions under which American Indians live. Projects include the provision of water supply, wastewater, and solid waste facilities for individual homes and communities. This position has is multiple locations to include: Polacca, AZ and Winterhaven, CA and reports to the Supervisory Environmental Engineer.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/11/2020 to 01/04/2021
Salary
$48,488 to - $73,005 per year

GS-07: $48,488 - $59,675 | GS-09: $53,316 - $73,005

Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
Winterhaven, CA
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
IHS-20-PX-10905313-DE
Control number
577813300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

The IHS is required by law to give absolute preference to qualified applicants who meet the Secretary of the Interior's definition of Indian for appointment to vacancies within the IHS in accordance with established IHS policy as outlined in the Indian Health Manual Part 7, Chapter 3. The IHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Duties

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  • Plans, designs and provides construction management associated with the provision of community and individual water supplies, waste water and solid waste facilities.
  • Performs land surveys for rights-of-way and easements and construction surveys to establish line and grade for various sanitary facilities.
  • Oversees the construction inspection for sanitation facilities projects including quality control and measurement of quantities installed. Maintains the necessary records of observations for the permanent contract files.
  • Oversees up to 5 Indian Health Service technicians, inspectors and clerical staff in the conduct of the programs.
  • Investigates, conducts and writes technical reports for the tribes regarding associated environmental engineering activities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Must pass pre-employment examination.
Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Upon tentative selection, selectee will be requested to complete, sign, and submit the Addendum to OF-306, Child Care & Indian Child Care Worker Position form. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Confidential Financial Disclosure Form required.

Measles and Rubella immunization required for selectees born after 1957. Seasonal Influenza immunization is required for civilian health care facility staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities.

Security Clearance: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprinting, as part of the background investigation process, may be delayed due to COVID-19. All other background investigation procedures will apply. Be advised that your continued employment will require you to complete a fingerprint check within 60 days after notification of return to full operations and successfully obtaining a favorable background investigation. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process.

You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 01/04/2021

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

For positions requiring positive education requirements, or if you are using education to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):

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:

  • 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.
  • Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 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 and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A.
  • 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.
In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-0819-07:.
At least (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: reviewing preliminary engineering designs for new or improved sanitation facilities such as water and wastewater treatment facilities, water and wastewater pumping stations, sanitary sewer collection systems, water distribution systems, and water supply facilities; preparing engineering calculations; and visiting construction worksites to observe condition of sanitation facilities.

OR

Completion of a Bachelor's degree in an engineering program with Superior Academic Achievement. One of the following three needs to be met for Superior Academic Achievement: (1) Class Standing- upper third of the graduating class. (2) Grade-Point Average- 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on official transcript, or based on courses completed during final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on average of required courses completed in major, or required courses in major completed during the final 2 years of curriculum. (3) Honor Society Membership- election to membership in a national scholastic honor society.

OR

One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a position, such as: environmental engineering or a closely related engineering field;

OR

A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-0819-09:
At least (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: designing new or improved sanitation facilities such as water and wastewater treatment facilities, water and wastewater pumping stations, sanitary sewer collection systems, water distribution systems, and water supply facilities; performing contract management and oversight of sanitation project requirements; evaluating sanitation facility designs and specifications to ensure conformance with project requirements and budget; and visiting construction worksites to inspect sanitation facilities.

OR

Master's degree in engineering or a related field or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of graduate level education leading to a master's degree in engineering or a related field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a position.

OR

A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements:

Education

When there is a positive education requirement, or you are using education to qualify as a substitution for experience, transcripts (unofficial) are required at the time of application to verify that you meet the educational requirement or substitution.
Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in 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: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 90 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement.

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave is earned.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment and Relocation and/or Permanent Change of Station may be authorized and is subject to availability and service unit approval. If offered, you will be required to sign a one (1) year service agreement. Failure to fulfill the service agreement will result in repayment of the incentive.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps

This position has promotion potential to the GS-09 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.

~~~IHS - Operated Properties are tobacco free~~~

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

If you meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating selection procedures. Once the application process is complete, a review of your qualifications will be conducted to determine if you are qualified for this job. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within each of these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-preference eligibles.

Please note that if, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your category rating can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume (your resume must state specific duties that relate to this position) and your responses to the assessment questions will be evaluated against the duties you provided in your resume, along with your submitted documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following:

    • Contracting/Procurement
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Oral Communication
    • Planning and Evaluating
Your resume and any documents submitted will be retained for three months and may be used at any time during this period. After 3 months, you must reapply to this announcement in order to be considered.

The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities. If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10905313. All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 01/04/2021, to be considered.

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