Description

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Supervisory Civil Engineer (Hydraulics)/Hydrologist/Geologist (Interdisciplinary). You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.

Duty Location: Boise, Idaho https://www.usbr.gov/pn/about/hr/area-information.html

Duties

*Direct a staff of approximately nine professional employees engaged in primarily river restoration assignments involving the planning for, design, construction, and monitoring of a variety of river process and habitat improvement projects intended to meet Reclamation's environmental commitments for the operations and maintenance of its project facilities through biological opinions and assessments including, but not limited to, the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) biological opinion (BiOp).

*Establish work priorities, issues guidance and instructions, assigns work, evaluates employee performance against established standards, provides counseling on technical and administrative matters, recognizes achievements, initiates performance and disciplinary actions, participates in the interviewing and hiring of new employees, makes recommendations regarding promotions, reassignments, awards, performance, and disciplinary actions and develops and implements career development and training plans for subordinate positions.

*Supervises and conducts a safety and health program for subordinates including instructions and training in safe operating procedures and policies, including swift water rescue; investigation of all accidents/incidents, preparation of reports and forms, evaluation of the causes and effects, and determination of corrective action(s) required; supervises safety meetings and enforcement of safety rules and regulations; and follow-up actions on specific safety and health problems within the staff.

*Manage a technically competent interdisciplinary staff including hydraulic engineers, hydrologists, geologists, geomorphologists, and periodic assistance from other internal and external experts as required to perform the assigned studies and responsibilities.

*Manages resources accordingly to ensure Regional priorities are accomplished in a timely and proficient manner appropriately balancing quality, schedule, and budget on a per-project basis.

*Works closely with staff and other Reclamation offices to ensure proper development and execution of project management plans, assessments, and designs for the most appropriate and cost-effective procedures and approaches for given projects.

*Reviews project plans incorporating in-stream channel alterations and/or restoration project analyses and designs to assure adequate treatment of engineering and geomorphic considerations over the short and long term.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
You will be required to complete a Financial Disclosure Form.

• Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Competitive)
• Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Non-Competitive)
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)

Qualifications

Engineering Basic Education Requirement: Applicants must first meet the Basic Education Qualification Requirements listed below:

A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one or more programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or (2) include differential and integral calculus AND courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); 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 AND experience: - college-level education, training AND/OR technical experience that furnished: (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional 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) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than a written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration.
• 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, including the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be entirely acceptable to meet the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
• 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 has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

**OR**

• Geology Basic Education Requirement: Applicants must first meet the Basic Education Qualification Requirements listed below: A. Degree: geology (A degree includes 24 semester hours in geology), plus 20 additional semester hours in any combination of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography. OR B. Combination of education and experience -- course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience (see below for acceptable experience) or additional education. Evaluation of Experience: Acceptable expertise may have been gained through geological field or laboratory work that provided a means of obtaining professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of geology and closely related sciences, e.g., geophysics, geochemistry, or hydrology.

Experience that involved only one phase of geology work, e.g., collecting samples, would not be acceptable as providing the required professional knowledge of the theory and principles of geology.

**OR**

Hydrology Basic Education Requirement: A. Degree: physical or natural science or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels. OR B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in 1 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Acceptable experience must have included performing scientific functions related to the study of water resources based on and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to solve theoretical and practical hydrologic problems.

Evaluation of Experience: Acceptable experience must have included a performance of scientific functions related to the study of water resources based on and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to solve theoretical and practical hydrologic problems. The following are illustrative of acceptable experience: field or laboratory work that would require the application of hydrologic theory and related sciences such as geology, geochemistry, geophysics, or civil engineering to making observations, taking samples, operating instruments, assembling data from source materials, analyzing, and interpreting data, and reporting findings orally and in writing. In some cases, a professional, scientific experience that needs to be water resource experience may be acceptable if such experience was preceded by appropriate education in hydrology or professional hydrology experience. Applicants with related experience in hydrology gained through earlier Federal Government employment might have gained that experience in one or more occupational series. Such series include Soil Conservation, GS-457; Forestry, GS-460; Soil Science, GS-470; Civil Engineering, GS-810; Chemistry, GS-1320; Meteorology, GS-1340; and Geology, GS-1350. Comparable non-Federal experience may be given similar credit.

Specialized Experience:

In addition to the basic education requirement, to be rated as qualified for this position, the applicant must meet the Specialized experience requirement - this information must be included in the resume.

To qualify at the GS-13 Grade Level: One year of Specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-12, in the federal service. Specialized experience at this level is defined as an understanding of engineering, geology, hydrology and/or fluvial geomorphology theories, principles, and practices applicable to the planning and execution of field investigations, evaluation of site conditions, permitting, project management work in engineering, geology, hydrology and/or fluvial geomorphology theories, principles, and practices applicable to the planning and execution of field investigations, evaluation of site conditions, permitting, project management, preparation of plans, drawings, technical reports and/or peer review of final drawings for water resource and/or habitat restoration projects.

This position meets IOR for Engineer, Hydrologist, Geologist.

You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including time-in-grade restrictions and any selective placement factors if applicable, by the close date of this announcement.
04/18/2024.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience.

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.?

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 info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.

Additional information

You may be required to serve an initial probationary period.

You may be required to serve an initial supervisory probation period.

This is an interdisciplinary position. Position may be filled by: Supervisory Civil Engineer (Hydraulics), GS-0810-13, Supervisory Hydrologist, GS-1315-13, and Supervisory Geologist, GS-1350-13.

Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses are authorized with the exception of the Guaranteed Home Sale Provision or first-post-of-duty relocation expenses are authorized, as applicable. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law December 2017, suspends the moving expense deduction and the exclusion from income of qualified employer reimbursements of moving expenses that was allowed under previous tax laws. Employer reimbursements for moving costs are now generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

This position is designated as a MODERATE RISK Public Trust position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated Public Trust Suitability Background Investigation (T2S or T2RS or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment.

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

***This is NOT a virtual position.***

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide to the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies (Technical Competence, Oral Communication, Leadership, and Administration and Management):

• Administration and Management
• Flexibility
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership
• Leadership
• Oral Communication
• Technical Competence
• Written Communication

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 assessment(s), including an assessment and a secondary assessment. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

The application questionnaire can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12352629

Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible, or your score could be lowered.

Candidates are referred to the selecting official based on a three-phase process.

Phase 1: Applicant resumes will be reviewed by Human Resources to ensure they meet the basic qualification requirements (see definition of specialized experience). If applicants meet basic qualifications, they will continue on to the second phase and will be given an interim score based on the application questionnaire. With information received from the application questionnaire in the first phase, applicant's will be evaluated on the following Competencies: Administration and Management, Flexibility, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Leadership, Oral Communication, Technical Competence, and Written Communication.

Phase 2: Candidates who pass the first phase will be contacted via email and asked to submit narrative responses which will address the Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies listed below. Subject Matter Expert(s) will review the score and narrative responses.

Phase 3: Candidates will be given a final score which combines the scores from the first and second phases. Those candidates who score as best qualified will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Applicants who apply under this announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.

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.

Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

Please submit the supporting documents outlined below applicable to your claimed eligibility status and the position and grade to which you are applying. Failing to submit required documents will result in non-consideration due to an incomplete application package.

RESUME: You must submit a resume that demonstrates how skills and experiences through job duties meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job. Each job experience must include dates of employment including start and end dates (month and year), work schedule (full-time or part-time), and hours worked per week. For more information, click here.

TRANSCRIPTS: Required for candidates using education as a basis for qualifications.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: You must submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act/achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Competitive Service current and/or former federal employees eligible for Promotion, Reassignment, Transfer, Reinstatement, etc. You must submit a copy of their SF-50, verifying highest rate of pay and documenting career or career-conditional status in the competitive service (Tenure 1 or 2) for which the applicant is claiming eligibility. Do not submit award SF-50s. If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-grade Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old). For more information, click here.

CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS: Permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. You must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including selective factors, education and experience requirements) and score at least 85.0 on the assessment questionnaire as established, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information, click here.

LAND MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE FLEXIBILITY ACT: Current or former land management agency appointees. You must submit (1) a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that reflects having initially been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited (temporary/term) appointment; (2) a copy of SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action(s), that reflect having served under one (1) or more time-limited (temporary/term) appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of two (2) or more years; and (3) a copy of your Performance Appraisal Plan and/or Supervisor Memorandum that reflects having performed at an acceptable level during each period of service. For more information, click here.

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

Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 04/18/2024. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.

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

Agency contact information

BOR C-PN Region 9 Human Resources Office

Email

bor-sha-cpnjobs@usbr.gov

Address

Regional Office
Bureau of Reclamation
Regional Office
1150 N. Curtis Road, Suite 100
Boise, ID 83706
US

Next steps

Upon successful submission of the application packet, applicants will receive a confirmation email from USAJOBS. If this email confirmation is not received by the applicant, the application has not yet been accepted by the system.

After all application packages have been received, resumes and supporting document(s) will be reviewed to ensure applicants meet the basic qualification requirements. Each applicant who meets the basic qualifications will be further evaluated on the information provided in the resume, application questionnaire, and other assessment criteria identified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. Best-qualified applicants will be referred to the selecting official. After making a tentative job offer, a suitability and/or security background investigation will be conducted. A final job offer is typically made within 40 days after the deadline for applications. Applicants should monitor their status for positions with the Bureau of Reclamation by regularly checking their public status notifications in the USAJOBS profile.