Engineering Technician (Petroleum) Job

Vacancy No. BLM-NM-25-12566116-DE-OPM Department Bureau of Land Management
Salary $39,576.00 to $81,562.00 Grade 5 to 8
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/22/2024 Close Date 11/6/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Carlsbad, NMFarmington, NMHobbs, NM


Summary

These positions are located in Farmington District, Farmington Field Office.

This position is concurrently open to Merit Promotion eligibles under Announcement Number BLM-NM-25-12566117-MP-OPM.

Salary Range:
$39,576 - $70,578 (GS-05 - GS-08): Farmington, NM
$45,735 - $81,562 (GS-05 - GS-08): Carlsbad, NM and Hobbs, NM


Duties

The Engineering Technician (Petroleum) performs complex and responsible petroleum engineering technician work involving all aspects of drilling and production inspection and enforcement activities. This work will be geared toward ensuring safe and efficient development of operations for the successful production of minerals in conformity with Federal regulations and requirements. In addition, as a fully experienced Engineering Technician (Petroleum), the incumbent must be certified and maintain certification through the BLM Oil and Gas Inspection training program.

  • Perform on-site inspections of all phases of oil and gas drilling/work-over operations and associated facilities.
  • Inspect all aspects of drilling operations to ensure that operator's equipment, safety systems, and operations are in compliance with the approved Application for Permit to Drill (APD), Sundry Notices (SN), lease terms, Notices to Lessees, Onshore Orders, and applicable regulations.
  • Witness casing and cementing operations to ensure proper procedures and types of casing are run as approved.
  • Ensure that holes are properly prepared. Inspects blowout preventers and associated equipment for proper rating, installation, and operation. Inspects drilling mud system for compliance with approved plan.
  • Determine acceptability of proposed deviations to the APD and recommends substitute methods as appropriate. Reviews approved plans of operations and other activities such as deepen, rework or plugback to determine inspection requirements and advises supervisor of projected technician workload.
  • Inspect complex production facilities such as wet gas, condensate, oil, test satellites, water injection, steam injection, and gas lift operations. Inspects comingled production sites and venting/flaring operations to verify handling of production per approvals.
  • Perform on-site inspections of all phases of oil and gas production operations and facilities.
  • Verify accuracy of site security diagrams and ensures appropriate valves are effectively sealed.
  • Conduct production verification inspections to confirm proper handling, accurate measurement and correct reporting of lease production.
  • Inspect/witness plugging and abandonment operations to ensure all minerals and water zones are properly protected.
  • Document problems and determines corrective action.
  • Issue Notice of Incidents of Noncompliance (INC). Issues assessments, civil penalties, and shut-in orders when continued operations could result in adverse impacts to public health and safety, the environment, or royalty income, coordinating with all officials as appropriate.
  • Prepare reports on all inspections, witnessing, and/or compliance.
Physical Demands: The work of this position requires on-site inspection work that requires almost continuous physical activity. Most of the on-site inspection time is spent walking, standing, crouching, and climbing. In climbing up and down ladders and steep stairways, the Engineering Technician (Petroleum) (PET) is protected from falls only by firmly grasping on ladder rungs and hand railings. The PET may be required to hike into unusually rugged areas to inspect abandoned sites. PETs are subject to call 24 hours a day and may be required to work long non-stop tours-of-duty, occasionally in excess of thirty (30) hours. Some work is sedentary, although much of the job requires overnight field trips which involve physical activity on irregular terrains and work at physically demanding job sites. Office work consists predominantly of working at a desk and using a computer, including using a palm pilot to record measurements.

Working Conditions: The work of this position is at field locations where it is necessary to wear appropriate safety equipment. You must walk under and around heavy derrick and hoisting equipment and piping and around other potentially hazardous operating equipment. The work environment involves exposure to extreme weather conditions, hostile flora and fauna, hazardous explosive fumes, poisonous gasses, toxic chemicals, high frequency noises, high-pressure and high temperature equipment, detonating devices, and moving machinery. Work involves climbing up and down ladders and steep stairways. A large part of the time is spent driving to work sites that are located in isolated areas. The work environment requires the use of hard hats, hard-toe boots, safety glasses, ear protection equipment, poisonous gas detection equipment, and cold weather gear and/or a respirator may also be required. The position also requires operating a motor vehicle, often in isolated areas, on unimproved roads and in potentially dangerous weather conditions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • May be required to complete background investigation and drug screening.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents).
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You must possess and maintain a valid State driver's license to operate government owned or leased vehicles, for the duration of the appointment.
  • You must be able to operate a 4-wheel drive vehicle to conduct inspections.
  • You must possess or be able to obtain an Engineering Technician (Petroleum) (PET) certification.
  • A Financial Statement is required. You will also be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 on an annual basis.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 10 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements 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.

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-05:
A. Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) Assisting with inspections of oil and gas leases to enforce appropriate laws, rules, and regulations as well as the terms and conditions specified in various approvals; and (2) Assisting with research and providing specialized information to internal and external customers in support of ongoing oil and gas operations. Note: Your resume must indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you may be found ineligible.
OR
B. Education: Successful completion of full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology; or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as engineering or industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
C. Combination of Education/Experience: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate level education described above. To calculate the percentage, first compute the amount of specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed above; then determine the amount of your education as a percentage of the requirement listed above (in excess of the first 60 semester hours); then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to meet this requirement. Note: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.

GS-06:
A. Specialized Experience: 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) Performing general petroleum engineering technician work involving many phases of drilling and production inspection and enforcement activities; (2) Investigating minor undesirable events in order to assist in recommending and enforcing appropriate remedial actions; (3) Inspecting/witnessing plugging and abandonment of single hole operations not requiring placement of plugs outside of casing; and (4) Preparing reports on inspections, witnessing, and/or compliance for review. Note: Your resume must indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you may be found ineligible.
OR
B. Education: Successful completion of 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate level education leading to a Master's degree or a Master's degree in engineering, construction, or industrial technology. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
C. Combination: Successful completion of an equivalent combination of specialized experience as described in A and graduate level education as described in B which, when converted to percentages, equals 100% of the total requirement. Note: This will be calculated using your resume and official or unofficial transcripts submitted with your application.

GS-07:
A. Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following:(1) (1) Performing on-site inspections of most phases of oil and gas drilling/work-over operations and associated facilities; (2) Conducting routine production verification inspections to confirm lease production; (3) Investigating minor undesirable events in order to recommend and enforce appropriate remedial actions; (4) Inspecting/witnessing plugging and abandonment of single hole operations not requiring placement of plugs outside of casing; and (5) Preparing reports on inspections, witnessing, and/or compliance for review. Note: Your resume must indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you may be found ineligible.
OR
B. Education: Successful completion of 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate level education leading to a Master's degree or a Master's degree in engineering, construction, or industrial technology. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
C. Combination: Successful completion of an equivalent combination of specialized experience as described in A and graduate level education as described in B which, when converted to percentages, equals 100% of the total requirement. Note: This will be calculated using your resume and official or unofficial transcripts submitted with your application.

GS-08:
A. Specialized Experience: 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) Performing increasingly multi-faceted and responsible petroleum engineering technician work involving all aspects of drilling and production inspection and enforcement activities; (2) Inspecting undesirable events, documents to determine causes, remedial actions to be taken, and volume loss; (3) Inspecting/witnessing plugging and abandonment operations; and (4) Preparing reports and making appropriate recommendations based on findings. Note: Your resume must indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you may be found ineligible.
OR
B. Education: Successful completion of at least two full years (36 semesters hours) of graduate level education leading to a Master's degree or a master's degree in engineering, construction, or industrial technology. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
C. Combination: Successful completion of an equivalent combination of specialized experience as described in A and graduate level education as described in B (in excess of 18 semester hours) which, when converted to percentages, equals 100% of the total requirement. Note: This will be calculated using your resume and official or unofficial transcripts submitted with your application.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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.

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.

Additional information

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-11. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

The Bureau of Land Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Hobbs, NM only: Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation 18-05 issued by General Services Administration has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance and Relocation Income Tax Allowance to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If 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 or Student Loan Repayment.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible see http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 90 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact San Antonio Services Branch at SASBMailbox@opm.gov or 816-541-8101.

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.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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 assessments required for this position.

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 assessments, including a subject matter expert resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform the job.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
  • Compliance Inspection
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Documentation

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/06/2024.

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
  3. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  4. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
  • Veterans Preference Documentation:
    • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
    • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
    • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
    5. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 90 on the rating criteria for this position.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

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

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/06/2024. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
  13. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

Agency contact information

San Antonio Services Branch
Address
BLM New Mexico State Office
BLM New Mexico, NM-951
301 Dinosaur Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87508
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement, at the discretion of Federal hiring officials. Department of the Interior may share the list of eligible candidates with other Federal agencies/departments, authorized to appoint new employees under the same hiring procedures if the position is in the same: job series, grade level, promotion potential, and in the same geographic locations (including the same metro/commuting area) provided herein. You will have the opportunity to "opt-in" to appear on a shared list. "Opt-in" does not guarantee your application will be shared, but you will be contacted in the event your application is shared.


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


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