Civil Engineer/Agricultural Engineer

Description:

The incumbent assists the area/zone or similar engineer, and is responsible for providing technical guidance and the overall planning, design, installation, and maintenance of the engineering phases of soil and water conservation practices. This position is supervised by a District Conservationist or Engineer but always with technical guidance provided by an engineer and under the Engineering Job Approval Authority (EJAA) of the State Conservation Engineer.

Requirements:

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Basic Education Requirement: Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; 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 professional 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; (2) Written Test; (3) Specified academic courses; or (4) Related curriculum. (Please go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedulequalification-standards/0800/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf for additional information.)

In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered:

Specialized Experience To qualify for the GS-09 Grade Level: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level or higher in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: planning, design, and construction of engineering phases of soil and water conservation practices; conducting quality assurance reviews of planned, designed, and constructed engineering projects; OR

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-09 level: Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education, or a Master's Degree, or equivalent graduate degree in engineering or related field of study; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

Specialized Experience for the GS-11 Grade Level: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Supervising the planning, design and construction of engineering practices; Overseeing the type, scope, and intensity of field investigations and surveys; Prepare designs, preliminary and final drawings and specifications on complex engineering practices; OR

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-11 level: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in engineering or related field of study; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

Note: The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-OccupationaI-Series

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.