Summary The employee is responsible for managing and promoting assigned Federal highway programs within the State or, as a shared resource, in multiple states. Provides engineering stewardship and oversight at various junctures of project and program delivery of Federal aid infrastructure projects within the state(s). The employee has the authority to commit the agency to actions on behalf of the Division Office(s) represented in line with delegations of authority. Responsibilities As a Civil Engineer (Transportation), you will: Provide advice and guidance on Federal laws, regulations, and FHWA policies applicable to Federal-aid projects within the State DOT project development process, in meetings, telephone contacts, public hearings, field reviews, and visits with State DOT officials and other Federal, State, and local agencies for assigned program areas and in assisting in the implementation of leadership initiatives. Conduct project reviews in accordance with the Division’s Risk-Based Stewardship and Oversight plan. Review required project actions for appropriate application of design standards and criteria, conformance with policy and regulations, eligibility for Federal participation, traffic safety features, reasonableness of cost estimates, fulfillment of requirements from the transportation planning and contract provisions. Review and evaluate project studies, and comment on alternatives and/or modifications. Authorize project agreements which may include reviewing the adequacy of proposed rights-of-way clearances, NEPA, construction plans, agreements for utility and railroad work, consultant agreements. Participate in and contributes to Division program management activities including development of stewardship and oversight plans, conducting risk assessments, development of strategic operations and business plans, promotion of the implementation of a performance-based planning and programming process to partner agencies, and identification and tracking of performance measures and the associated reporting processes. Provide Program Approvals that fall under the Discipline such as such as consultant written procedures, standard drawings, standard specifications, prequalification procedures, Uniform record keeping, procedures to determine contract time, and Liquidated Damages Rates. Participate in oversight activities, such as process reviews, and in-depth documentation reviews of Federal-aid programs; advise on problems and deficiencies, prepares reports and analysis, coordinate corrective actions, review and evaluate practices, and share innovative practices, procedures and technologies. Participate in assessing State programs for effectiveness and compliance. The Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate is an engineer with experience monitoring Federally funded highway programs or delivering highway projects from initial scoping through construction support and maintenance; and experience conveying ideas and concepts to persuade others in meetings, discussions, and in writing. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date Required documents must be submitted by the closing date. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 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. PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding. POSITION SENSITIVITY AND RISK: Varies by position and will be based on the position to which appointed. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. 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 and specialized requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the GS-12, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11, it must include: Experience in planning, design, or construction of highway or transportation project features (such as roads and bridges) in accordance with engineering design and construction standards, principles and methods; AND Experience in consultation with developing alternatives and helping to resolve engineering issues or conflicts that arise with processes or outcomes. 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: Oral Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed. Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. Civil Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems. Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues 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 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: 1. 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. 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, and 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 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. 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 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). (2) Specialized Experience: To determine which grade(s) you are eligible for, review the following grade specific details. You will be asked questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume or you may be deemed ineligible. (3) Upload the appropriate document(s) to your application for verification purposes. (Refer to 'Required Documents' section for additional guidance). Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of the closing date of this announcement. If selected, the final transcript must be received before your start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Transcripts are required for this position. Additional Information The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. The difference in salary is determined by the locality pay in each location. Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/