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Engineer Technician (Civil) - ALL US CITIZENS and FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has Engineering Technician (Construction) positions available in Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLD). Projects occur primarily on Federal Lands managed by other Federal agencies (e.g., National Park Service & U.S. Forest Service) & include multi-state areas.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
12/31/2024 to 01/21/2025
Salary
$49,025 to - $104,861 per year

Salaries reflected on this vacancy announcement will vary based on the duty station of the appointed position.

Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 11
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Clovis, CA
Grand Junction, CO
Lakewood, CO
Albuquerque, NM
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—This position is eligible for telework. This is not a full-time telework position nor approved as a remote work position.
Travel Required
76% or greater - This position requires extensive travel to various project sites, meetings, and conferences.
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
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
FHWA.CFL-2025-0016
Control number
826299200

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Duties

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As an Engineer Technician (Civil), you will:

  • 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.
  • Monitor contractor sampling and testing procedures for accuracy and conducts independent assurance sampling.
  • Monitor and enforce 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: 

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.

Requirements

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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.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • POSITION SENSITIVITY AND RISK: Varies by position and will be based on the position to which appointed.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Varies by position. If applicable, the applicant selected is required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
  • TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance.
  • PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 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.
  • DRIVER'S LICENSE: This position requires extensive travel and mobility. 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.

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 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, and/or upload the applicable education documents, or you may be deemed ineligible.  

For the GS-07:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-05 grade levelwhich included:

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

Or on Education, you must have at least one (1) full year of graduate education* leading to 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.

Please note that specialized experience requirements for the following grades, 09 and 11, can be met by qualifying experience at the second lower grade level since no one-grade level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location. Also note that Time-In-Grade requirements (for Status applicants) can be met by experience at the second lower grade level for the same reason.

For the GS-09:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-07 grade levelwhich included:

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

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.

*Graduate Education To qualify for GS-0802 positions at grades 07 & 09 based on graduate education (which is education above a Bachelor's degree), the field must be directly related to the position.

For the GS-11:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-09 grade levelwhich included:

  • 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.

You cannot qualify based on education at the GS-11 level, you must have experience.

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:

  • Civil Engineering Technical Knowledge - Knowledge of the concepts, principles and methods required to provide technical assistance to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems.
  • Technical Competence - Use knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; work with, understand, and evaluate technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
  • Written Communication - Write in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
  • Oral Communication - Make clear and convincing oral presentations. Listen effectively; clarifies information as needed.

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.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Graduate EducationTo qualify for GS-0802 positions at grades 07 & 09 based on graduate education, the field must be directly related to the position. 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. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-TECH

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's 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 posting establishes an open-continuous one year announcement. The first review of applications will be 15 days from the opening date, then applications will be reviewed as needed.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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 three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and 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.


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