Lead Civil Engineer (Highway) - Direct Hire

The incumbent serves as a member of the Division Office Leadership Team and oversees the program management functions of construction, design, contract administration, structures, pavement and materials, and consultant procurement, among others. Activities are performed through close coordination with FHWA partners and leading teams to review and approve project and program level functions. As a Lead Civil Engineer (Highway), you will: Provide expert advice and guidance to partner organizations in Utah and promote agreement on general approaches, standards and criteria, and the application of new policies and concepts in project development, safety, design, and construction. This position also interprets and approves FHWA actions as necessary to deliver the federal-aid program. Provide guidance to UDOT and staff on administering the federal-aid highway program, goals, and objectives. Provide expert advice and counsel to staff on an as-needed basis. Ensure coordination of Project Delivery activities with management and other functional areas within the Division Office, state, and nation. Maintain regular contacts with national, state, industry, and local transportation partners to keep informed of emerging activities. Share information with those involved in the administration of project development, design, construction, and maintenance of efforts through the project development process. Represent and negotiate on behalf of the Utah Division Administrator with partners on various topics. Approve a variety of complex project and program level actions for the Division Administrator. Exercise the appropriate decision-making and approval actions on various documents as required under the federal-aid highway program and which have been delegated by the Division Administrator. Provide expertise on the formulation of Division Office policy and may formulate team policy to enhance accountability and performance. Develop and write Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to guide office activities. The ideal candidate is a mid-career engineer with experience monitoring Statewide Federally funded highway programs or managing the delivery of a program of 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. 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 the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the GS-13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include: Experience in transportation project design, development or construction of highway, bridge, or other highway transportation projects (such as those involving socio-economic or environmental considerations, project location, multiple use of highway rights-of-way, high traffic volumes, major intersections, or others); AND Experience representing the organization with partners and stakeholders to provide advice, consultation, or project oversight. 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: 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. Compliance • Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance. Oral Communication • Ability to engage in oral communication and present information in a clear way in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences. Written Communication • Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. 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. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). 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 B. 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: 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. 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. 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. 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). All applicants must meet the education requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an engineering position. Transcripts are required for this position.