CIVIL ENGINEER (GEOTECHNICAL)

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Works under general supervision of Chief, Civil Design Section. Assignments are received in the form of planning or construction directives from HQ supplemented by outline of general objectives from supervisor.

Duties

• Direct and coordinate the preparation of designs, plans, specifications, and comparative costestimates for foundations and structures.
• Prepare and/or direct the preparation of soil profiles,analyzes results of field investigations and reviews soil mechanics laboratory tests.
• Conduct studies in order to establish design limits and criteria.
• Perform special analysis on sub-surface conditionsinvolving such aspects as bearing capacity, settlement, plastic deformation, stress, distribution,seepage, permeability and consolidation.
• Apply engineering and technical know-how; in design andin review of design to eliminate goldplating and/or to develop alternative actions which will produce cost reduction: under the value engineering program.
• Prepare a variety of engineering reports on geological materials, investigations, and soil foundations for floodwalls, levees, dikes, pumping stations, and related flood control structures.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. GS09: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes meeting the following:1) Applying basic civil engineering principles, formulas, and methodologies-such as soil classification, volume-weight relationships, or basic stress-strain relationships-to perform simple or routine calculations.2) assisting in field site visits, observing soil boring operations, or helping record and organize laboratory and field geotechnical data. And 3) utilizing computer-aided design software, such as (CAD), engineering spreadsheets, or database systems to input geotechnical data, draft simple engineering drawings, or help compile sections of routine technical reports. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: 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%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. GS11: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes meeting the following: 1) Performing basic or recurring geotechnical calculations, such as determining soil bearing capacity, estimating foundation settlement, or analyzing basic slope stability under the guidance of a senior engineer. 2) assisting with field soil explorations, logging soil/rock samples, or coordinating with soil mechanics laboratories to compile and organize subsurface testing data.3) Experience participating in site visits or structural inspections of embankments, levees, or foundations, and assisting in the drafting of basic technical engineering reports, profiles, or construction monitoring logs. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: 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%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. GS12: ???????Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes meeting the following:1) Collaborating in the planning or field execution of soil exploration programs, which includes identifying scopes of field investigations, analyzing reports on local soil conditions, or monitoring drilling/field soils collection 2) assisting in the preparation of designs, plans, and specifications for foundations or earth-retaining structures, including drafting soil profiles or performing basic subsurface analyses (such as bearing capacity, settlement, or seepage calculations) And .3) conducting site visits or performance inspections of civil works or military geotechnical structures-such as dams, levees, floodwalls, or retaining walls-to assess structural conditions or collect data for corrective designs. Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education

Basic Education Requirement for Civil Engineer (Geotechnical) 0810 series: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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 B. 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, Written Test, Specified academic courses, and/or Related curriculum. Please see the following link for more detail: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed above: FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates. Other Information

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest. Student Loan Repayment, Advance In-Hire and Relocation incentives may be authorized.