Student Trainee (Engineering)

Natural Resources Conservation Service•Wareham, MA

About The Position

This Pathways Student Internship provides paid work opportunities to students enrolled in qualifying educational institutions. The student trainee performs engineering-related survey, data-processing, design-support, construction-inspection, and conservation-project tasks under the direction of professional engineers and technicians. The position may be eligible for telework under agency policy. Interns must remain enrolled and in good academic standing throughout the appointment and complete at least 480 hours of work experience before graduation. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized. Conversion to a permanent or other federal position may be possible after the program requirements are met, but is not guaranteed.

Requirements

Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
Be registered with Selective Service or exempt if male and born after December 31, 1959.
Maintain good academic standing, defined as a GPA of at least 2.5.
Complete at least 480 hours of work experience before completing the degree.
Be enrolled at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution and pursuing a certificate or degree related to the internship.
Sign a Pathways participant agreement.
Pass any required background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
Have and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator’s license for the type of vehicle operated for the job.
Meet the applicable education qualification by appointment: GS-2 requires high school completion or a GED; GS-3 requires one full academic year of post-high-school study; GS-4 requires two full academic years of post-high-school study.
For conversion into the cited engineering occupational series, meet the applicable engineering degree requirements, including an ABET-accredited engineering program or the specified engineering coursework.
Provide transcripts and, where applicable, documentation of foreign education equivalency.
Continue to meet Pathways enrollment and academic-standing requirements throughout the internship.

Responsibilities

Perform survey work to develop topographic, cross-section, profile, and other data for use by a professional engineer.
Operate, and receive training to operate, engineering instruments including an engineer’s level, hand level, laser level, total station, data collector, and GPS.
Use a personal computer to process and organize data, type design reports, estimate costs, calculate material quantities, and perform simple hydrology and hydraulic calculations.
Assist with construction inspection and layout for conservation structures to check adherence to plans and specifications.
Assist technicians in evaluating the needs and feasibility of proposed conservation projects.