Summary
Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Civil Engineer (Hydrologic). Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.
Duty Location: Sacramento, California
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals
Duties
- Assists in operating various facilities to meet water utilization and Project obligations, and various environmental and regulatory requirements.
- Utilizes a thorough knowledge of flood control regulations to ensure the safe and efficient operation of Reclamation flood control facilities to protect those facilities and life and property downstream.
- Assists the Senior Water Operations Experts in reviewing the daily operation of Central Valley Project (CVP) facilities consistent with established policies and objectives.
- Maintains up-to-date technical familiarity with river temperature modeling and uses the CVP water temperature model to evaluate optimum use of cold-water resources for riverine environments below Reclamation dams.
- Participates in meetings, briefings, hearings, and/or other gatherings with Departmental, Reclamation, and other regional staff, representatives of other agencies, stakeholders, the media, and the general public.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
You must maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times will result in removal from the position.
You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 07/19/2024.
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet BOTH the Basic and Minimum qualification requirements for at least one grade level described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.
BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT
A. Degree: 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-
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. -or-
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. -or-
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 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. -or-
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 QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying:
GS-07:
A. Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience, comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) Applying knowledge, concepts, principles, and theories of civil engineering to solve simple engineering problems; 2) Using commonly available software to for word processing and data entry and analysis; and 3) Creating technical drawings and design using industry-standard computer aid drafting software.
-OR-
B. Have successfully completed a bachelor's degree in engineering AND meet one of the following Superior Academic Achievement Provisions: 1) Maintained a grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 3.0 or higher) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 2) Maintained a grade-point average "B+" (a GPA of 3.5 or higher) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. 3) Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision. 4) Be a member of a national honor (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. Please submit a college transcript(s) showing your grade point average for all four years of undergraduate study, including all transferred courses. NOTE: GPAs are rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail or similar basis, your claim must be based on class standing or membership in an honor society.
-OR-
C. Have one year (18 semester hours) of graduate level education in engineering or a closely related field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully complete the work of the position.
-OR-
D. Have a combination of specialized experience as described in 'A' and graduate level education as described in 'C' that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement.
-OR-
E. Have successfully completed a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited institution.
-OR-
F. Have an engineering bachelor's degree AND have appropriate specialized experience as an Engineering Technician equivalent to grade GS-5 or higher.
GS-09:
A. Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience, comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) Utilizing knowledge, concepts, principles, or theories of civil engineering to solve routine engineering problems; 2) Using commonly available software to for word processing and data entry and analysis; and 3) Creating technical drawings and design using industry-standard computer aid drafting software.
-OR-
B. Have successfully completed 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree OR master's degree or higher in engineering or a closely related field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully complete the work of the position.
-OR-
C. Have a combination of specialized experience as described in A and graduate level education as described in B that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. (Please note that only graduate education in excess of the first 18 semester hours may be used in this calculation.)
-OR-
Education
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED:
D. Have successfully completed a bachelor's degree in engineering with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) and have one year of professional engineering experience. Professional engineering experience is defined as non-routine engineering work that required professional knowledge of engineering; professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability.
-OR-
E. Have completed a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering and have one year of professional engineering experience. Professional engineering experience is defined as non-routine engineering work that required professional knowledge of engineering; professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability.
GS-11:
A. Applicants must have one full of specialized experience, comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) Utilizing knowledge of current and changing political, socioeconomic, or technical factors of water requirements to provide input of the potential impacts of proposed water management operations; 2) Analyzing hydrologic information to assist with the development operational strategies for competing demands for water; and 3) Giving presentations on hydrologic analyses and data to management, agencies, and stakeholders
-OR-
B. Have successfully completed 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
-OR-
C. Have a combination of specialized experience directly related to the position and progressively higher-level post graduate education leading to a doctoral degree. To calculate the combination, first determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the required experience above. Then determine your education as a percentage of the education substitution stated above. When adding the two percentages, the total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. Only graduate education in excess of two (2) years (36 semester hours) will be used to qualify at the GS-11 grade level.
GS-12:
A. Applicants must have one full of specialized experience, comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 11) Utilizing knowledge of current and changing political, socioeconomic, or technical factors of water requirements to evaluate the potential impacts of proposed water management operations; 2) Analyzing hydrologic information to develop operational strategies for competing demands for water: and 3) Developing or giving presentations on hydrologic analyses and data to management, agencies, and stakeholders.
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.
This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-07/09/11 grade levels. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. 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.
This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not qualified for the position.
You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.
Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.
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.
Category rating and selection procedures will be used to evaluate applications from this announcement. If an applicant meets the basic qualification requirements, his/her on-line responses to the vacancy assessment questionnaire will be used to determine the quality and extent of his/her experience, education, training, etc., for placement in one of the following categories: 1) Best Qualified, 2) Well Qualified, and 3) Qualified. Qualified candidates will be assigned a numerical score on a scale of 70-100. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher). The assessment questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide to the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): - Civil Engineering
- Partnering
- Technical Competence
In order 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 technical assessment and a Subject Matter Expert Resume Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.
The application questionnaire can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12453767
Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.
Required Documents
Please submit the supporting documents outlined below applicable to your claimed eligibility status and the position and grade to which you are applying. Failing to submit required documents will result in non-consideration due to an incomplete application package.
RESUME: You must submit a resume that demonstrates how skills and experiences through job duties meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job. Each job experience must include dates of employment including start and end dates (month and year), work schedule (full-time or part-time), and hours worked per week. For more information, click here.
TRANSCRIPTS: Required for candidates using education as a basis for qualifications.
VETERANS: If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, you must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15. For more information, click here.
CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS: Permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. You must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including selective factors, education and experience requirements) and score at least 85.0 on the assessment questionnaire as established, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information, click here.
How to Apply
Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 07/19/2024. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.
Do not submit photographs with the application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - applicant must remove any images from badges, licenses, etc.
Next steps
Upon successful submission of the application packet, applicants will receive a confirmation email from USAJOBS. If this email confirmation is not received by the applicant, the application has not yet been accepted by the system.
After all application packages have been received, resumes and supporting document(s) will be reviewed to ensure applicants meet the basic qualification requirements. Each applicant who meets the basic qualifications will be further evaluated on the information provided in the resume, application questionnaire, and other assessment criteria identified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. Best-qualified applicants will be referred to the selecting official. After making a tentative job offer, a suitability and/or security background investigation will be conducted. A final job offer is typically made within 40 days after the deadline for applications. Applicants should monitor their status for positions with the Bureau of Reclamation by regularly checking their public status notifications in the USAJOBS profile.
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