Duties

Summary

The position is located within the Geotechnical Section in the Technical Services Branch of the FHWA Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD) located in Ashburn, VA. The incumbent serves as the EFLHD Senior Technical Specialist (STS) for geotechnical engineering with responsibility for identifying and addressing complex geotechnical issues in the geographic region within the Eastern half of the U.S.

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Responsibilities

As Civil Engineer (Geotechnical) Senior Technical Specialist, you will:

• Provide leadership and oversight for improving geotechnical applications and completion of technology improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical advice and assistance to resolve geotechnical problems relating to slope and structure excavation/backfill, structure foundations and other problems that arise during construction.
• Assure adequacy/adherence of plans and specification of design criteria relating to geotechnical engineering.
• Exercise the authority of the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in overseeing the performance of consultant services contracts, including the technical review, selection and award of consultant services.
• Serve as coach/facilitator in coordinating team technical learning activities and advanced technical problem solving methods and provides advice on workable solutions. Train or arrange for training of team members and partner agency personnel in advanced geotechnical design methods, application of technology and innovation aspects in highway design and construction. Monitor and prepare work progress reports and records of work accomplishment. Represent the division geotechnical discipline to other agencies on technical matters, technology deployment, and technical training.
• Represent the geotechnical discipline on Division Cross-Functional Teams for the most challenging and complex projects. Provide technical and authoritative advice to the EFLHD Supervisory Geotechnical Engineer, section staff, specialists and managers from partner agencies. Assist with training consultant personnel on geotechnical expectations and understanding of the most complex geotechnical engineering evaluations.

The ideal candidate for this position will be an experienced engineer with a strong geotechnical highway design and construction background. The candidate is able to evaluate and solve complex issues in pavement subgrade suitability, specialized analysis of materials, deep foundations, rock fall mitigation, micropile technology, soil nail technology, Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) procedures, mechanically reinforced embankments, geotechnical design in high seismic regions, slope stability mitigation, and state of the practice dewatering of slopes and hillsides and situations requiring rehabilitation or improvement of ground conditions. The work is considered to be advanced and represent state-of-the-art innovative geotechnical engineering requiring full consideration of advanced geotechnical concepts and understanding new technology initiatives that can be deployed as part of a context sensitive solution. The candidate will possess excellent communication and leadership skills that facilitate working with partner agencies and FHWA staff and, including the training and development of FHWA engineers, and desires a challenging position.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - The position requires travel for field work and meetings.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Current Federal employees and non-competitive selectees may need to complete a probationary period (unless already completed).
• DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.

Qualifications

To meet the basic qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Mandatory Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of your transcripts or other applicable documentation for verification, AND (3) meet the specialized experience requirements for the grade. Please review the following information before proceeding with the application process:

(1) All applicants must meet the education requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an engineering position :

A. Successful completion of a degree in engineering that: (1) has at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); or (2) that included differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced that first year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials; (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials; 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 or training: college level education, training and/or technical experience that has 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:

Professional registration or licensure - current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE).

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.

Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences which included the courses as specified in Paragraph A above.

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 had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. There should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering type experience. This must be clearly described in your resume.

For additional information, please refer to the OPM qualifications standard for GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf.

(2) Upload the appropriate document(s) to your application for verification purposes.

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of the closing date of this announcement. If selected, the final transcript must be received before your start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

(3) Specialized Experience:

To determine if you are eligible, review the following grade specific details. You will be asked a few questions as part of your application and you will need to verify how you meet this experience in your resume.

For the GS-13:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level, which included:

• Experience performing geotechnical site investigations, interpreting geotechnical problems, and preparing geotechnical reports for transportation project design and construction (shallow and deep bridge foundations, geotechnical seismic design, bridge scour, ground improvement, landslides and slope stability, geosynthetic stabilization, rockfall mitigation, and retaining walls and reinforced soil slopes); AND
• Experience designing specialized geotechnical mitigation measures to support highway & bridge design, providing disaster response assistance to partner agencies, and responding to issues during construction; AND
• Experience leading, overseeing, and coordinating division efforts with technical assistance to partner agencies and implementing new geotechnical technologies and innovative solutions.

You cannot substitute education at this level, you must have experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will also 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.

Geotechnical Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the investigation and evaluation of subsurface soil or geologic conditions and properties for the purpose of designing stable foundation systems, earthen structures, or the remediation of subsurface conditions.

Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.

Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

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.

Education

See the Qualifications section for Mandatory Education Requirements.

Additional information

This vacancy may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days for these locations.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the mandatory education requirements.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked. Veteran's Preference does NOT apply.

All applications that are verified to meet the education requirements and specialized experience will be referred to the selecting official.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a USAJOBS built resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your USAJOBS built resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.

Ultimately, the Automated Staffing Office is responsible for determining an applicant's eligibility. Please ensure that your resume provides enough detail to support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

A USAJobs built resume is required to apply

ALL Applicants must provide a resume that fully supports the required specialized experience and was created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and respond to the vacancy questions by the closing date of the vacancy. Formatted resumes can be uploaded when you arrive at the DOT application system. For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/

The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position and consideration for which you are applying.

TRANSCRIPTS - Transcripts are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series.

• The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.
• If you are currently in, or have previously held, a government position in the same series and grade, you may upload a SF-50 for verification purposes and referral. Transcript(s) will still be required if you are selected for the position.
• If you are qualifying based on possessing a current Professional Engineer (PE) license, or passing the Engineer in Training (EIT) exam, please provide a copy of PE license or written documented proof of passing the EIT.

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85 or falling in the Gold Category) and provide all of the following documents:

• your most recent performance appraisal,
• the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
• your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

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.