The incumbent provides engineering assistance working with landowners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices in their area of assigned responsibility.

Duties

Provides on-site technical assistance and training to field personnel in installation of conservation practices: parallel terraces, ponds, waterways, irrigation systems, agricultural waste mgmt systems, grass-based rotations, pasture planting, etc. Performs construction inspections on simple and complex structures for conservation systems. Performs drafting and other graphical work on a computer-aided drafting system and maintains they system equipment and supplies. Determines the type, scope and intensity of field investigations and surveys needed. Directs collection of field data and assures adequacy of collected data. Designs and supervises the design of complete engineering practices and structures. Prepares job sheets and designs. Prepares as-built plans. Prepares engineering cost estimates and construction performance time estimates. Completes payment requests and referrals pertaining to work completed for cost sharing. Documents layout and construction in conservation assistance notes or job diary. Selects and applies standard methods of computation for quantities such as concrete, earth fill and excavation. Develops standard drawings on the CAD system. Determines engineering training needs for field office personnel and provides training on surveying and engineering equipment. Provides instruction in the use of the National Engineering Manual, the Engineering Field Handbook, Agricultural Waste Manual Field Handbook, State Technical Guide, and various technical releases and handbooks. Coordinates quality reviews of conservation practices and checks engineering work of field office personnel.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Applicants must have one year at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-7 grade level for consideration for the GS-8 grade level). Specialized Experience to qualify for the GS-08 level: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: performing a variety of assignments with direction from the engineer in charge or a senior technician including: performing material testing; compiling, computing, plotting, and checking a variety of data for projects that demonstrates knowledge in engineering surveying and investigation, and design practices and structures; using CADD to prepare sketches, drawings, diagrams and charts for excavation, embankment, structures, triangulation, profiles and traverses, etc., assisting field engineering staff in staking out work; OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-8 level: two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or a master's degree in a discipline such as in engineering, construction, or industrial technology OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience to qualify for the GS-09 level: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-8 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as performing routine assignments of substantial variety and complexity with minimal supervision. Examples of specialized experience include: performing material testing; determining investigation, survey and site data needs to include working with landowners to determine suitable alternatives to solve natural resource problems; designing engineering practices and structures; compiling, computing, plotting and checking a wide variety of data for natural resource-related conservation projects (earthen dams, agriculture waste management systems, filter strips, water and sediment control basins, rock rip-rap, slope protection, etc.); using CADD and manual techniques prepare sketches, drawings, diagrams and charts for several phases of projects such as excavation, embankment, structures, triangulation, profiles and traverses, etc; and assisting field engineering staff in staking out work; OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-9 level: two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or a master's degree in an engineering, ore related field; ; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience to qualify for the GS-10 level: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as performing routine assignments of substantial variety and complexity with minimal supervision. Specialized experience is defined as providing technical assistance, working with landowners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices. Examples include designing engineering practices, preparing engineering drawings, computing quantities, inspecting applied projects, and preparing cost estimates and provides technical assistance on initial planning, design and construction inspection; Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-10 level. .For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-TECH-NOTE 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 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

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on
the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration.

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. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement.

Important:If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

Failure to provide all of the required documents/information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Jason Bell
• Email: [email protected]