Engineer (Interdisciplinary) - (Architect/Civil/Mechanical/Electrical), GS-0808/0810/0830/0850-7/9/11/12 (88871)

Position Overview/Duties

Serves as civil, mechanical, electrical and/or architectural engineer program manager for operation and maintenance of project spillways, embankments, buildings, roads, and other structures half of the Districts operational projects except powerhouses and navigation locks and dams.

Duties

As an Interdisciplinary Engineer/Architect, you will:

• Schedules, coordinates, and leads others in conducting annual inspections and evaluations of project structures. Ensure that all pertinent data (as-built drawings, Operation & Maintenance (O&M) manuals, etc.) are on file and readily available at each project.
• Schedules and conducts stilling basin inspections and gate operating capability inspections. Assists in periodic inspections, evaluations of structures, and bridge inspections. Additionally, responsible for authorizing, finalizing, and publishing all formal engineering and operational reports required for the project to ensure complete compliance and documentation.
• Provides technical engineering assistance to Powerhouse Superintendents, Area Engineers, Resident Managers, and Project managers in the maintenance, repair, and improvement of structures.
• Provides current data on structures to Engineering & Construction Division (E&C). Prepares engineering estimates of direct cost of maintenance, reviews project budgets for sufficiency of amounts requested, and recommends priority of major work items.
• Reviews scopes of work of above-base-level items for adequacy. Coordinates the preparation of estimates, plans, and specifications for maintenance construction contracts. Reviews contractor proposals and prepares budgetary information.
• In coordination with the Area Project Manager formulates annual plans, work plans, updates Operational Condition Assessment (OCA), enters Facility Maintenance System (FEM) for budget requirements, and provides maintenance recommendations for the Area Projects.
• Schedules, prepares specifications, and administers contracts for stilling basin inspections and for emergency diving. Reviews contractors dive plans and personnel qualifications for completeness and safety. Maintains proficiency as dive supervisor.
• Periodically participates in annual inspections of roads conducted by area office personnel. Reviews all inspection reports including maintenance programs for adequacy. Coordinates Pavement Management System (PAVER) inspections and compilation of data with E&C Division. Initiates remedial actions to correct problems. Recommends district-wide priorities for accomplishing major repairs. Prepares and distributes data to area, resident, and project offices.
• Provide written and oral expertise for inspections, including Annual Inspections, Gate Operability and Capability Inspections (GOCI's), Stilling Basin Inspections, Periodic Inspections, Periodic Assessments, and all entities as needed both prior to and post inspection. Coordinate with appropriate staff for completion of all work necessary prior to the scheduled inspections in the Red River Area, to include preparatory work with Hydraulic Steel Structures (HSS) Inspections.
• Reviews plans and specifications for construction of and modification of water control structures, buildings, and roads for constructability and maintainability. Develops and maintains contract guide specifications for work related to maintenance of structures and roads.
• Updates all O&M manuals except those concerning hydropower and locks. Assists with annual training of field personnel and provides technical support for the Federal Dam Safety Program. Coordinates technical support for field flood control emergency plans and trains field employees in emergency preparedness.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Controls

The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Section Chief, who provides assignments in terms of overall objectives and expected results. The employee independently plans and carries out assignments using sound engineering judgment and initiative. The supervisor is consulted on unusual policy issues or highly complex matters. Completed work is reviewed for technical quality, timeliness, and compliance with applicable regulations and instructions.

Work Environment

Work is primarily performed in an office setting with periodic field visits. Occasional travel to construction sites, industrial facilities, and project locations is required to conduct inspections, provide technical assistance, and support project execution. The work may involve walking, standing, climbing, bending, or operating a government vehicle during site inspections. The position does not require unusual physical exertion. Safe work practices are an integral part of this position. Incumbent is required to know, comply with, and promote prescribed safety rules and regulations.

Conditions of Employment

• Incumbent to obtain and maintain a valid state Driver's License.
• TDY of 25% or more required.
• This position is designated as Mission Essential. Employee can be required to remain on duty or report for duty during contingency operations or other emergency situations (including dangerous weather conditions).
• Commensurate with mission requirements, can be required to work overtime and other than normal duty hours which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Call back and emergency duty are regular requirements of this position.

Basic Requirements for 0808 Architect Series

Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in architecture or in a related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, and (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least one of the following: (1) Related Curriculum - Degree in architectural engineering provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in statement A above, or (2) Experience: 1 year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of any college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that you have acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture.

Basic Requirements for 0810 Civil Engineer, 0830 Mechanical Engineer and 0850 Electrical Engineer 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, 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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.

Specialized Experience

(Must have one year of specialized experience at each lower grade level).

GS-07: Includes: 1). Preparing engineering/architectural estimates and budgets relating to major engineering/architectural project for an organization.

OR

Successfully completed one full academic year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

OR

I am claiming Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. Superior Academic Achievement is based on: (1) Class Standing - You must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed course.