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Summary 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 management systems, grass-based rotations, 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 the 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 Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered for the GS-8 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. 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: two full years of graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a discipline such as 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. Applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered for the GS-9 level: 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 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, preparing cost estimates and providing technical assistance on initial planning, design and construction inspection; OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience: two full years of graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a discipline such as 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. 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 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. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Physical Demands: Field work requires physical exertion such as long periods of standing, traversing steep slopes and rough construction sites, wading in streams and water bodies, crossing fences and gates, recurring bending and stooping, jumping across shallow ditches, walking in soft, muddy, and slippery conditions, and lifting and carrying equipment and samples that weigh up to 50 pounds. Work Environment: Work performed in an office setting is in a properly lighted, ventilated, and climate- controlled area. During field work, the employee is frequently exposed to adverse weather conditions. Protective gear and clothing such as a hard hat, boots, and gloves may be necessary during field visits and in the area of moving machinery. Exposure to noise levels common to construction sites with large earthmoving equipment can be expected. There will be exposure to disease carrying insects and irritating plants. Field work is performed on a regular and recurring basis. 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.