Summary
Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Civil Engineer (Hydrologic)/Physical Scientist. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment. This position will be assigned to the San Joaquin River Restoration Program. Information about the program can be found at https://www.restoresjr.net/
Duty Location: Sacramento, California
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals
Duties
At the full performance GS-11 level, the incumbent will perform the following duties:
- Works on interdisciplinary teams to design fish passage facilities and flood plain habitats.
- Applies a professional knowledge of hydrologic engineering and/or hydrology concepts, theories, principles, and practices applicable to a broad range of technical duties with special emphasis on designing fish passage facilities, levees/berms, channel modification, designing flood plain habitats, surface and groundwater monitoring and channel modification techniques used in river restoration and water supply project management and implementation.
- Performs analyses and studies to identify surface water and groundwater volumes, flow rates, timing, chemistry, and specific features, such as sizes, areas, quantities, and other criteria or details, for the design of civil engineering structures and restoration monitoring and operations for river flow.
- Reviews and evaluates work performed by consultants and agencies for technical adequacy and makes recommendations on modifications and applicability.
- Maintains up-to-date technical familiarity with the restoration effort and program progress. Provides technical expertise; requests, exchanges, or provides information; reaches agreements on plans and assessments of findings; resolves conflicts; and gains support for controversial measures.
- Maintains effective working relationships through regularly scheduled meetings and conferences, as well as unplanned contacts.
- Develops and gives presentations on analyses and data to management, agencies, and stakeholders.
- Develops proposals and reviews and provides input on contract bids, contractors' proposals, and other technical matters related to construction or procurement contracts.
- Reviews designs, specifications, work plans, compliance documents, and analyses prepared by contractors for technical adequacy.
This position is located in the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP). The SJRRP is a long-term collaborative program that is obligated by the Stipulation of Settlement (Settlement) in NRDC, et al. v. Kirk Rodgers, et al. to restore flows and fisheries to the San Joaquin River (SJR) from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River (the "Restoration Area"). This position will contribute to the design of the infrastructure needed to restore and maintain fish populations in "good condition." This could include fish ladders, fish recovery systems, water diversions, flood plain habitat, levees/berms, and the management of flows.
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).
Qualifications
Basic Education Requirement:
GS-0810, Civil Engineering:
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; 2. written test; 3. specified academic courses; or 4. related curriculum. Please see GS-0810 Qualification Requirements for more information.
GS-1301, Physical Science:
A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. -OR-
B. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Specialized Experience Requirements:
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience and/or education requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.
To qualify at the GS-07 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-05 level in federal service having demonstrated experience assisting with and performing technical work related to river environments, groundwater, water management operations, or water infrastructure by tabulating physical data, applying basic principles of engineering or hydrology, reviewing simple engineering specifications and drawings, and reviewing technical reports and other documentation for accuracy, consistency, or deficiencies. You could otherwise qualify on the basis of education having 1 year of graduate level education in physical science, engineering, or mathematics OR Superior Academic Achievement.
Superior Academic Achievement is based on 1) class standing, 2) grade-point average, or 3) honor society membership. Specific requirements are: 1) Class Standing: Upper third of graduating class based on completed courses; 2a) Grade Point Average: 3.0 or higher as recorded on official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education; 2b) based on courses completed during the final full 2 years of curriculum; -OR- 2c) 3.5 or higher based on average of courses completed in the specific major field of study; or 3) Honor Society Membership: Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society listed in the Association of College Honor Societies, Booklet of Information, and/or Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision).
To qualify at the GS-09 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-07 level in federal service having demonstrated experience performing 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. Preparing contract specifications for simple 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). You could otherwise qualify on the basis of education having 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics.
To qualify at the GS-11 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 in federal service 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). You could otherwise qualify on the basis of education having 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a PhD degree OR PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics.
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.
You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 06/28/2024.
Education
This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience. 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.
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. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.
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).
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 Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel 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/12438150
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.
For evaluating the quality of candidates for referral to the selecting official, a three-phased process will be used.
Phase 1: Applicant resumes will be reviewed by Human Resources to ensure they meet the basic qualification requirements (see definition of specialized experience). If applicants meet basic qualifications, they will continue on to the second phase and will be given an interim score based on the application questionnaire, which will take the applicant approximately 20 minutes to complete when initially applying. With information received from the application questionnaire in the first phase, applicant's will be evaluated on the following Competencies: Hydrology, Partnering, Project Management, and Technical Competence
Phase 2: Candidates who were minimally qualified based on the assessment questionnaire identified in the first phase will advance to a resume review conducted by a Subject Matter Expert. The Subject Matter Expert will score resumes using a pre-determined scoring matrix.
Phase 3: Candidates will be given a final score which combines the scores from the first and second phases. Those candidates who score as best qualified will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.
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. Failure to provide transcripts may result in an ineligible rating.
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.
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
Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 06/28/2024. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.
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.
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.
|