Skip to main content

This job has expired

PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATE - Civil Engineer (Structural)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Ashburn, Virginia
Closing date
Apr 11, 2021
Duties

Summary

The Federal Highway Administration's Professional Development Program 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.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Recent Graduate Civil Engineer duties include:
  • Participating in the Federal Highway Administration's Professional Development Program, designed to introduce participants to the technical, administrative, and program management aspects of the Federal-aid and Federal Lands Highway Programs.
  • Completing three major components: on-the-job training, developmental assignments, and several required training activities.
  • Immersing in experiential learning in both FHWA's Federal-aid and Federal Lands Highway Division Offices, where the participant receives on-the-job training through a structured set of learning experiences described in the participant's 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.

This position is for RECENT GRADUATES. For additional information regarding the Recent Graduates program visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=graduates.

The ideal candidate completed a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Civil Engineer (with a focus in Structures as described in the Educational Requirements section) within the last two years (up to six years for Veterans) of the closing date of this announcement
OR is a current student set to graduate at the end of this spring semester.

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.

During their participation in this developmental program, employees matriculate through the various FHWA offices located in different locations throughout the United States. The PDP includes three major components: on-the-job training, developmental assignments, and several required training activities.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some travel is required for this position

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet Pathways Recent Graduate requirement.
  • 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
  • Must meet Recent Grad requirements by closing date.


CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Applicants selected for this position must sign a service agreement to remain employed with the Federal Highway Administration for a period of at least two years upon completion of the Professional Development Program.

SELECTED PARTICIPANTS will be on an excepted service appointment under the Recent Graduates program and are required to serve a two-year trial period. Participants will be evaluated for conversion on a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service at the end of two years.

Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.

Transcript: You must submit a transcript with your application.

Suitability: Subject to a background/suitability investigation.

Salary: Salary may be adjusted based on the locality of the selected duty location.

PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate Program.
  • Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations.
  • Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.
  • Recent Graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.
  • Recent Graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.
  • If selected for this position, selectee is required to sign a service agreement to remain employed with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for a period of at least 2 years beyond the initial 24-month training period.
  • Applicants must provide documentation of completion within the previous 2 years of a qualifying, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution*.
  • Applicants must meet grade qualifications by start date.
  • Provide all required documents by the closing date of announcement.
  • Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.


Qualifications

THIS POSITION HAS A MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirement AND/OR experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

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.
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 at least 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 the concepts, principles, theories, and methods applicable to planning, designing, and constructing of 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, 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 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

RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY:
*Applicants must have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years unless military service interfered with a veterans eligibility to apply during that two year time frame. Veterans meeting the above exclusion may apply within 2 years of discharge or 6 years from the date of receipt of the degree whichever comes first.

Students enrolled in a degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is Spring 2021. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

( http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp ) for information on crediting education.

You must provide a copy of ALL of your college/vocational/technical transcript(s). See "Required Documents" section for additional information.

Applicants may refer to the U.S.Department of Education's Institutional Accreditation System to determine whether their school/program is accredited: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx .

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. See OPM's General Policies ( http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education.

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.

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 information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/ and U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html .

Foreign Education: If your education was completed or is from foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the 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. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

For additional information about the Recent Graduates program, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Overview

Students enrolled in a degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within 60 days of closing date of this announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Education

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:


(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:
1. Professional registration or licensure - current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE).
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.
3. 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.
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 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 more specifics, please see 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) Qualifications:

To determine which grade(s) you are eligible for, review the following grade specific details. You will be asked questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume or you may be deemed ineligible.

College or university education -- Educational course work may be at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Successful completion of graduate level courses will be accepted as evidence that an applicant also possesses the knowledge taught in courses at lower levels in the same field.

Additional information

MOBILITY AGREEMENT: Appointees will be required to sign a Mobility Agreement. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement. This agreement states that in order to be placed in the program, or upon graduation from the program, you may be assigned to any location, within the Agency and that you will move to the new duty location. Failure to relocate can be used as the basis for non- selection and failure to relocate after completion of the program can be the basis for your termination from the Federal service.

This is a two year appointment in the excepted service which may lead to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service but conversion is not guaranteed or promised.

Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor (assigned within 90 days of appointment) and an Individual Development Plan, executed within 45 days of the appointment, outlining training requirements and program expectations.

Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.

Recent graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.

Recent graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.

IMPORTANT: Applicants must be open to geographic mobility for developmental assignments and permanent placement relocation nationwide. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement.

After completion of the 24-month PDP training, the applicants will complete an additional 12-month rotational assignment before being placed as a Civil Engineer (Structural). Final placement after the 12-month rotational assignment beyond the training period will be determined by the Agency.

This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency to fill similar positions within 90 days.

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 basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked.

All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your 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 provide 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

Required Documents

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.

The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position and consideration for which you are applying. Please review each of the following sections to determine which, if any, additional documents you need to provide with your application.

COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE.

TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED: You must submit a transcript with your application. The transcript may be an unofficial transcript at the time of application, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. However, you will need to provide an official transcript before you are given a final job offer.

VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility. It need not be official.
  • If you are applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).
  • If you are claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
  • If you are applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) ( https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa ), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.

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.

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition .

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.

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert