General Engineer (DIRECT HIRE)

The position is in the Office of Railroad Development (RRD), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The incumbent provides engineering services, and program management and technical guidance in matters concerning the implementation of passenger and freight rail projects. The work requires the incumbent to apply engineering judgment and principles as well as project management and administrative skills to perform engineering studies and operations oversight.

Major duties

As a General Engineer, you will: Lead or participate in engineering readiness, design, and/or constructability reviews as well as cost, schedule, and risk assessments of railroad capital projects. Review and comment on engineering documentation detailing project scope, schedule, and budgets; including analysis of engineering reports and design drawings for railroad track, structures, and stations. Review engineering documents for quality and conformance with railroad industry standards and best practices. Provide technical direction and guidance to other specialists responsible for engineering review activities. Work closely with staff in other RRD divisions to provide technical assistance with engineering, design, and environmental requirements, to ensure strong integration among projects. Conduct review and oversight of Amtrak, State and railroad capital planning and implementation, including state-of-good repair, capacity improvement, station, and service enhancement projects. Participate in related conferences, workshops, and research efforts to provide technical assistance to recipients and potential recipients of Federal financial assistance, including training, one-on-one support, site visits, project reviews and other communications tools. The ideal candidate for this position has demonstrated engineering experience in railroad design, construction, operations, or maintenance, including the development, preparation, or evaluation of engineering design and construction plans and/or capital cost estimates, construction schedules, or project risk management plans for passenger and freight rail infrastructure projects. The ideal candidate possesses expertise in one or more railroad engineering disciplines (such as track, bridges, or signaling systems) and has working familiarity with AREMA, FRA, and railroad industry standards and regulations. The candidate is a professional who is comfortable in a fast-paced work environment with regular interactions with leadership, and possesses sound judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and sensitivity to protocol. The candidate possesses a strong work ethic, employs strong logic and reasoning skills, and has a demonstrated ability to accurately interpret literal and thematic subject matter.

Qualifications

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-13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include: Experience conducting and participating in the technical planning, design review, operational tracking, and safety assessment of transportation projects. Experience applying engineering principles and administrative procedures to plan, coordinate, and carry out transportation projects from initiation through completion, including tracking project timelines and ensuring technical compliance. Experience designing, implementing, and managing assigned phases or technical components of engineering projects. To qualify for the GS-14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include: Experience developing and establishing technical policies, operational procedures, or program guidelines for a technical or engineering organization. Experience designing, implementing, and managing multi-phase engineering projects from initiation through final delivery. Experience resolving engineering, planning, or operational issues that require deviations from standard design guidelines or traditional methods during transportation infrastructure construction projects. 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: General Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of engineering and their practical applications. 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. Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience. 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. For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/ All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: 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 program accredited by 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, 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)1 , 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. 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 and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting 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. 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive). All applicants must meet the education requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an engineering position. Transcripts are required for this position.

Requirements

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).