Civil Engineer

Your tasks

As a Civil Engineer, you will perform the following duties: The incumbent of this position serves as a Civil Engineer with responsibility for providing professional engineering review and project management services for all EDA projects in the geographic area to which assigned. Duties include: Arranges for and conducts project management conferences with recipients to explain EDA policies, procedures, and requirements to be followed in the implementation of Public Works projects. Reviews contracts between recipients and his Architect/Engineers for design and construction inspection services to determine that the contract meets EDA requirements, that the recipient is adequately safeguarded and that the specified fees are commensurate with the amount of services to be provided. Monitors recipients compliance with all applicable policies, procedures, and requirements which are prerequisite to solicitation of construction bids including, but not limited to, the requirements of Section 106 of PL 89-136, the Relocation Assistance Act, Flood Insurance Act, Clear Air Act, Davis-Bacon and related Acts, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11296, PL 90-480 concerning design of buildings for handicapped persons and all pertinent sections of the latest edition of EDA's Requirements for Approved Projects. When satisfied that all requirements are met, allows project to proceed to bid stage. Reviews and makes appropriate findings and recommendations relative to recipient's request for project amendments including additional assistance requests and prepares necessary documents for approval actions by higher authority. Reviews and approves recipients contract award procedures in the letting of construction contracts to assure that all applicable regulations have been adhered to and that awards are made on the basis of open competitive bidding in a manner that is fair to all interested bidders. Arranges for and participates in pre-construction conferences with representatives of the recipient, the Architect/Engineer and the construction contractors, outlining the duties of each during the construction and warranty period. Performs on-site inspections of projects under construction to determine that the work is being done in accordance with the approved plans and specifications and that the quality of workmanship conforms to acceptable standards of the industry. Prepares reports of findings including recommendations for corrective action when necessary. Evaluates recipients requests for change orders to determine whether or not the proposed change is legitimate and does not come as the result of an error in design or construction methods that the change does not alter the scope of the project and that the cost is reasonable. Determines whether or not EDA will participate in the cost of the change. Monitors the financial position of assigned projects including field audit of recipients records to assure that proper accounts have been established, that matching funds are available, that only approved costs have been paid from project accounts and that fund balances are correct. Evaluates construction progress payments and other project related invoices, assists recipients in preparing reimbursement requests and recommends action concerning disbursement of grant funds. Arranges for and conducts periodic site visits and a final inspection to assure that the project is complete and functional. Assists recipients in arranging for a final audit of project costs. Upon completion of the audit, evaluates findings and makes appropriate recommendations concerning all cost disallowances noted in the report. Upon acceptance of the report by Office of Audits, prepares release of final grant payment. Conducts on-site inspections during the one-year warranty period to assure that deficiencies are corrected under the terms of the construction contract. Maintains files on assigned projects, assuring that all actions are adequately documented and provides input into EDA's information management system. Provides all necessary engineering assistance to the OMT Director to develop projects, including attending pre-application conferences, reviewing engineering reports, plans and specifications, engineering feasibility, consult with architect/engineers to correct engineering deficiencies, etc. This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Civil Engineer GS-0810-13, positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience. This position is also advertised under EDA-PRO-ST-27-13110567, which is open to Merit Promotion/Direct Hire/Delegated Examining eligible applicants. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

• Managing construction or public works projects; and
• Reviewing contracts prior to bid to determine that construction plans and specifications are within the project scope; and
• Monitoring the financial management of engineering projects to ensure approved project costs are properly documented, reviewed, and paid

Requirements

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. To qualify at the GS-13 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

Basic Requirement for Civil Engineer (0810 Series): A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must:

1. lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in a school of engineering with at least one program 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 engineering
• (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) 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 written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
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, or Puerto Rico.
3. Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program.
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 degree in engineering, provided that the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed above in qualifications: NOTE: Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. A probationary period may be required. Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/). If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Bargaining Unit Position: Yes Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: will not be paid License required: No Drug Test Required: No Pre-employment physical required: No

Other

This vacancy is for a Civil Engineer in the Economic Development Administration within the Department of Commerce. Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement covers a minimum and maximum of all grades and locations. Potential salaries upon selection will be adjusted depending on the grade and duty location you may be selected for.