Engineering Technician

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Engineering Technician. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment. Duty Location: Boise, Idaho

Duties

• Developes and uses state-of-the-art methods with PCs, CADD, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other specialized engineering software to accomplish duties;
• Works with and maintaining contacts with higher graded technicians, computer specialists, engineers, geologists to accomplishing duties.;
• Utilizes Autodesk Data Platform (ADP) and Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems to develop methods to accomplish engineering-oriented work;
• Prepares narrative statements explaining methodology of calculations and sources of data as needed;
• Exercises judgment and making recommendations to engineer on most effective plans for accomplishing the project purpose.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/30/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: BASIC REQUIREMENTS: You must meet the minimum basic specialized experience requirements for Engineering Technical Series, GS-0802 positions. In addition, you must have at least one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the next lower level in the federal service. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (for positions at GS-4 or equivalent and above): Examples of qualifying specialized experience include technical work in: drafting, surveying construction estimating, physical science, mathematics, aerospace, architecture, chemicals, electrical or mechanical systems, mining, petroleum, or nuclear systems TRADE: Experience in a trade or craft may be credited as specialized experience when the work provided intensive knowledge of engineering principles, techniques, methods, and precedents. Examples are trade positions with substantial developmental, test, or design responsibilities such as: Planner and estimator who analyzed designs for production purposes. Instrument maker or model maker who performed design or development work on devices fabricated. -or- CERTIFICATION: Engineering technicians may be certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, an organization sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Certification by the Institute will be helpful as a measure of the technician's quality of experience. EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions, GS-0802 & IOR). For the GS-09 Level: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-08 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing at least three (3) of five (5) of the following: 1) preparing general layouts, for electric, civil and mechanical engineering design drawings; 2) preparing general layouts, for geology drawings.; 3) using general topographic data to prepare survey drawings; 4) performing engineering computations and checking computations performed by division engineers by compiling and computing quantities from final drawings; and 5) utilizing Autodesk Data Platform (ADP) and Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems to develop methods to accomplish engineering oriented work. For the GS-10 Level: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing at least four (4) of five (5) of the following: 1) utilizing Autodesk Data Platform (ADP) and Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems to develop methods to accomplish engineering oriented work.; 2) identifying and evaluating alternative engineering plans for accomplishing project purposes established by engineers; 3) listing and extracting engineering data from records, specifications, drawings, tabulations, etc.; and 4) receiving direction from Reclamation engineers/geologists and higher graded technicians when significant deviation from standard practices are required. For the GS-11 Level: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-10 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) developing and using state-of-the-art methods with PCs, CADD, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other specialized engineering software to accomplish duties; 2) working with and maintaining contacts with higher graded technicians, computer specialists, engineers, geologists to accomplishing duties; 3) utilizing Autodesk Data Platform (ADP) and Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems to develop methods to accomplish engineering oriented work; 4) preparing narrative statements explaining methodology of calculations and sources of data as needed; and 5) exercising judgment and making recommendations to engineer on most effective plans for accomplishing the project purpose. Volunteer Experience: 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.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary or trial your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary, although there is some walking in offices, production areas, utility plants, maintenance, and work areas. Work may involve carrying lightweight items, such as briefcases, notebooks, test equipment, and work papers or may involve operating a motor vehicle. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability. The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, rocky, or slippery surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, climbing, or similar activities; recurring lifting of light to moderately heavy items weighing less than 50 pounds (i.e., 23 kilograms), such as testing or measuring equipment; and/or regular visits to construction, industrial, marine, or other outdoor sites. The work requires considerable and strenuous physical exertion, such as: frequent climbing of tall ladders, staging, or scaffolding in dry-dock and vessel areas; working in areas where footing can be treacherous (e.g., on rocky banks of bodies of fast-water, slippery docks, or steep hillsides); lifting heavy objects weighing 50 pounds (i.e., 23 kilograms) or more; and frequent crouching or crawling in restricted areas. Work Environment: The work area is usually an office setting adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts requiring normal safety precautions. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks and discomforts, such as the following: dust, strong odors, or fumes from fuels, chemicals, or engine exhaust; high levels of noise and vibration, dust, grease, electrical hazards, uncovered moving parts of machinery, moving machinery; or outdoor conditions involving moderate exposure to rain, cold/hot weather, icy streams, and rivers. The work environment requires the employee to stay alert continually and to take special safety precautions including wearing special protective items of clothing. The work environment involves high risks of exposure to potentially dangerous situations or unusual environmental stress requiring a range of safety and other precautions where conditions cannot be controlled (e.g., working at great heights under extreme outdoor weather conditions).

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 09/30/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13046347 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.