Civil Engineer

Bureau of Reclamation•Lakewood, CO

About The Position

The Civil Engineer serves as an expert with the Bureau of Reclamation’s Dam Safety Office, providing civil engineering consultation and advice to senior colleagues and Department officials on complex dam safety projects. The work supports significant Department operating programs and affects public welfare, natural resources, and the environment. The incumbent contributes to the dam safety program team and provides technical consultation, guidance, and leadership. The role applies engineering experience and judgment, collaboration, assessment of alternatives, and recommendations to program needs. It also develops and implements innovative program processes, systems, guidelines, protocols, monitoring systems, reporting methodologies, and procedures for dam safety program operations, planning, oversight, and accomplishment, including through emerging technologies. The position is primarily sedentary and based in a standard office environment, with field and travel duties. Travel is 25% or more and may include dam sites, remote locations, laboratories, manufacturing facilities, power generation facilities, and meetings. Duties may involve strenuous exertion, inspections of dams and associated structures, confined spaces, large laboratory facilities, and lifting equipment or material samples exceeding 50 pounds. Field conditions may include variable or extreme weather, small aircraft or watercraft, loud or noxious environments, and potentially flammable or carcinogenic materials. The position is suitable for telework with supervisor approval.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
Must possess an active Professional Engineer (PE) license from a State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
Must meet the federal engineering education requirement through an accredited four-year engineering degree meeting the specified ABET and coursework criteria, or an accepted combination of education and experience.
Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level, including professional knowledge of civil engineering concepts and practices and expertise in dam safety.
Specialized experience must include work relating to the design, construction, and maintenance of water storage infrastructure, and integrating risk management principles into civil engineering solutions supporting public welfare and reliable water resources.
Federal applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement, including 52 weeks at the next lower grade.
Must complete a background investigation and receive favorable adjudication.
Must pass E-Verify employment verification and participate in direct deposit.
Must complete required training and obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
Application materials must document qualifying experience and hours worked per week; required transcripts and proof of current PE registration must be submitted as applicable.
Must adhere to applicable safety, occupational health, and environmental requirements during field or site activities.

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the dam safety program team and contribute to a culture of respect, questioning, growth, safety, and mission accomplishment.
Provide technical consultation, guidance, and leadership for the dam safety program.
Apply engineering experience and judgment, organizational understanding, collaboration, assessment of alternatives, and recommendation development to dam safety program work.
Develop insights and innovations for dam safety program activities through research and the design and implementation of new or cutting-edge processes.
Innovate, modify, and deploy systems for oversight and management of dam safety program operations and planning.
Leverage emerging technologies for program innovation, monitoring, accomplishment, and reporting.
Develop program guidelines, protocols, monitoring systems, reporting methodologies, and procedures.
Conduct site visits and inspections of dams and associated structures, including pipelines, tunnels, and confined spaces.
Travel to dam sites and other remote locations, laboratories, manufacturing facilities, power generation facilities, and meetings.