What are the responsibilities and job description for the Civil Engineer (Highway) (PDP) (Direct Hire) position at DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION?
The position is in a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Federal-aid Division or Federal Lands Highway Division Office. The Civil Engineer (Highway) assists in managing and promoting assigned Federal Highway Programs within the state or, as a shared resource, in multiple states. Provides engineering stewardship and oversight at various junctures of project and program delivery of FHWA infrastructure projects within the state(s)/region.
Qualifications:
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
To qualify for the GS-07 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-05 it must include:
- Experience reviewing engineering regulations or policies.
- Experience applying civil engineering principles and practical concepts related to highway road and system structures, transportation systems, traffic engineering, and modeling.
- Experience conducting analyses to support conclusions or recommendations.
To qualify for the GS-07 on Education alone, you must have at least 1 year of graduate-level education OR superior academic achievement* at the baccalaureate level in an engineering program.
- *Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. To be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.
- 1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
- 2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("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 2 years of the curriculum.
You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate level education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07 it must include:
- Experience reviewing engineering design standards and regulations.
- Experience conducting analytical investigations using the scientific method, modeling, and computational analyses.
- Experience articulating information through various platforms such as discussions, meetings, fact sheets, reports, design documentation, briefings, and presentations.
To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Civil Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems.
- Transportation Engineering - Knowledge of concepts, principles, theories, and methods applicable to planning, designing, and constructing transportation systems, including traffic analysis, signal analysis, highway capacity, pavement design, bridge construction, planning of transportation projects, environmental analysis of transportation facilities, and transportation network analysis.
- Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
- Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, considering the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal clues, and responds appropriately.
For all types of consideration, 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
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/
Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.
Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Responsibilities:
FHWA's PDP is an entry-level/new employee program designed to introduce participants to the technical, administrative, and program management aspects of administering the Federal-aid Highway and Federal Lands Highway Programs. The PDP is up to 24-months of entry-level career development training for participants to learn and apply technical skills to advance.
The Federal Aid Highway Program supports state highway systems by providing financial assistance for the construction, maintenance, and operations of the nation's 3.9-million-mile highway network. This includes the Interstate Highway System as well as primary highways and secondary, local roads. FHWA is charged with implementing the Federal Aid Highway Program in cooperation with state and local governments.
The mission of the Federal Lands Program is to improve transportation to and within Federal and Tribal Lands by providing technical services to the highway/transportation community as well as building accessible and scenic roads that ensure the many national treasures within our nation's Federal Lands can be enjoyed by all.
As a Civil Engineer (Highway), you will:
- Immerse in experiential learning in both FHWA’s Federal Aid and Federal Lands Highway Division Offices, where you will receive on-the-job training through a structured set of learning experiences described in a development plan. Several developmental assignment options may include one or more of the following: design, construction, project development, environment, safety, pavements, materials, research, Intelligent Transportation System, bridge, traffic operations, hydraulics, preventive maintenance, access management, utilities, and right-of-way, planning, surveys, geotechnical, value engineering, among others.
The ideal candidate for this position is an entry to beginning level technical engineer who has a desire to learn about the various aspects of technical highway engineering, including but not limited to, highway design, construction, bridge, geotechnical, survey and mapping, hydraulics and materials testing. The ideal candidate should have between 0 to 5 years of experience, be mobile and willing to travel to remote locations for extended periods of time and be able to work independently and in a team environment.
Salary : $56,039