Civil/Agricultural Engineer

NEW Solutions • Gaylord, MI

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

This is a non-federal, temporary enrollee role offered through NEW Solutions in partnership with NRCS under the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program. The enrollee provides technical and professional assistance to farmers, landowners, and NRCS field offices, supporting conservation planning and implementation. The role is designed to increase field-office capacity and support timely assistance to producers; it does not replace federal staff. The opportunity is for applicants legally eligible to work in the United States and has a minimum age of 55.

The work is distributed across remote work (50%), an agency office (25%), and field work (25%). The agency location will be either the Gaylord, Michigan, or West Branch, Michigan, office. The enrollee assists with engineering practice implementation, develops designs and construction plans in consultation with a supervisor, provides construction consultation and inspection, checks Farm Bill-funded conservation practices, and trains entry-level staff in engineering design tools. Overnight travel is optional and may occur occasionally depending on site visits, inspections, and training locations. On-the-job and NRCS technical training may be needed.

The work involves regular exposure to agricultural equipment and may involve dangerous objects, chemicals, extreme temperatures, inclement weather, poisonous insects and animals, and irritating plants. Field duties require prolonged walking over rough terrain, crossing ditches and furrows, and climbing steep banks. The enrollee routinely carries equipment and tools and may lift or carry up to 50 pounds. Protective gear and clothing are necessary when working around agricultural equipment. The agency will provide a safety vest and hard hat if needed, and NRCS will provide a cell phone for field emergencies. The enrollee must provide clothing and footwear appropriate for outdoor work in Michigan year-round. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

NEW Solutions administers the program under a cooperative agreement funded by USDA-NRCS. The enrollee is not a federal employee or a NEW Solutions employee. Enrollment is temporary and at will, and no definite period of employment is guaranteed.

Requirements

• Minimum of 20 years of experience in conservation and agricultural engineering to implement conservation practices on private lands, or a master's degree in Civil or Agricultural Engineering.
• Active Professional Engineer license.
• Valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) used to perform the duties.
• Experience with engineering design software, including Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and spreadsheet programs; survey-grade engineering equipment; and design standards and specifications.
• Experience with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and ArcGIS.
• Working knowledge of CADD, Civil 3D, Windows-based design software, Outlook, MS Teams, and MS SharePoint.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.
• Knowledge of office automation equipment, including scanners and printers.
• Knowledge of computer internet security/cyber security.
• Ability to understand maps, coordinate systems and projections, and basic GIS data; apply engineering skills in the field; and communicate basically in writing and verbally.
• Skill operating personal computer software and performing simple programming tasks, including word processing, spreadsheets, email, file transfers, internet use, timekeeping, and databases, to research, tabulate, and analyze data, prepare correspondence, finalize documents, and foster work improvement.
• Practical knowledge of conservation methods and techniques as they relate to agricultural operations, and of NRCS conservation standards and specifications for certifying installed practices.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation and/or fingerprint check; failure to pass the background investigation will result in termination.
• Able to provide attire and footwear appropriate for field and weather conditions while working outdoors in Michigan year-round.

Responsibilities

• Assist Area and Field Offices with program support activities for implementing engineering practices.
• In consultation with the supervisor, develop designs and construction plans for traditional and complex projects using engineering practices such as waterways, grade stabilization structures, streambank protection, wetland restorations, and animal waste control systems.
• Use GPS survey-grade units and Civil 3D for engineering work throughout the Area.
• Provide on-site consultation to field staff and contractors, and construction inspection services during construction of engineering practices.
• Complete field visits and checkouts related to Farm Bill-funded conservation practices.
• Apply knowledge of NRCS conservation standards and specifications to certify that practices have been installed correctly.
• Provide training on engineering design tools to entry-level staff.
• Complete on-the-job and NRCS-provided technical training as needed for assigned duties.
• Follow safety requirements and use necessary protective gear during field work.

Benefits

• Accrued vacation and sick leave.
• Paid federal holidays.
• Optional vision and dental insurance for positions budgeted at 35 or more hours per pay period.
• Paid health insurance premium for positions budgeted at 60 or more hours per pay period.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Senior