Engineering Technician (Civil)
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Engineering Technician Job in Presque Isle, ME
The incumbent provides engineering assistance working with land owners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices in their area of assigned responsibility. Responsibilities 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. 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. Utilizes the National Engineering Manual, the Engineering Field Handbook, Agricultural Waste Manual Field Handbook, State Technical Guide, and various technical releases and handbooks. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled? (e.g. one year at the GS-08 grade level for consideration for the GS-09 grade level). Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-08 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include: Providing technical assistance, working with landowners, groups, and units of government to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices; Designing engineering practices, preparing engineering drawings, computing quantities, inspecting applied projects, and preparing cost estimates; Provides technical assistance on initial planning, design and construction inspection; OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-09 level: two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or master's degree in an engineering or related field. 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 If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: 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. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information. Physical Demands: The incumbent must walk extensively through rough terrain, over ditches, and climb steep banks. Some physical exertion is required. Work Environment: The incumbent works under conditions that involve moderate discomforts due to adverse weather. Works near farm and earth moving machinery and may be exposed to toxic chemicals, poisonous insects and irritating plants. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.