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Civil Engineer

Bureau of Reclamation

Sacramento, CAFull-time$106–143K/yrPosted today

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At a glance

Compensation
$106–143K/yr
Location
Sacramento, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Engineer Intern Or EIT Or PE Registration, requiredFundamentals Of Engineering Exam, requiredValid Driver's License, required

Job overview

The Civil Engineer serves with the Bureau of Reclamation’s Bay Delta Office, developing and applying hydrologic and water-operations models for Central Valley Project and State Water Project planning and operational studies. The role also supports engineering and hydrologic evaluations of reservoir operations, conveyance systems, water quality and temperature, and related water-resource issues. Telework may be allowed with supervisor approval.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Hydrologic Modeling, nice to haveWater Operations Modeling, nice to haveData Analysis, nice to haveHydrology, nice to haveModeling and Simulation, nice to haveProject Management, nice to have

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Equivalent, requiredEngineer Intern or EIT or PE Registration, requiredFundamentals of Engineering Exam, required60 Semester Hours in Engineering Sciences, requiredRelated Scientific Bachelor's Degree Plus One Year Engineering Experience, requiredOne Year Specialized Experience, requiredU.S. Citizenship or National Status, requiredValid Driver's License, required

Benefits

Relocation Assistance

Full job description

Summary

You will serve as a Civil Engineer with the Bureau of Reclamation, Bay Delta Office responsible for developing and applying hydrologic and water-operations models to support planning and operational studies for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project.

Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Develops and applies hydrologic and water-operations models (e.g., CalSim/WRIMS, CalLite) to support planning and operational studies for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. Prepares and analyzes input datasets, conducts scenario and sensitivity analyses, and produces clear technical documentation of methods, assumptions, and results. Uses scripting tools and databases (e.g., Python, R, SQL) for data processing, post-processing, QA/QC, and results visualization. Coordinates with internal and external partners to ensure consistent model assumptions and data; participates in technical teams and responds to technical inquiries. Prepares technical memos, graphics, and briefings for engineers, hydrologists, managers, and stakeholders. Supports engineering and hydrologic evaluations of reservoir operations, conveyance systems, water quality/temperature considerations, and related water-resource issues. Duties at the GS-11 will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. You may be required to travel for site visits, meetings, and training. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/24/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: 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: 1. Professional registration or licensure - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2. Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, or any other written test required for professional registration, by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. 3. 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 A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program. 4. 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 degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. Specialized Experience Requirement: To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is defined as having demonstrated experience performing and guiding others in the preparation of detailed technical work related to river environments, groundwater, water management operations, or water infrastructure by tabulating physical data, applying complex principles of engineering or hydrology, reviewing complex engineering specifications and drawings, and producing technical reports; coordinating complex projects, planning technical investigations or monitoring, and developing guidelines; preparing contract specifications and acting as a contracting officer's technical representative for complex technical contracts (e.g., items of work and units of measurement for payment, site preparation requirements, methods and process of construction or installation of equipment, performance requirements of materials and components, methods, and control of materials). OR a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR a combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is defined as having demonstrated experience performing hydrologic or hydraulic modeling and/or analysis for studies for a wide variety of projects and investigations related to flood damage reduction, flood risk management, dam and levee safety, navigation, ecosystem restoration, irrigation and municipal water use and reservoir regulation operation planning and program management. Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Data Analysis Hydrology Modeling and Simulation Project Management To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a structured resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job. The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Other Information

Salary range: GS-11 Step 1 - 10: $106,335 - $125,478, GS-12 Step 1 - 10: $119,796 - $142,737. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive. All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions. The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

How this job compares

Set against the 5,341 open Civil Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 11, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$106–143K/yr
  • California median$120–171K/yr280 salary ranges
  • US median$91–140K/yr2,941 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $125K, is 14% below the California median midpoint ($146K) — in the middle half of Civil Engineer salary ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 323 open Civil Engineer jobs in California and 5,341 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience — less than three in four Civil Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 6 years, across 4,351 postings).
Education
4,070 of the 5,341 open Civil Engineer jobs (76%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 11, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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