Civil Engineer Job in Location Negotiable After Selection

Vacancy No. R4-25-12765422-AA-RCG Department U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Salary $49,960.00 to $79,443.00 Grade 7 to 9
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/16/2025 Close Date 7/21/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Location Negotiable After Selection


Summary

This position is located in the National Wildlife Refuge System's Southeast Region Infrastructure Management Branch. If selected, you will be placed at a regional office, field office, current duty station, or other DOI-owned or leased worksite at the discretion of management and dependent on your qualifications within the States of Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Locality tables may be found at: General Schedule

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Recent graduate who has, within the previous two years, completed a qualifying Associate's, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, professional, vocational or technical degree or certificate program. Note: Veterans who were precluded by their military service obligation from meeting this requirement have up to six years to apply.

Duties

The Pathways Recent Graduate Program is for recently graduated or graduating individuals who are looking for developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service. Recent Graduates will serve on this appointment for one year. During the first year the selectee will perform developmental activities designed to help them acquire the competencies of the target position in which they may be placed upon completion of the program. Participants who successfully complete the Recent College Graduates Program may be eligible for conversion to the target position on a permanent or term (more than one to four years in duration) basis without further competition. For more information on the Pathways Recent Graduate Program, please visit https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads.

As a Civil Engineer your duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Identify applicable codes, standards or policy compliance during a site inspection of structures, to include roads, parking lots, bridges or water control structures (dams, levees, sluice gates, etc.)
  • Perform construction management to include review and approval of construction submittals, shop drawings, contractor invoices and modifications.
  • Conduct investigations of project sites to determine feasibility of proposed projects and adequacy of funding.
  • Prepare plans, drawings and/or specifications for construction projects using software such as AutoCad or Revit.
  • Meet, work with, and negotiate with diverse individuals in federal, state, and private organizations and agencies to accomplish goals and resolve complex resource issues.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • Must meet Pathways eligibility requirements
  • Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate Program. Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations.
  • Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.
  • Recent Graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.
  • Recent Graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.
  • Applicants must provide documentation of completion within the previous 2 years of a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 07/21/2025 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.
Basic Requirement:
  1. A bachelor's or higher degree in 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
  2. Have a combination of education and experience - college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that (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 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 position. (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 and 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 course specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. (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 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. 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)
Minimum Qualification [GS-07]
  1. One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-05 in the Federal service. Experience includes assisting with the completion of engineering surveys for civil engineering projects; completing reviews for adequacy and soundness of plans and specifications; assisting with the inspections of contract construction for roads or bridges, or buildings or other civil engineering projects to ensure compliance with plans or specification or other contract terms; assisting with the inspection of the condition of infrastructure assets to determine maintenance and repair needs; and/or assisting with engineering project tasks. OR
  2. Have Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) S.A.A. is based on (1) Class Standing, (2) Grade-Point Average, or (3) Honor Society Membership. (1) Class Standing: Upper one-third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses. (2) Grade-Point Average: A grade point average of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on the official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 0 (B+ or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum. (3) Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position. OR
  3. Have completed one full year of graduate level education (coursework directly related to Engineering).I have completed a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering. OR
  4. Have a combination of graduate level education and specialized experience which together equals 100% of the requirement.
Minimum Qualification [GS-09]
  1. One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-07 in the Federal service. Experience includes 1) Assisting in the design and development of construction drawings and specifications for civil engineering projects. 2) Assisting with construction inspection oversight 3) Performing assigned engineering project tasks under the supervision of a senior engineer. OR
  2. Have 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in and engineering program of study. OR
  3. Completed a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering and 1 year of appropriate professional experience. OR
  4. A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate professional experience. OR
  5. Have a combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level).
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.

Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-7/9. At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-7/9. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. Failure to submit transcripts will result in an ineligible rating. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Additional information

This advertisement was previously posted as R4-24-12503623-AA-RCG.

Location of this position will be determined once a selection is made. Salary listed is for the Rest of US Pay Scale. Please refer to the following link for pay scales in your area; click HERE for OPM's Locality Pay Tables. This is not a REMOTE position.

OPM's Qualification standard: Qual Standard. Applicants meet the following eligibility requirement, and provide documentation such as a copy of your official transcript and/or veteran's documentation by the closing date of the announcement to be considered:

Education Status: Completed all requirements for an associate, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years.
OR
Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met.

Recent Graduate appointments may not exceed two years. Recent Graduates who satisfactorily complete all the Program requirements may be non-competitively converted to a Term or Permanent appointment in the competitive service. Conversion is not guaranteed. Recent Graduates converted to Term appointments may later be non-competitively converted to a Permanent competitive service position.

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at: Link

Telework:
This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

A PCS move is authorized. Entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. Discretionary entitlements are not authorized for this position

Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the basic qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Ability to perform and interpret calculations, analyses, and computations involving well-understood mechanisms.
  • Knowledge of common engineering data collection methods.
  • Skill in effectively conveying information to individuals or groups, taking into account the nature of the information (e.g., technical).
  • Knowledge in applying qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques and project management principles, methods, tools, and techniques in order to monitor project plans and resources.
  • Knowledge of administrative activities associated with administration of contracting and agreement actions, procedures, and options, and working knowledge of the associated documents and contract and agreement actions in order to assist the Contracting Officer/Grants Officer/Awarding Official in performing contract administration functions.
§ 302.302 Examination of applicants.
(a)Eligibility. An evaluation of the qualifications of applicants for positions covered by this part may be conducted at any time before an appointment is made. The evaluation may involve only determination of eligibility or ineligibility or may include qualitative rating of candidates. If the evaluation involves only basic eligibility numerical scores will not be assigned and eligible candidates will be referred in accordance with the procedures described in paragraph (b)(5) of § 302.304.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

  1. Resume: Your resume must describe your job-related qualifications (paid and non-paid work experience) that includes job title, beginning and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and description of job duties. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form, you must ensure this information is provided. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
    Note: Current and former Federal employees should include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience.
  2. Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
    • Classified or government sensitive information
    • Social Security Number (SSN)
    • Photos of yourself
    • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
    • Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
  3. You MUST submit official or unofficial College Transcript(s). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required if you are selected. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 Member Copy 2 or 4 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. (i.e. VA letter). You may not be awarded preference if you do not attach the correct Veteran Documentation as specified above.
  • If applicable, documentation/proof that you are eligible Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

  1. Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement.
  2. Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month/day/year), hours worked per week, and salary. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. You must also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
DEADLINE DATE: A complete application package must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/21/2025 to receive consideration.
  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is received. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
  • To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12765422
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Office via email at fwshiring@fws.gov.

Agency contact information

Human Resources Staffing Division

Next steps

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.

You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJobs Account.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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